Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Cause of death?

Species: Dog
Breed: basset hound
Age: 5-8 years
Hi Dr. Marie,

I\'m sorry that I can\'t afford to pay for an answer, but your response would be very helpful to me in providing closure on my dogs recent death. Lew was recovering from surgery. He had not had anything to eat or drink in 48 hours. We were worried about making sure he got proper hydration, as well as making sure he was able to take his antibiotics and pain killers. In a desperate attempt to get him to drink water and take his medication, we fed him water through a turkey baster. We put the pills in the back of his throat and then put the water down his throat. He visibly swallowed the water. He did not cough or try to resist. However, he died within 2 hours after that. Did we kill him? Did we drown him by giving him too much water too fast? It couldn\'t have been more than 16-24 oz. of water. Was this too much? Please let us know if our actions were wrong for the future, or if we can rest at ease knowing that we could not have killed him this way.

Thank you!

Felissa Miller


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

I'm sorry to hear that your dog passed away.

From what you've described it sounds unlikely that the administration of pills caused Lew's death. If Lew had aspirated water he definitely would have been coughing an uncomfortable right at the time that the pills were administered.

I'd need more information in order to speculate on the cause of death. If he was having surgery, then it sounds like there were other issues.

But rest assured that this is very unlikely to be your fault.

So 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...

Draining fluid for heart failure. My dog has Congestive Heart Failure. He is under the care of a veterinarian and... (23170 views)

My dog won't eat. Hello i have a male 2 year old pitbull. He is an extremely picky eater when it comes... (17575 views)

Sick guinea pig. hello, i need help. my guinea pig peppy is really dehydrated and really weak, today... (14934 views)

Can't walk, dehydrated puppy. My puppy is 3 months old. She was left at home with her dogsitter but was obviously... (17757 views)

Does Hartz kill roundworms? well, this one time when I had a lab mix puppy that wasn't vetted or wormed or... (12101 views)

lump on spay incision Hello Dr. Marie, Gracie was spayed 5 days ago. Her incision looks wonderful... (28999 views)

Black widow spider bite. Hi, A good friend of mine woke up this morning and found her cat dead in her... (9623 views)

Cat losing hair in patches Our cat has started loosing hair in spots. HE is an orange tabby. White spots... (21711 views)

Lethargic shih tzu My dog came home from the cottage this weekend and is acting very odd. He walks a... (30799 views)

Protein in urine. Hi, My Yorkie is 12 and had smelly pee starting in September 2010. I took a sample... (12653 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.