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 For
your dog pets to enjoy time with you, they must always be in good health. Like
you, if the pets are feeling pain they are unable to feel the mood of having
fun!
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Dealing
with the Loss of a Pet
The death of a beloved pet
can be very distressing. Our pets are not only members of the family,
they are our faithful friends, our children’s devoted playmates
and reliable, affectionate companions for the elderly or disabled.
They enrich our day-to-day lives and their passing makes for a deeply
felt loss.
There are many reasons
why we may have to face a pet's death: 
- Terminal illness
- Old age or senility
- Fatal accident or unexpected occurrence
- Behavioral problems
- Long-term or chronic illness entailing heavy burdens in terms
of care and/or finances
Most of these factors may
place you in the heartbreaking position of having to contemplate
euthanasia. As an owner, you are responsible for your pet’s overall
health and welfare. When his or her quality of life deteriorates,
determining to do the humane thing and end the pet’s needless suffering
may be one of the hardest decisions you will ever have to make.
That is why bereavement often begins before the actual death of
a pet.
Points
to consider when assessing your pet's quality of life:
- Pain or serious discomfort when walking or moving
- Drastic loss of appetite
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea following eating or drinking
- Difficulty in breathing
- Incontinence or other serious problems with urination or defecation
- Capacity to see and hear properly
- Unresponsive, unmanageable or dangerous behavior
Gain Support
Talk to your veterinarian.
He or she can give you a complete assessment of your pet’s health
and level of suffering, as well as assist you in evaluating your
options. This will go a long way in helping you make your decision.
You should also speak about your concerns with family and friends
in order to enlist their support during this difficult time.
Adult Grief
Losing a friend, and that
is what your pet is, is always very painful. Facing such a loss
is not easy, and may evoke feelings of denial, anger, guilt or depression
before acceptance is reached. These reactions are entirely natural
and should be expressed. Everyone grieves in his or her own way.
You may experience some or all of these feelings, in varying degrees
and for different lengths of time. Acknowledging them is an important
step in the mourning process, one that will help you understand
why you may have withdrawn from, or lashed out at, people who care
about you. You should realize that it is perfectly natural to need
comforting. It will not only help you cope with your emotions and
adjust to life without your pet, but may allow you, in the future,
to provide welcome support to others around you who are experiencing
the same loss.
Children’s Grief
 Be
honest. Children are very intuitive and know when something is wrong.
In wanting to safeguard them from a painful experience, you may
feel it’s wiser to exclude them from the decision-making process.
Once the decision is made, talk openly about what has happened.
Provide your children with honest, simple answers that are appropriate
for their age group, using terms they know and understand. Not only
will they respect you for your honesty, but they will also be better
prepared to deal with the situation.
Avoid euphemisms. Younger
children can be confused by phrases like “went to sleep.” Indeed,
employing such terms may lead to fear and cause some children to
become anxious about actually going to sleep.
Encourage children to speak
freely about their pet’s death and give them the opportunity to
vent their grief and sadness. Share some of your own feelings and
involve them in the pet’s funeral preparations, if any. This will
help them deal with their concerns and give them the chance to say
goodbye in their own way.
Make sure that children understand
that no one is to blame for the pet’s death. Such an occurrence
may arouse their curiosity about death and its consequences in general.
A factual, straightforward approach, using answers or illustrations
that are appropriate for their age group, will help guide children
through the grieving process and lead to their acceptance of the
pet’s death, without pangs of unnecessary guilt.
The Healing
Process
Even though we may not believe
it at the time, the old adage “time heals” does hold true when we
are faced with the loss of a beloved pet. Recognize that loss and
give yourself the emotional time and space to grieve. Getting over
the sorrow, guilt and pain varies from person to person. Seek help.
Many hotlines, chat rooms, message boards and support groups are
available on the Internet, and books on adult and child bereavement
may help you better understand what you are experiencing. And, if
you need to, don’t hesitate to reach out for others’ personal and
professional assistance. Talk to your veterinarian, trusted friends,
or a therapist. Make a donation or volunteer your services to a
pet shelter or Humane Society. With time, the pain will lessen and
you and your family will be able to fully cherish happy memories
of your special friend.
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