Death rattle
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
A death rattle is a series of sounds and movements that is common when a person or animal is making the transition from life to death. It is usually the result of respiratory failure and is made as a final attempt for the dying person or animal to stay alive. However, minutes and sometimes even seconds after the death rattle occurs, the person or animal usually dies.
Before the death rattle occurs, the person or animal must be in a dying condition, including unusual heart rates/respiratory rates (i.e. shallow, quick/laboured breathing). The death rattle occurs at around the moment that person or animal passes from life to death. To a spectator, the person or animal undergoing the death rattle will usually start shaking violently and erratically. It is a sign that the body is shutting down and not functioning correctly. The death rattle comes in separate spasms, which are usually seconds apart from each other. During this period, the person or animal suffering from the death rattle can sometimes make unusual vocal sounds, which is how the death rattle got its name. The victim of the death rattle may also appear to be choking as it struggles to stay alive, and the pupils in its eyes may become dilated. However, once the death rattle occurs, it is a clear sign that the person or animal is about to die and there is almost nothing that others can do to prevent it.
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