Whippet Demise At 3

[debsandben]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

2 WHIPPETS THAT I KNOW OF HAVE DIED WHILST OUT EXERCISING WITH THEIR OWNERS. BOTH DOGS WERE LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD, BOTH LIVED WITH OTHER DOGS AND HAD SEEMED IN GOOD HEALTH. BOTH WERE HOUSE DOGS WELL FED AND HEALTHY.I AM NEW TO THE K9 SITE BUT HAVE NOTED THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE LOTS OF RUNNING DOGS WHO MUST ALL EXERCISE TOGETHER,

SO DOGS IN A MULTI DOG HOUSEHOLD MUST ALL PUSH THEMSELVES TO RUN AND RUN FASTER TOGETHER, SO THE HEART WOULD BE MAXED OUT??

IM HAVING DIFFICULTY TRYING TO EVALUATE WHAT COULD BE THE CAUSE. THE VETS HAVE SAID THEY WERE UNSURE AS TO CAUSE OF DEATH. NO AUTOPSIES WERE DONE. HAS ANYONE ANY THEORIES.

 

[June Jonigk]

Were these dogs running at the time? Did they did within seconds of each other, or did they die separately? Were they related? It is too much of a coincidence for them both to have died from a heart attack, unless they were related and had some kind of weakness there perhaps??

It's certainly very strange - let us know if you find out anything else.

Our thoughts are with their owners

 

[chelynnah]

HAVE NOTED THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE LOTS OF RUNNING DOGS WHO MUST ALL EXERCISE TOGETHER,  SO DOGS IN A MULTI DOG HOUSEHOLD MUST ALL PUSH THEMSELVES TO RUN AND RUN FASTER TOGETHER, SO THE HEART WOULD BE MAXED OUT??

IM HAVING DIFFICULTY TRYING TO EVALUATE WHAT COULD BE THE CAUSE. THE VETS HAVE SAID THEY WERE UNSURE AS TO CAUSE OF DEATH. NO AUTOPSIES WERE DONE. HAS ANYONE ANY THEORIES.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Without an autopsy there's no way of knowing or even guessing. As to the theory that all the dogs running together pushed their hearts to the max - unless there was a fault with the heart in the first place this doesn't make much sense - otherwise all of us with several dogs running together wouldn't have them more than a couple of years.

I'm sorry for your friends' loss.

Wendy

 

[dessie]

Sounds like Sudden Death syndrome which most running dogs, and racehorses, can suffer from. I believe it is quite a big problem in Salukis. Although most often put down to 'heart attack' (like 'strokes') I do not think dogs/horses suffer from such a phenonoma, per se. I think it can occur in humans too but much more rare.

 

[Karen]

I didnt read this as both dogs belonging to the same person but perhaps Im wrong.

There are thousands of Whippets all over the world running so now and then you will hear of early deaths. Its very sad to lose a dog like this.

If they were related then that would look like an inherited weakness.

I do think that some inexperienced pet people run there dogs TOO much, you can run a Whippet too much, it loves running and will chase til exhausted and if it thinks it pleasing you it will pull out all the stops to run a bit more.

We had the most stunning Greyhound at the racing kennels where I worked, she won everything. Bitches are not allowed to race after they have been in season, they have to have a rest. Her owner took her to an unlicensed track and raced her for greed and she died running at 4 years old.

 

[JAX]

Thats really sad Karen :rant:

Of course you also get the peps who dont exercise their dogs during the week , but then take it for mega long walks /runs etc at the weekend .