Humans develop a lasting attachment with their pets, which breaks at the loss of the pet. Regardless of the manner of death, a pet owner may perceive the death as traumatic and experience distress or exhibit posttraumatic stress symptoms.
As psychologist Julie Axelrod writes in a blog post, the loss of a dog is so painful because people are losing a little life that we were responsible for as well as a source of unconditional love and companionship. 4 There's a reason that most emotional support animals are dogs.
Some people find grief following the loss of a pet comes in stages, where they experience different feelings such as denial, anger, guilt, depression, and eventually acceptance and resolution. Others find that their grief is more cyclical, coming in waves, or a series of highs and lows.
Some feel anger, which may be directed at anyone involved with the pet, including family, friends and veterinarians. Caregivers may also feel guilt about what they did or did not do, or they may feel ashamed to be so upset. After these feelings subside, caregivers may experience true sadness or grief.
Psychologist Julie Axelrod has pointed out that the loss of a dog is so painful because owners aren't just losing the pet. It could mean the loss of a source of unconditional love, a primary companion who provides security and comfort, and maybe even a protégé that's been mentored like a child.
Why Pet Loss Hurts. “One reason why losing a pet is such a deep loss is because animals' love is so unconditional and accepting,” she said. But it's also because so many aspects of people's lives are impacted. “Every single facet of life is part of the loss,” she explained.
Turns out it's actually quite normal for humans to experience more intense pain at the loss of a pet than that of a close friend or even a relative. For many people, the death of a pet is comparable in almost every way to the loss of a loved one.
The death of a pet can hurt as much as the loss of a close relative or friend. It is normal to feel devastated. Often, individuals who live alone take longer to grieve because their companion played such an important role in their lives.
Answer: Fortunately for us, dogs do not understand they are going to be put down and what happens after they are given the injection that puts them to sleep.
Losing a pet can be devastating. After spending precious time together, saying goodbye to your best friend is beyond hard. It doesn't matter whether you raised your pet from being a baby or got them later in their life. They have a profound impact on your life.
A hidden sorrow: experiencing pet bereavement as a disenfranchised grief. 'Disenfranchised grief' is a term used to describe grief that isn't fully or sometimes even partly acknowledged by society.
Guilt is a normal response to the death of a pet. We want to make sense out of what has happened and as a result, we frequently blame ourselves. Feelings of guilt should subside as you progress through the grieving process.
Losing a cherished dog can feel especially devastating to people with a history of trauma or adverse early life experiences because they relied on their dog as a protector, safe companion, and confidante. Others may view their dog as a surrogate child, and losing that treasured connection can feel especially painful.
And yet the death of a family pet can remind us of how vulnerable, precarious and precious life is. It's that process of acceptance and letting go that builds the resilience necessary to navigate an array of life's obstacles. We hone an ability to adapt to the evanescence of our lives with grace and hope.
As we grieve the loss of a pet, our bodies will experience immense ups and downs of emotion. When our emotions need to be released, we commonly cry as an outlet to return to our homeostasis and move through our grief. Each time we release our emotions, our bodies are working towards healing.
Acute grief symptoms after the death of a pet can last from one to three months and general symptoms of grief can continue, on average, for six months to a year This grieving period can vary significantly from person to person and can be much longer or shorter.
Pet Loss and Mental Health
Some people experience mental symptoms of grief, which may include confusion, trouble focusing, constant dwelling on your pet, or thinking you see or hear your pet. Loss of an animal companion can also lead to anxiety and depression for some people.
Many pet owners feel their pets are like surrogate children. When put into this context, it is completely understandable why the loss of a pet can be so devastating. Losing a source of non-judgmental, unconditional love in a person's life is usually extremely difficult, no matter the source of that love.
The pets that we had to say goodbye to are alive in heaven right now in their spiritual bodies and we will see them again if we accept Jesus as our Savior. Your Pet Is Not Gone Forever.
Pain and discomfort are common symptoms at the end of a dog's life,1 but how can you tell if your dog is feeling them? Discomfort: When feeling discomfort, some dogs may sleep more than usual or seek out new resting places for comfort, which they may then be reluctant to leave.
A small 2019 study of 82 people found that the length of intense grief experienced by bereaved pet owners varies —with 25 % taking between 3 months to a year, 50% between one year and 19 months, and 25 % between two and six years. It's no wonder that pet loss therapy is an emerging field.
It is so important to make sure that you take the time to look after yourself. The stress of losing a pet can quickly deplete your physical and emotional reserves. Eat a balanced healthy diet, make sure you get plenty of sleep, and exercise regularly to help boost your overall mood.