Why is my 11-year-old Shih Tzu collapsing when playing?

Cardiovascular or respiratory issue may provoke acute collapse during intense exercise or the signs you are describing may be completely normal. The only way to differentiate between a pathologic and normal condition would be to have Ellie checked up at your local veterinarian. A physical examination may reveal subtle signs compatible with cardiac or cardiovascular disease. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Yes, that could be the cause of Toby's collapse. It's called syncope, and it occurs in dogs who have an enlarged heart because of an interruption of the blood supply to the brain. Have him seen by a vet asap. Syncope is a very serious symptom of heart disease, and he likely needs medications to help with his heart problems.

Hello, sorry to hear about Shiloh. It looks like she is an older pup and the potentials for what is causing her to collapse can vary greatly (anything from neurologic in origin to orthopedic in origin). In older pets, severe muscle loss, heart problems, or other metabolic problems can contribute to their weakness and collapsing episodes. In a dog with a cough however, I would be most concerned with an underlying heart problem, then a neurologic or orthopedic problem. I would recommend seeing her veterinarian to have her evaluated and check her for any underlying heart problems, neurologic or orthopedic problems. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Poor Tommy! Fainting is not normal and can indicate heart disease, blood pressure disease or even something like a seizure. He needs to see a veterinarian today for a physical exam as this is the only way to begin figuring out what is wrong. beat of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It's less likely to be due to heat but rather other underlying issues like heart disease (arrhythmias, enlargement), respiratory disease (high pressures in his lungs), or even anemia or cancer. Given his age and these possible causes I recommend Rex see his veterinarian for an exam.

It sounds like your dog is experiencing either seizure or aneurysm like activity, or may be experiencing cardiorespiratory problems. Both of these warrant immediate attention and can result in death if they go untreated. Prognosis is unknown until more is known about the cause of the symptoms. While I understand your position, please understand that without attention this may not have a good outcome.

This is very concerning, especially in a young dog like Baby Girl. A seizure is possible, although typically stiffness or convulsions are seen and it usually takes awhile to recover from a seizure. A syncopal episode is another possibility - this occurs when there is an arrhythmia or other heart problem that causes fainting. I would recommend seeing a veterinarian right away - they can listen to her heart and may recommend taking an x-ray or checking blood work. Seizures or heart disease in a young dog can be fatal.