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Why did 15 year old dog die?

Species: Dog
Breed: Cocker spaniel, spri
Age: More than 15 ye
Hello, My dog was 15 years old and she just recently died last thursday. My mother is really upset because she feels guilty that we didnt take her to the vet sooner. She started throwing up on sunday and it was dark brown colour. The next day she harldy ate and at night she threw up again. For the next couple days she was throwing up brownish redish which we were thinking it was blood. We made an apt on wed for thursday but on thursday morning she passed away. She was breathing really heavy and hardly ate anything, her eyes and nose stared haveing green snot coming out of them before she died and was not able to walk near the end. In 2004 she started having leg problems and so we took her to a specalist. In 2007, her back end gave out and she could no longer use her back legs. We took her to the vet and talked to some people and we ended up putting her on steriods which worked and she was able to walk and she was on them for 3 years. She had lots of lumps on her body which could have been cancer or something else the vet told us. I know this may be confusing but do you think this was just apart of aging? If we took her to the vet do you think there would be something that could have been considering her age and past? Please let me know. Thank you.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Oh, I am sorry to hear of the loss of Tia.

15 is a ripe old age for any dog.

While I can't say for sure why she died, it is extremely likely that there was something related to her age such as either kidney failure, liver failure, or cancer. These are all things for which we have no cure.

If you had gone to the vet, they would have done a physical exam and some tests that would probably give you a reason as to why she was so sick. However, the chances that there would be something there that you could have repaired are small.

It sounds like she had a great life and you did a lot for her. I am so sorry for your loss.

Dr. Marie.

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


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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.

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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.