I am heartbroken and in shock. My apparently healthy dog has just died suddenly. we thought he was asleep and called him and he didnt move.
We rang the emergency vet who told us how to check if he was dead. We had to take him in and the vet said he could feel a tumour in his stomach and blood in his stomach. He was only 7 yrs old. I am crying as i write this and keep thinking back but he had no symptoms. We may have been able to save him if he had but he was still eating normally and still playing. It was like he just went to sleep and died

Oh suzywuzy, I am so sorry for you. That is one of the most awful things to happen. Sadly a tumour in the stomach cavity is often not detected until too late, so you could have never known. Sleep well young boy.

What  a horrid thing to happen to your lovely dog. You must be devastated. It sounds like it could have been a tumour on his spleen - they often cause sudden and fatal bleeding. I am sure you feel you could/should have noticed, but sometimes there are no symptoms at all. You must try not to blame yourself. You need to take good care of yourself and give yourself lots of time to grieve. I lost my dog to cancer of the spleen in June and I still feel really sad about her. Lots of hugs. Jane xxx

Thank you, I do feel guilty that I should have known so that makes it a little easier

suzywuzy,

You poor thing, that is the most awful shock.

You must be so upset at the moment that I somehow feel now is not the time to be offering advice but just to stop the many questions marks that might occur in future, I wonder if you should ask the vet to keep your dog's body for now and to do a PM when you feel up to it?

I hope this does not seem insensitive. I think if you can at least be as clear as possible about the cause of death it may help you come to terms with what has happened a bit more. It is so easy to beat ourselves up in a situation like this but if a dog is eating and functioning normally there is little way to know something is wrong.

The vet did say the tumour was probably on his spleen.

It's a terrible shock. 

That happened to me with my Tula in January 2006, at 6 days short of 11.

The only thing is that if he showed no symptoms at least he was spared pain and illness.

One of my girls a few years ago had stomach cancer, she was a fit and health girl even though at a good age and within 3 weeks she had gone to skin and bone.  I know it's an awful shock right now but in time you will be able to look back and be thankful that he didn't seem to have any pain and passed away peacefully.

Thinking of you at this sad time.

Oh no, what a terrible shock for you. I am so, so sorry.

So sorry for your loss, may he RIP. {{{{HUGS}}}} Just over 12 months ago one of my dogs passed away in bed with me so I know how you are feeling, all the what ifs.

You know he had a full life and wasn't suffering at the end he just drifted off to sleep, it comes as a big shock finding them[ in my 40yrs as a nurse,mostly on nighhts, I found several patients like that, many I had spoken to in the previous couple of hours and gave no indication of feeling ill, they simply went back to sleep never to wake up again,it was the family who had to cope with not being there at the end but I could tell them that they had died peacefully in their sleep]

Try and think of all the good times, look at pics and videos and talk about his antics.

Take care

Such a terrible shock for you!

But if it was the terrible hemangiosarcoma (Tumour of the spleen and vascular system)' the symptoms are so vague and un dramatic it would be easy to miss.

Indeed I went to a show knowing my relatively young dog was just a little off colour..nothing more.. But when I came home he was very poorly and after an ultrasound scan he was seen to have a massive tumour and secondaries all over..he was PTS. So quick and I won't get over it.
I loved him like no other and 12 months on I'm not sure if it would better if he went to sleep like yours did..rather than having to yes to the vet.
My deepest condolences.

I can only agree with what others have said. If this was a tumour of the spleen, then you couldn't possibly have known, and for your lovely dog it was probably the nicest possible way to go -just so very hard for you. I have heard so many stories of dogs with splenic tumours and they seldom end well. An acquaintance recently lost her dog (December) to one such tumour. He had been perfectly normal and was a very active dog doing so much, then one day he slowed down a bit during a walk and suddenly collapsed, and that was it. He was put to sleep on the vet's advice. My mother in law had a rescued Labrador (both lived with us) who suddenly collapsed one day. Her age was unknown but she wasn't old, perhaps 5 or maybe 6 at most. I took Pippin to the vet who opened her up, found a tumour on the spleen and said this will be easy, we just remove the spleen and she will be right as rain. This was done but just 2 weeks later Pippin collapsed again and this time she could not be saved.  I will never again try to save a dog with a splenic tumour as it seems virtually impossible. But yes, it does happen this quickly. With Pippin we didn't have the faintest idea something was wrong until she collapsed.

Oh, you poor thing I am so sorry, please do not feel guilty there is no way you could have known and it is bad enough feeling the loss without trying to take the blame as well. Hugs.

sudden death of a pet is the worst ever. one of my dogs died suddenly in my arms last year. i have never gotten over it. nothing prepares you for it. so sorry for you. X

Thank you all so much for your lovely comments. I know that it was the best way for him to go in his sleep, i can remember him that way instead of
seeing him in pain. We recently kept one of our litter of puppies and he was so good with her. He played with her and was so gentle. The worst thing is telling everybody without bursting into tears.

I,m so sorry , I lost Sengi to a cancer on 9th December I know what you mean about burstng into tears in fact its only in the last week that I have told people she has gone,
She was a strong fit dog and I think it is a bit of self denial on my part that if I dont tell anyone she has gone  then she is still here that probably sounds daft but its my way of dealing with it at the moment.
It must be such a shock for you and I am so sorry .

>without bursting into tears.

I still do, just go with it. It shows your deep connection with another living thing. Normal people understand this.

I am sending you a big hug on hearing your terrible news. Losing a pet so suddenly and without warning is nothing less than traumatic and can take a good deal of time to get to the point of being able to talk about him without feeling sad. My young cat was hit and killed instantly in July and I went through every grieving emotion possible. Only now can I talk about her without getting upset and I remember the wonderful memories of this special little creature, she was one in a million and I feel blessed to have spent 18 short but precious months with her. Take each day as it comes and if you want to cry then cry, if you want to talk then talk and surround yourself with people who care and understand your loss. take care of yourself.

How terrible! Henry went pretty suddenly, but I'd known he had the heart condition even though it wasn't bothering him. I can't imagine how awful it must be when you didn't and couldn't possibly have known there was a problem. *hugs* Don't worry about bursting into tears telling people, we've all been there! It was 2.5 years ago with me and I can feel the tears welling up just writing this!

What a terrible, terrible shock!

So sorry, sounds as though he went very quickly and maybe even in his sleep. {{hug}}

OMG, you poor thing, you must be reeling, it's hard enough losing a friend, to have them go so suddenly must be doubly hard. if its any consolation, he's been saved from any pain and suffering, hard on you, but best for him.
my friend lost her dog to a splenic tumour a few years ago, Alice had been a wee bit off colour in the morning, by the afternoon she'd been rushed to the emergency vet but sadly died on the operating table. It does seem to be the case that they go with little warning.
I've lost every single one of my animals to cancer of one type or another, such a cruel disease.

Reading all your sad stories is making me cry again, for myself and for all of you that have lost a beloved pet. I dont think it has sunk in properly, i'm dreading the morning when i get up to feed him. I have 3 other dogs but i still miss him with all my heart. I'm so glad that everyone on here understands and i really appreciate all your comments. Thank you all so much

so sorry suzywuzy, what a dreadful shock for you. Hope brighter days come soon for you and your family xx

The worst thing is telling everybody without bursting into tears.

i know how you feel about this. I still havent told a lot of people. my way of coping  with my situation.

So very sorry, Suzywuzy.

You know though, I'm green with envy.  I have always had to make that horrible decision for my dogs.  To have one pass, snug in his bed, surrounded with love?? What I wouldn't give for mine to have that stress-free end.

I am also fighting to keep a 2 yr old girl alive at the minute as losing them early just shouldn't be allowed.  They are supposed to be old and grey.

Anyone who tells you that you are silly crying over a 'dog', will slide in your affections.  Everyone in my family know not to say anything to me.  Why wouldn't you greive?  You shared everyday with him!  You seen/spoke to your dog more than most of your family, I'd imagine.  I'm so close to my dogs that when I lose one, it's like one of my children.  You raise them, and love them, and see to their every need.

I'm sending you understanding hugs and the knowledge that time will heal.  Tell us a lovely, funny story about how fabulous your dog was.  Might help sharing the good times?

Hi, i do know what you mean. I've been thinking what a horrible time he could have had and all the pain he could have suffered. I am so sorry about your dog and all the others on here that have lost their pets. They are like children. Louie was a big loveable oaf, he used to carry my cats around when they were kittens and only 2 days ago he picked one up and carried her across the room even though now they are fully grown. He was so placid my nephews and nieces could do anything with him and he wouldn't bat an eyelid. He loved going on the beach but only liked to paddle whereas my labrador would be straight in the sea. ( He was a golden retriever ). I took my other 3 to the beach this morning to try and keep their routine and it was the first time the puppy had been so that brought a smile to my face,seeing her running around in the sand. It was just so strange without louie.

So soRry for you loss its so hard to lose them. I lost my first gsd to haemangeosarcoma she was fit and jumped out the car at the start of a walk and collapsed. 4 weeks later she was pts in my arms. My previous flat coat was. Operated on for a tumour on er jaw returned home 5 days later and within 24hours was dead not from cancer or the op but bloat. I really feel your pain it is so hard

So sorry to hear this, I had more or less the same happen with my first Flattie. He had his walk at 8.30 and when we called them for bed at 10 he didn't move. We got him to the Vet but he went in our arms. She scanned and suspected a tumour on the spleen.

Again like your boy he had eaten his tea and had been playing in the snow a couple of hours earlier, no signs that anything was wrong.

My only comfort was that outwardly he showed no pain and didn't suffer for long

Sorry to hear this suzy, my first GSD went this way when his spleen ruptured, no sign of problems he just went to sleep and that was it, I took solice in knowing he felt no pain.  My old schip I had to pts 23 nov last yr had T cell lymphoma but thankfully suddenly had a rupture allowing me to get him to the vets for pts, even though I knew it was coming due to the cancer I wasn't prepared for how suddenly it happend, it just hurts so bad when they go.

I can't believe its a week ago today that my beloved boy passed away. I've been in a daze all week not quite believing that it has happened.
I think i've cried myself dry. You'll always be in my heart Louie

You know though, I'm green with envy.  I have always had to make that horrible decision for my dogs.  To have one pass, snug in his bed, surrounded with love?? What I wouldn't give for mine to have that stress-free end.

Sadly not all sudden deaths are whilst dogs are snug in their bed. mine wasnt. and that is what makes is so awful.

What happened to yours tadog?.

So sorry ((hugs))

so sorry to hear your awful news. i experienced exactly that in feb last year, i had been playing with my boy during the day, he had been running around with his pal as normal, ate his dinner that evening and 1hr later was dead, i found him laid on his rug....just gone! he had just turned 5 years old :(
The shock is horrendous. hugs to you x

It sounds exactly the same, louie had been playing in the morning, sat with the other dogs begging titbits at lunch and then just went to sleep and died. Its so hard  hard to accept that he's gone.