A week after officials confirmed the causes of death for actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, a necropsy has revealed that the dead dog discovered with their bodies likely died from severe dehydration or starvation.
The couple’s 41-pound dog, identified in the examination as similar to an Australian kelpie, was found dead inside the Santa Fe, New Mexico, home of Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, on Feb. 26 under conditions that soon raised questions about their causes of death.
Read more for what officials know about the dog’s death.
What happened to Gene Hackman’s dog?
Hackman and Arakawa were found in February several days after what officials have determined were successive deaths, with Arakawa having died first on Feb. 11 and Hackman likely sometime around Feb. 18. A veterinary diagnostic services report, obtained by NBC News, does not specify an estimated date of death for the dog.
According to the report, a veterinary pathologist performed a necropsy — or postmortem examination — which found no evidence of infectious disease, physical trauma, cancer or toxic exposure.
The report notes that severe decomposition “could have obscured subtle changes in the organs,” making it difficult to determine if underlying conditions contributed to the dog’s death, though dehydration and starvation remain the most probable cause.
Small amounts of clotted blood were found in the dog’s mouth, which, according to the report, were caused by oral ulcers that were also present. The ulcers are believed to have been caused by the dog biting or chewing on something hard, though the possibility that they resulted from severe dehydration was not ruled out.
The dog’s surgical history
The report notes that the dog had likely undergone multiple surgeries, including:
- Spleen removal: a common procedure for dogs treated for neoplastic and non-neoplastic masses.
- Gastropexy: another common surgery for dogs to prevent gastric-dilatation volvulus.
- Small intestine surgery: Multiple incisions were found in the dog’s small intestine, though the reason for these incisions was not determined due to the extent of decomposition.
The deceased dog was one of three found on Hackman and Arakawa’s property
The two other dogs were discovered alive and healthy when officials found the couple and the dead dog. One of the surviving dogs played a key role in leading investigators to Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies, according to a Santa Fe fire chief who spoke to NBC News. The dog is said to have begun to bark at investigators and reportedly led them to the mudroom where Hackman was discovered.
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