Investigating sudden death in cats and dogs: a guide for veterinary practitioners

Background: Whether it entails the loss of a beloved family member or a valuable work animal, the sudden, unexpected death of an animal can be a daunting and traumatic experience for both owners and veterinary practitioners. Veterinary practitioners are often the first point of contact for people grieving the loss of a companion animal, and may be called upon to provide support and reassurance, even though many have not received formal training in grief and bereavement management.

Aim of the article: This article aims to provide tools to guide the approach to these situations, in the form of insight into common causes of sudden death and tips on how a practitioner should collect information, manage owner expectations and provide valuable context that can facilitate the pathologist's interpretation of findings.