The Sudden Death of a former PS Pug....any thoughts?

One of the former PugSavers pugs passed away a few days ago. His family is at a loss as to what happened. I thought I would post what they said to see if anyone has and ideas.

Benson, our black former foster died suddenly yesterday. He had been suffering from severe vestibular symptoms for a couple weeks, but sudden death was not one of the expected outcomes.
Two weekends ago he had what seemed like severe walking problems, so I took him to the 24 hour bradshaw clinic. They said the most likley cause was vestibular disorder, which typically recovers in a few weeks. He also got full xrays and blood work which was normal, and only some spinal compression. He got some motion sickness and pain meds.
Over the next week he got much better, but then started to have some stiffness and pain in his hind legs, then on wed, I took him to able, starting then he began to have severe vestibular symptom, and would role to his right unless braced and would pant continually. On Friday he was better, he could rest more peacefully, between bouts of spinning on ocation. And I took him to able for acupunctyre and more meds. Friday night and early Saturday he could actually walk a little on his own before stumbling. Through the whole episope his apetite was actually good as he would eat and drink with assistance. It was a little less Saturday but he would still eat by hand. He actally drank and ate a liitle right before the end. He was lying in his bed resting, I left the room for afew minutes and when I came back he was lifeless. We took him to bradshaw but it was too late by then.
I will tell Dr. Byam tommorow, but this seems very unusual from what I heard and read. Even if the cause was neurological, I thought it would take longer to progress.
He only turned 9 on the 26th so this makes it even more unusual.

There could have ben a couple of reasons. Sometimes vestibular disease is mistaken for the much rarer stroke (embolism in the brain), symptoms are similar and so is the recovery from a minor stroke. A much more severe stroke could have occured a little later and been fatal.

The other possible reason is one I had experience with myself, and that is the dog seems to be recovering nicely and suddenly they have a huge reaction (often during the tapering off time) to the steroids which are often prescribed to reduce the immflamation in the inner or middle ear. This happened to my Crystal and she very nearly died. There was neurological damage afterwards which never repaired itself although she did survive and lived on until age 16.

I wonder if there was possibly a brain tumor involved versus something vestibular. Either way, very sad. Did they request an autopsy?

How tragic and heartbreaking. I would tend to go with tumour or stroke that appeared to present as vestibular. Kelly was the attending vet there they say, so they were in the best of hands. Sincere condolences to them. They must be devastated.

I saw Kelly today, and spilled the beans. Didn't realize she didn't know yet. She was thinking it had to be a tumor too.

OMG I hate hearing sad news like this. My heart goes out to them!