Losing a Pet

Losing man's best friend. How to cope as a pet owner with the loss of a pet.

The average pet can live to be 10 years old or more and with pet life expectancies rising, ten years is a long time to have a pet in your life. Most people tend to consider their pets another member of the family and while a pet cannot speak they can sense human emotions. Through the years a pet can sense happiness and learn to love its owners and other family members and vice versa. Pets become a part of the daily routine in a household. This is why the loss of a pet can be devastating to some pet owners.

Pet owners know the activity levels and mannerisms of a pet they have lived with for many years. If an older pet or a sick pet starts acting differently be sure to watch the pet closely. Most pet owners will be able to tell if something is off with their pet.

A sick pet or a pet close to death is able to sense how you are reacting to the possibility of the loss. The best thing to do when living with a pet close to passing on is to keep the pet comfortable. Animals are not able to tell you that they are in pain, so they may be sick without you knowing. Sometimes a pet owner may have to make the decision to allow a pet to pass on with the help of euthanasia if they feel their pet is too sick or in too much pain to keep living a normal daily life. This decision can be hard and should be thought out and discussed thoroughly with all family members.

Once a diagnosis or a recommendation for your pets care has been made by a veterinarian the grieving process can begin. Grieving is a natural response to sadness or loss in a person's life. For some, pet loss can be an overwhelming time in their lives. A pet brings many years of enjoyment to an entire family or can make a big impact on one single person. When that pet is no longer around there may be an emptiness felt in the household where it used to roam around. For those grieving the loss of a pet it is okay take time to reflect and remember the life of their pet.

The stages of grieving are the same no matter what type of tragedy a person may be dealing with. Losing a pet is no different. The five stages of grieving have no timeframe. A person dealing with a loss will go through each of these stages at their own pace and usually in the order they are listed.

Stages of grieving

• Denial - In this stage of grief a person does not want to believe what has happened. They refuse to accept that a loss has occurred.
• Anger - This stage follows denial where a person realizes they have lost a loved one, but now they are angry of the situation.
• Bargaining - This stage involves a person trying to make a deal with a higher power. It includes saying things such as "I will be a better person if you make this not happen" or something similar.
• Depression - This brings out the worst in most people with feelings of hopelessness, disappointment, frustration and a general feeling of emptiness or having no hope for the future.
• Acceptance - In the final stage of the grieving process a person has been able to come to terms with what has happened. They have learned from the experience of losing a loved one and must live with it and move on with their lives.

While grieving can be a long battle with ones feelings it is a necessary process for a person to go through. Losing a pet can be emotionally draining and anyone dealing with that kind of loss should be supported by family and friends. Try to remember the happy memories of the pet that has recently passed away and recall the good times. Remember that your pet was able to live a good life with you for the time that he or she was alive. And although it is extremely hard to accept the loss of a pet remember that the time they were here with you was special and you should feel happy to have had that time together as owner and pet.