Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

Sudden death in a dog after swimming.

Species: Dog
Breed: pit bull terrier
Age: 2-5 years
My dog was swimming in the lake for 1-2 mins, she came out, then ran around suddenly siffing up and fell over dead! What could have caused this to happen? She was healthy and shots up to date. Thank You


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh my! I am so sorry to hear that this happened.

Unfortunately no one will be able to tell you for sure what happened without doing a post mortem exam. But, I can give you a few of my thoughts.

When a young, healthy dog dies suddenly like this I usually think of a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy. Dogs who have this condition will often have no clinical signs. Sometimes a vet can hear a heart murmur, but often we don't. If it was dilated cardiomyopathy then the good news is that your dog likely did not suffer at all.

Another possibility is if your dog had a tumor on the spleen that suddenly ruptured. However, this is more common in older dogs.

I'm very sorry for your loss.
Dr. Marie

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Possible pyometra. My dog I believe is in heat but this month instead of a thin red color the discharge... (10588 views)

Peeing outside of box. Hi Dr Marie, My Cat Nikki is 21 yrs old......he was shot in the mouth when he was... (11438 views)

Not eating or drinking and is painful. My cat tink 3 yrs seems very poorly he hasn't eaten or drank for 2 days now is very... (6276 views)

Debris on cat's eye. Good afternoon! My cat seems to be having eye issues. 6 months ago I took her to... (17092 views)

Kitten eating her feces. My kitten keeps eating her own poo and vomiting it back up and i dont know why... (14233 views)

Brewer's Yeast for fleas. Is brewers yeast and garlic a safe treatment for deterring fleas and ticks,... (21683 views)

Rogain toxic to dogs? Hello. Thank you for taking the time to read and answer my question. I have... (34798 views)

IVDD in dog. My dog Basil woke up this morning and would not jump off of the bed, go down steps,... (14918 views)

Red spot near vulva. My six-year-old spayed, lab mix has a small red area near her vulva. She bites and... (28682 views)

Can a dog be born with rabies. does dog have rabbies when they were... (16060 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.