Broken heart syndrome occurs from an intense surge of stress hormones related to an emotional event — including the death of a pet. This extreme stress response can mimic symptoms of a heart attack and may include: chest pain.
The grief that comes with losing a beloved pet can be all-consuming. In fact, the pain can actually manifest with physical symptoms that mimic a heart attack.
“It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them, and every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are.”
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.
Many grieving dog owners report feeling as if their emotions go up and down, making them wonder whether they will ever get over the loss. The ultimate answer is that we never really "get over" loss but only learn how to cope with it better. The only sure way to deal with grief is to go through it and deal with it.
Why do humans feel such a deep loss for their pups? Because dogs are so much more than pets. 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.
You may feel empty and numb. That's a common reaction at first. It's a sign that your body may be protecting you for awhile, until you are more ready to process all that has occurred.
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.
Within the acute phase of death, or immediately following a loss, it is common to cry uncontrollably with intense duration. This is because our bodies are processing through the shock of loss and working hard to reduce the overwhelming emotional experience we are going through.
In such circumstances, some pet carers find that they experience flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, nightmares and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for a long time after the loss of their companion.
Losing a pet can be a traumatic experience for any child. Many kids love their pets very deeply and some may not even remember a time in their life when the pet wasn't around. A child may feel angry and blame themselves—or you—for the pet's death.
The body will soon begin to give off a foul odor and attract insects. The hotter the temperature, the faster the rate of decomposition. Rigor mortis, the stiffening of the joints, typically begins within 10 minutes to three hours after death and can last as long as 72 hours.
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 beloved animal friend is made harder by the relative novelty of the experience, often being a person's first experience with a close death, and by it being one of the few times most people chose euthanasia to end a life.
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.
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.
The grief of losing a beloved pet is real, and it hurts. Don't minimize your grief. Allow yourself to feel all of the emotions that come with loss, without judging how quickly or slowly you are moving through the stages. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, so just let yourself ride it out.
“I think the hardest part of losing a dog you love isn't having to say goodbye…… It's the way your entire world changes without them and the emptiness that's left in your heart when they go.”
Many dogs, even dogs that normally are not fearful at home, become terrified when they become lost. While some dogs will ultimately calm down and then approach people, other dogs will continue to run from everyone, including their owners! One of the worst things that you can do is CALL a stray, loose, or panicked dog.
Symptoms of acute grief after the loss of a pet can last from one to two months, with symptoms of grief persisting up to a full year (on average).
Feeling numb or shocked is also a fairly common reaction to the death of a pet. There is nothing wrong with feeling numb, or not as emotional as others, as everyone experiences grief in different ways. Don't feel like you are broken or abnormal for processing grief differently than those around you.
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.