sudden death

sudden death

Etymology: ME, sodain, to come up; AS, death

death that occurs unexpectedly and from 1 to 24 hours after the onset of symptoms, with or without known preexisting conditions.

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sudden death

a category of illness in which animals which are under frequent observation die either with no obvious illness or after a period of illness lasting only a few hours. Typical causes are spontaneous internal hemorrhage, trauma causing shock or blood loss, rupture of the gut, cardiac tamponade, trauma to brain or spinal cord at the occipitoatlantal joint, intravenous injection of inappropriate solution or given too rapidly causing cardiac arrest or pulmonary edema, anaphylactic shock.

In large animals, group deaths can be due to electrocution, lightning injury, many poisons especially cyanide, algal fast death factor, so-called Wimmera ryegrass poisoning, fluoroacetate and oleander. Monensin causes acute heart failure in horses. Septicemia due to anthrax, toxemia due to Clostridium perfringens type D and colibacillosis can cause peracute deaths but signs are evident in animals kept under surveillance.

In feedlot cattle, sudden death may occur following the acclimatization phase of feeding and presents as death without premonitory signs of illness or agonal struggling. The cause is unknown. Postmortem examination shows no evidence of the common diseases that cause rapid death in feedlot cattle.

In chickens, a syndrome of sudden death is recognized in broiler chickens, predominantly males. The cause is unknown, but possibly metabolic as it can be induced by lactic acidosis. Called also flipover as most birds are found lying on their back.

Animals that are 'found dead' are in a different category to sudden death and have a much wider range of possible causes.

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sudden death factors

see anatoxin.

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sudden death

Forensic medicine Precipitous demise, most commonly due to cardiovascular disease Etiology Ischemia, arrhythmia, shock, aortic dissection, CHF, accompanied by hypoxia, polycystic disease of heart, familial endocardial fibroelastosis, Kawasaki's disease, anaphylaxis, 'cafe coronary,' carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, cyanide, nicotine, organophosphate pesticides, gastric rupture due to Mallory-Weiss syndrome, ulcers, septicemia, obstruction, bezoars, cerebrovascular lesions; SD is more common in alcoholics, smokers, nulliparous ♀, Pts with major psychiatric disease Most common autopsy finding Pulmonary edema. See Atrial fibrillation, Cafe coronary. Cf Sudden unexplained nocturnal death.