Why did my 8-year-old shepherd die suddenly? Was it heartworms?

Question

My 8 year old shepherd had a massive heart attack and passed away last week. I'm just curious if it was possibly a congenital heart If you or if it could have been a spider bite or possibly even heart worms? Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | neutered | 8 years and 5 months old | 68 lbs

Dr. Davis · Accepted Answer

I’m sorry you lost your handsome boy. It certainly could have been due to heartworms if he wasn’t on heartworm prevention. Usually though they cough and have other signs before death. With a congenital problem they often die as puppies or young dogs. He could have had dialated cardiomyopathy which can be hereditary or can be a result of diet. They have implicated grain free foods in the higher instance of cardiomyopathy but haven’t discovered the exact reason yet. That does often result in sudden death. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Why did my 8-year-old shepherd die suddenly? Was it heartworms?

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