Is my dog's stress dangerous? Can it be fatal, especially if sick?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Don't beat yourself up! You can only do what you can do and most dogs do not have shortened life spans from decreased exercise, stress and mildly cold temperatures. Exercise is a very good thing to provide, maybe you can increase the walks and play time. The biggest health risk for inactivity is obesity and it has been proven that leaner dogs live longer. I would also provide comfortable enclosures and do not keep Joshie out in very cold weather or very hot weather. Any changes you can make, no matter how small, will benefit Joshie. I hope this helps and I wish you both the best!

Hello. I think I addressed your concerns about blood clots earlier. I have never heard of a dog dying from a brief pull on a choker chain like this. Dogs pull on their leashes & chains all the time, sometimes pretty hard with no ill effects. Unless there was some unknown injury or defect or problem, there in no way you could have caused Storm's death in this manner. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Chronic stress is never good for the body and if stress can be reduced, this is ideal. Stress can certainly worsen pre-existing diseases and I would recommend reducing stress as much as possible. There are natural products such as the Adaptil products, which can be found online quite easily or supplements such as NaturVet Quiet Moments calm chews with melatonin. If these do not work well, I would recommend discussing other means of reducing stress with your veterinarian. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Hello. I am so sorry for your loss. I am so sad for you. Without a complete medical history, it is impossible to determine causation, but sudden death can be brought on by heart failure, drug or toxin ingestion, electrocution, a ruptured spleen, blood vessel or undiagnosed tumor, severe anaphylaxis, or some other congenital problem just waiting to happen. A sudden death is always shocking & I can understand your need for answers, but sometimes things just happen & they are totally out of our control. Again, I am so sorry for your loss.

Hello, although he must have been very stressed during the episode, its unlikely that he continues to be stressed now. He could how ever be breathing like you are describing due to pain especially if Max was seriously injured during the encounter. I would recommend having him assessed to ensure he does not have any serious or painful injuries that would require medical management. Hope this helps and best of luck!!!

Hello. Yes, stress can do this, as well as, external parasites ( fleas & mites ), endocrine problems ( hypothyroidism ), skin infections ( bacterial & yeast ) & allergies. You can try & relieve stress with calming products such as Zylkene or use a dog appeasing pheromone product in the home called Adaptil. Both of these are available at Petco. If there seems to be no relief from the hair loss, please see your veterinarian about additional diagnostics & treatments. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

There is usually an underlying cause to the dehydration and anorexia and if addressed can fix the symptoms of not eating/drinking. But to answer your question, yes, severe or prolonged dehydration and starvation can lead to multisystem organ failure and eventual death. If you are concerned that your dog is not eating or drinking appropriately then I would recommend having him examined by your veterinarian. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.