My dog passed suddenly on Saturday, I did not even know he was ill.

It sounds like maybe a heart attack. I am so sorry for your loss. My heart aches reading your story.

Didn’t your vet check him out anyway? Sounds like respiratory issue since he was coughing and frothing and pink. Maybe a severe allergic reaction?

I’m terribly sorry, it sounds traumatizing for you both.

My sincerest regrets, I am acutely aware of how broken your heart must be.

It sounds like it might have been congestive heart failure but I’m not a vet. I am so, so sorry for your loss; my dog died about six years ago.

@DedicatedWoman I AM SO SORRY. BIG HUGS.

Welcome to Fluther. I hope we can help you through even if it is just a little.

Reading your story brings tears to my eyes. I have suffered through many losses. I also have 2 dogs and do not know what I would do if I lost either of them.

You did the right thing within your means, I just want to ensure you of that.

It doesn’t sound like you had much time to figure anything else out. Sometimes things like a certain type of cough can go unnoticed.

Without getting into it too much because this question is about you I had a situation with my dog that went unnoticed so I just want to let you know it does happen.

Coughs are caused by respiratory infections, congestive heart failure, chronic bronchitis, respiratory tract tumors, collapsing trachea, pressure from tight collars, and inhaled irritants such as grass seeds, fumes, and food particles. I’m not a vet and I don’t know the history of your dog but 15yrs is a very good age, but by the sounds of it your dog may of had congestive heart failure, a respitory infection, or a respitory tract tumor.

Again I am really sorry for your loss.

If you ever feel like telling any stories about your BFF, I would love to hear them.

Welcome to Fluther. I am so sorry for your loss. Call your vet’s office and ask them. Or if the dog has not yet been cremated, you could have a post mortem (an autopsy) done.

I know how very sad you are. Losing a pet is terrible.

My sincerest condolences. We want so much to be able to make everything right for them, but it simply isn’t possible all the time. My beloved cat, Spoony, is of a similar age and so far seems to be healthy and happy. But I know that day is coming. I remember when it did for Treasure the cat. My heart goes out to you.

Thank you everyone for the responses. Yes, guilt is playing a huge part right now and I feel like the people surrounding me just don’t get the connect between a human and a dog. So, I thank you all!

I am so sorry,, but, there is no reason to feel guilty. Animals often mask their symptoms. Was he coughing in the days, weeks before his death? Was he losing weight, resting more? All could be signs of congestive heart failure.
I lost my old cat on Memorial Day 2010 in the afternoon from heart failure. Same scenario. He had slept with me as usual, ate breakfast, went outside and at 3 o’ clock when I had company coming over to dinner my daughter noticed him panting under a tree in the yard.

He couldn’t catch his breath, was gagging from lack of oxygen and I called the emergency housecall vet because I was afraid that transporting him would do him in.
He was euthanized in my arms on my deck. Please know that often pets do not not show a lot of symptoms prior to death, it is natures way of protecting them from predators from their wild days when showing signs of illness would have made them vulnerable to attack.

I know you don;t feel this way right now, but really, his death was swift and at home and he didn’t have to suffer through a long illness. Peace to you.

Oh my goodness. I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my 16 year old dog last summer. I know the strong wrenching and aching feeling of loss. I went into depression and could hardly get out of bed to do anything. He was like my child (I had him since he was a puppy). He died from old age (cancer throughout his whole body). He was fine then things just went bad quickly. However, it took a month for him to reach the end. We ended up having to euthanize him.

It sounds like your canine friend had heart failure or a bad reaction to something. Given his age, it was most likely the heart and/or lungs. The best person to ask is your/his vet.

My mother’s dog passed a couple months ago (he was only 5 years old). He just walked over to the bushes and died. They think he had sudden heart failure. It happened so quickly without much warning. The week before, he was acting differently but not enough to think he was severely ill.

I feel for you…I really do. He passed with you and very quickly…take peace in that. It will get easier but it’ll take time. Take as much time to grieve as you need. Don’t let anyone tell you he was “just a dog”. He was your best friend for a decade and half. I wish you eventual peace in your great loss.

@Plucky Isn’t it a cruel twist of fate that we only get these perfect beings for a little while? And cancer of all things, same as my boy, man I hate cancer.

My heart aches for you. Your did everything you could for Bear. I don’t know what caused his death and I doubt that the answer would be much comfort. Our relationship with our dogs is special and though they never live long enough to suit us, they bring us joy and pleasure each day. That is what our dogs want to do for us – to please us and I’m sure your dog fulfilled his life mission. Honour his life and try not to focus for long on his death. When you are able to do so, find a dog that needs a home and let that dog occupy that space in your life that only a dog can fill. There are many rescue shelters that have someone waiting for you.

I am glad Bear had you there with him until the end and I hope that you will eventually be able to take some comfort in that.

I think @Judi is correct. I found this on a medical site:

“Left Side Congestive Heart Failure – A persistent, dry cough or shortness of breath while sleeping and a pink, frothy foam in the mouth are severe symptoms of left-sided CHF. These symptoms may be an indicative of an accumulation of fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), which is a life-threatening condition. The left ventricle (pumping chamber) could also fail to pump or fill up with blood.”

“The main causes of congestive heart failure is coronary artery disease or arteriosclerosis, which causes hardening of the arteries. As we grow old, the heart muscles weaken and are unable to pump the required amount of blood. This leads to the blood pooling up in the lower extremities of the body, giving rise to congestive heart failure.”

Hope this helps.

This makes me sad for you, I’m very sorry for your loss.

Sounds like heart failure. My dog was recently diagnosed with heart problems. It noticed he was having a hard time breathing and rushed him to the vet. His lungs were full with fluid. He had been coughing for some time before that and I thought it was a cold. Only reason I noticed his labored breathing is because I have years experience watching my daughter struggle with asthma. So don’t beat yourself up. When the doctors took care of the fluid in his lungs they checked his heart and found one of the valves in his heart was not properly closing. I almost didn’t take him to the vet because he had eaten a good size meal a few hours earlier. It seemed odd that he would do that if he was ill. I’m sure if I had waited the next morning he would’ve been dead by then.

One of the signs of heart problems is coughing or constant sneezing or both. Doctor says his heart gets enlarged because the blood back flows and it puts pressure on their esophagus and makes them cough.

I am sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you aren’t beating yourself up about this. Dogs don’t seem to act the same way about illness the way people do, so it really becomes difficult to guess if it warrants and emergency visit or just a regular check up. Especially older dogs. I had noticed for weeks that my dog wasn’t as active as he normally was and simply attributed it to his age and the stress of us moving.

Molly has been coughing at night for a while but the vet says her heart sounds ok. She too is 15 so I’m sure we will some day have to face the same thing soon. I was mourning how old she was until I just got her shaved. Right now she looks much younger and although she really doesn’t like climbing stairs anymore, and she’s on medicine for pain and incontenence, she still smiles so I am enjoying every happy moment she has left.

Oh, my heart aches for you. I am 70 years and have lost several dogs. It never gets any easier.
((((HUGS))))

The only silver lining is that he went quickly and in your arms. My way is to adopt a new one asap. It doesn’t replace the one you lost but gives you a new one to love and a furry shoulder to cry into.

The greater the love, the greater the sorrow when you lose that love.Give yourself time to mourn and then start visiting shelters. A new love will ease your current pain. You’ll never forget Bear and nothing will take his place, but a new experience awaits you when you’re ready.
My most sincere condolences.

Aww, you poor thing! I’m so sorry you had to go through that. It sounds like congestive heart failure, but as someone mentioned above, you could ask your vet to do an autopsy if your sweet dog hasn’t yet been cremated. (((hugs))) for you, and welcome to Fluther.

15 years is a good dog life.. And I am glad the end was quick.

But I am so sorry for you. Nothing but time can relieve that ache.

G’boy Bear, you will be missed!