Grieving the loss of your pet

 

This week I realised that I will never get used to the idea. I have had to euthanise many pets over the years and it never gets easy. True enough, even this time round I found myself saying: “Let’s do this fast because it’s difficult even for me.”  

Mindy was first brought to the clinic 12 years ago as a tiny puppy in a wicker basket. She very quickly outgrew her basket and matured into a gentle, champagne-coloured, female labrador.
Mindy was loved from the day she was welcomed into her family. I could see this from the way she sought her owners’ approval whenever she was being treated and that this love and respect was reciprocated.

The love Mindy’s owners had for her was amply demonstrated in later years when Mindy developed a persistent and terrible skin condition caused by a complicated and uncommon hormonal imbalance.  Until her condition was completely diagnosed, Mindy benefitted from her owners’ unswerving faith in finding a cure and their complete dedication in continuing with her lifelong treatment.  Despite these difficulties, Mindy was able to live a normal life until very recently, when insurmountable complications developed and the only option left was to humanely put her down.

It is perfectly natural to feel devastated when a pet dies. Dogs and cats usually become such a part of the family that their loss is equal to that of losing a member of your own family. People who have never had pets are likely to find it difficult to understand the grief you feel for the loss of your dog or cat, but this is a perfectly normal sentiment and you should allow yourself time to grieve your loss, just as you would for a member of your own family.

We all cope with grief in different ways and we all need our own time to recover. However, if you have other pets, it is important that you give them plenty of attention since they will similarly be feeling the loss of your pet. Keep up with their usual feeding and exercise routines. Playing with them will help both them and yourself to cope with the loss.

In most cases, you should not rush to get a replacement dog or cat; you will instinctively know when the time is right, and only then will you be emotionally ready to fill the void left by your recent loss.
However, retired seniors who have lost a companion pet are likely to benefit from getting another pet sooner rather than later.  But do not try to replicate the dog or cat you have just lost.  Just as we all have our own personalities, so do dogs and cats. You can obtain advice from your veterinarian as to the typical characteristics to expect from different breeds.

Dr. Martin Debattista
Veterinary Surgeon

thisweekwiththevet@gmail.com