I stood by your bed last night I came to have a peep. I could see that you were crying you found it hard to sleep. I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear, “It’s me, I haven’t left you, I’m well, I’m fine, and I’m here. I was close to you […]
Grief
The loss of a pet can be very difficult on all members of the family. Psychologists recognize that the loss of a pet is just as difficult as the death of a person. Unfortunately, society does not recognize this fact and may not give people permission to grieve openly.
The death of a pet can be a painful time especially for children, who may also have questions about mortality and the afterlife. Single people and childless couples, who raised a pet instead of a child, may feel particularly bereft.
The articles below offer advice as well as recount personal stories. They also address the technical decisions which must be made regarding burial and memorials.
Log of Timo’s Fight With Cancer: Page 2
Log of Timo’s Fight with Cancer: Page 1 That last day was torture for me and filled with indecision. But I knew when I saw bloody urine there wasn’t much hope. I had wanted to wait a few more days to see if the cortisone injections Dr. Doni had given her directly into the knees […]
Care of a Terminally Ill Pet
Because we know our pets so well, there are times when we suspect something is not quite right with them. Most pets are very good at hiding illness as in the wild, any show of weakness can make them vulnerable to predators. A visit to the vet may bring us devastating news – our pet […]
Predicting Survival Times for Cancer
As pet lovers, a diagnosis of cancer in our pets is devastating. One of the many questions we always ask is what is the prognosis, how long with my beloved pet live. The answer is complicated and very difficult to provide. There are several factors to consider when attempting to estimate survival time. Even the […]
When euthanasia goes wrong
My 180 pound Alaskan Malamute was taken to Three Trails Animal Hospital on December 10, 2012, where Dr. Rhodes’ opinion was that Grizz had lymphoma. I left with a prescription for prednisone, and no hope. In the early morning hours of December 21, Grizz could no longer walk, so in a few hours myself, roommate, […]
On losing a pet
If you’ve ever suffered the loss of a beloved pet you know the acute, all-consuming pain that accompanies that loss. Allow yourself to grieve. Express your grief, cry, scream at the world, whatever it takes. Find people in like circumstances to share your grief with. There are many pet loss groups available either online or […]
About Feelings of Guilt
Guilt – we’ve all been there and some of us wear it like a cloak, punishing and never forgiving ourselves. The loss of a pet is heart-wrenching for all of us, the grief as deep as any we’ve ever felt. But before we’re swallowed up by guilty feelings, we should examine why we feel this […]
What You Should Know About Pet Cremation
With permission, this article was copied from Chet Womach’s The Dog Training Secret.com. Minette, the writer of the article is a former vet technician who writes many informative articles for the site. This is an important article for so many people who, when deeply grieving the loss of their furpal, need to understand what to […]
Adopting a Pet After a Loss
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross was a psychiatrist who dealt with death and dying and introduced what is known as the the 5 stages of grief. Denial – shock and numbness Anger – rage at everyone and everything and pain beyond belief Bargaining – promising to do anything to spare a loved one or bring them back, “if […]
Depression in Cats and Dogs
Signs of depression in your pet can be loss of appetite, refusing to play, losing weight, never leaving your side, sleeping more than usual, withdrawal, even boredom. First have your pet undergo a complete physical examination including blood tests. If illness is ruled out consider reasons your pet may be depressed. Pets can experience grief, […]