I was just contacted by a puupy owner. Yesterday the pup had a great day running around playing. Was lethargic last night, no known cause. Took pup to Emergency vet. Vet immediatley incubated the pup. Nothing could be found to be wrong except they found no brain activity. I am baffled! I would love any imput anyone would have as to the cause.
It just seems so strange that a perfectly healthy 14 week old pup could be fine all day, then lethargic and end up with no brain activity.
They sent me an email. I have not been able to reach them by phone yet. I hope the will have done a necropsy but won't know anymore until I speak with them.
The information I posted was the information in the email. I am also hoping they will call the vet to allow me to speak with them about it.
I am just beside myself in disbelief and wondering what happened.
Well I finally spoke with the family.
They said they spent the day at the beach, they were with the pup at all times. After there walk and the dogs waiting in the water they went home. The pup and their other dog were sleeping on the couch, they both appeared exhausted. He said he was sitting next to the pup where it was sleeping and it looked strange, he said he placed his hand on the pup and it was breathing. He tried to wake the pup and carried him outside where he seemed unable to even stand so he rushed to the vet.
The vet said his breathing was very shallow so the put a tube in to help his breathing. He said they took him in the back to run a few tests. When they returned all they had found was no brain activity and at that point he was breathing because of the tube. They said they would keep him until morning but with no brain activity he would most likely be the same so the family opted to euthanize, a decision I agree with. He said the vet went over toxins and any other source of anything he could have ingested but they say he never had a chance, they were with him the whole time.
He is being sent for a necropsy, they said it would be a few weeks before the results were in.
Depending on where the water was and what state you are in, it could have been a cyanobacteria, the timeline also fits this. I am so sorry for your puppy family's loss, and the grief you must be feeling too.
That was what I was thinking after hearing the puppy had been in the water. Perhaps a bacteria, or the blue algae. So sad and you may never know why. Poor family too.
I am certain things were a bit differen than owner told me, they are very upset by this as am I. I really love this family. I know they would never have done anything to hurt the baby.
Maybe the pup ingested something while in the water. Pups, at least mine get a hold of things so fast, you might not even notice. It could have been a small crustacean, part of a rotten fish. Pups don't care what they put in their mouths.
do you know if they were at a beach with salt water or fresh water?
The information you have provided (I *know* it's all you have so please don't take that the wrong way) just simply does not give enough information to make a sound judgement on. The terms the puppy people are giving you (ie "brain activity") without any mention of what specifically is being tested, without specific test results, etc- just is not enough info.
As someone else mentioned, frequently necropsies do not find the answer- but on the flip side of that they often don't find lots of things (ie, rule out many things even if can't find the exact cause of death).
