Can dogs die of a broken heart?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Don't forget that many owners who die of heart failure, for example, have been smokers for much of their lives - so their beloved pets have also smoked several a day and ingested a few from grooming the smoke and tar particles falling on their coats. Ten years of living with an owner who has smoked for 40 years probably means the animal has done pretty much the same.

MIL was surprised that the cat died just months after FIL did (both of heart failure at a relatively early age). They both felt ill and agitated one night, then collapsed and died within seconds at around 10 am, the next morning.

Didn't have the heart to point it out to her that their smoking probably had something to do with both deaths. She still doesn't think the smoking had anything to do with FIL's death as it was heart failure and not the emphysema he'd suffered from since he was 45 until his death at 63.

meritaten

I dont know about animals dying of a broken heart, but my sons cat is definately grieving. Son lost Felix a few weeks ago (some of you may remember Felix's RIP thread) and his friend Tinkerbell is one sad cat! she even sits on Felix's grave in the garden for hours! in the house she is now uncommunicative and wants to be left alone, hardly eats and wont play with the kids. totally unlike the cat she used to be. if a cat in a busy household with two other cats, three kids and two adults is like this - how would an animal with one owner to rely on for love cope after that owners death?

melvis

We have a 10 year old lab/staffy cross called Rudey. We looked after him whilst his owner was ill and he didn't get to see his owner at all much after that as he moved back to where his family lived. A few months later, a few days before xmas 2006, Rudey was moping about the house looking very sad all day on the saturday. We got a phone call on the Sunday saying that the day before his old owner has collapsed & been rushed to hospital & passed away. I guess Rudey just sensed it