Sudden Death

21.5 Sudden Death

Sometimes an animal dies suddenly - with no symptoms seen by the owner. There are several reasons for this and they have been covered in other sections:

 Poisons. See page 81  Acute Diseases like Anthrax, Blackquarter or Hemorrhagic Septicemia.

 Heart failure due to a wire in the heart or some other reason. See page 189.

 Grass tetany. See page 271.

As always, take a careful history. Consider performing a post mortem exam (called a “necropsy”) to determine the cause of death, particularly if there is a chance to save other animals with the same condition.

Caution: If you suspect that the animal died from anthrax, (the animal has dark blood coming from the mouth, nose or other body parts), do not cut it open. See page 196.