Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Puppy died suddenly.

Species: Dog
Breed: Pom
Age: Less than 3 mon
I came home after being gone for 3 hours. We have baby Pomeranians 6 weeks old. They were in their bed, one of them was gasping for air. Rattles came when I picked him up, then more gasping. Cough and a little blood, then a bubble of clear out his nose. Then he went limp. :( I was only home 5 minutes with him in my hands it only lasted a few minutes.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I am sorry to hear that you are having problems. Just to be clear before I answer...is Captain still alive or did he pass away?

Did he have any unusual symptoms before this happened? Was he gaining weight at the same rate as his littermates?

Thanks,
Dr. Marie.


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Customer reply:

He did pass away. He was gaining weight, playful...It was a strange rattle, gasping. I looked to see if something was in his airway...nothing.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I'm so sorry that he has died. While I won't be able to tell you for sure what happened, let me give you a few of my thoughts.

If a puppy this young suddenly has respiratory symptoms and dies then the most common reason for this would be if he was born with a heart condition. Some dogs with heart conditions will have less weight gain than their siblings, but not always.

The rattling that you heard sounds like fluid in the chest. Heart failure can cause a dog to suddenly have fluid in the chest.

It's also possible that he had something called "idiopathic thymic hemorrhage". The thymus is a gland in the chest of puppies. Although it is rare, it can happen that the thymus just ruptures and we don't know why.

Yes, a choking of some sort is possible as well.

Ultimately the only way to know what has happened would be to have your vet do a post mortem exam. It does sound like this was unpreventable though.

Again, I am so sorry for your loss.



Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

9 month old puppy pregnant? My puppy is only 9 months old and she was in heat for her first time. Her father was... (44112 views)

ACTH Stim my dog went for acht testing on friday to look for addisons disease te vet isnt in... (10642 views)

Dogs ate chocolate and sugar. I have an 85 pound lab, an 8 pound mini dachshund and a 12 pound mini dachshund. We... (24218 views)

Lab not eating. My 13 yr old Lab, Dylan, who has NEVER turned her nose up at any kind of food, has... (28926 views)

Cat peed on my bed. My neutered male cat has peed on my bed twice now. I've had him for almost a year... (9581 views)

Too aggressive petting? My cat enjoys having his bum smacked over and over. Hard. He's neutered male - he... (23405 views)

Wheezing, sneezing kitten. my kitten is 3 and a half months old recently she has been sleeping a whole lot and... (14886 views)

Doesn't like s/d. My dog has bladder stones(a lot) and was put on Hills Prescription diet s/d Canine... (13167 views)

Brewer's Yeast for fleas. Is brewers yeast and garlic a safe treatment for deterring fleas and ticks,... (21675 views)

Pink bumps on dog. My dog has two small bumps on top of his head. I took a picture, but I don't see a... (40931 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.