Boston Terrier Who Died Suddenly After Seeming Disoriented
by Alida
(Lenoir, N.C.)
Reader Question
My Boston terrier Pearl, who was 10years old died in my arms in Jan. She just acted as if she was disoriented and laid down. She had just been jumping around and ate all her food and 2 treats then came into the bedroom, jumped up on the bed and quickly laid down and looked disoriented for a minute then just laid there. I put her on the floor to see if she could walk and she did walk into the living room and just stood there , so I put her on the couch and she laid down. She always breathed a little heavy because she was a Boston Terrier,so it was hard to tell if she was laboring to breath.Then I just picked her up and started cuddling and loving her and she wanted down. I put her down and she laid down like she was straining and had a bowel movement and then just died. I was devastated and in shock! I did not have an autopsy so I guess she just had a heart attack of some kind. I miss her more everyday. She was my little Angel.
Answer from Our Team
We're so sorry about Pearl. Without a necropsy (an animal autopsy) it's impossible to know for sure, but sudden collapse and death in a dog who seemed well can be caused by a heart rhythm problem, a bleeding tumor, a blood clot or a stroke-like event. Dogs rarely have "heart attacks" in the way people do.
Please don't blame yourself. These events usually give little or no warning, and holding her and comforting her was the kindest thing you could have done.
See heart disease in dogs for more information.
This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.
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