Border Collie dies suddenly

Question
Our 9 year old Border Collie had severe DJD and was taking 50 mg deramaxx daily, 50 mg Tramadol twice daily.  Also, she had allergies and was taking 50 mg Hydroxyzine twice daily. I also gave her Cosequin DS twice daily.  She still liked to run and walk and had no problems with digestion.
She quit eating one evening and vomiting foul smelling the next morning.  Took her to emergency vet and she was dehydrated.  After fluids she was not responding.  She stayed overnight and the next day she couldn't walk and was bloated.  She was struggling to breath and the vet said she was in severe pain.  He said without ultrasound (not available) he thought it was stomach cancer with sepsis.  She had no symptoms until the end.  Could the meds have caused this?  She was 9 years old and showed no symptoms of stomach disorders until the end.  Please answer because this is very painful losing our precious border collie who blessed our lives with endless joy. Tks.

Answer
Sonny -

I am sorry to hear of the death of your dog.  Without the benefit of seeing the bloodwork or actually seeing your dog it is difficult for me to determine why your dog passed away.

Your question was if the medicine could have caused the death of your dog.  I do not know.  There are a lot of factors to consider:  How long was your dog on these medications?  Was bloodwork done to  monitor her liver and kidney enzymes while she was on these medications?   

You did not explain why the emergency veterinarian came to the conclusion that she had stomach cancer with sepsis.  There are so many different diseases that could have caused the symptoms you described.  

I know that it is too late, but a post mortem exam is the only way to determine why your dog passed away.  Contact your veterinarian to discuss your concerns.  He/she should be able to better discus this situation because he.she is familiar with your pet's medical history.  

The medications you describe are quite useful in relieving the pain of arthritis and allergy symptoms.  In the future, remember to follow up medication use with regular bloodwork to assess their affect on internal organs.  Medications can affect the liver and kidney and other organs.  It is necessary to monitor their affects with bloodwork to determine if the meds given should be continued or their doses changed to benefit your pet.

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM