The loss of a pet

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  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,231 Member
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    I'm so sorry for your loss.

    You are NOT nuts. My dogs are my best friends, and I would be devastated if something happened to one of my puppies!
  • nomoreplaying
    nomoreplaying Posts: 36
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    Four years ago I had to put my 9 year old cat, Etharoo, to sleep. I've had my darlingTortalu for almost four years, but I still grieve for Etharoo. So does my grand-daughter. So no you are not nuts. We grieve for our family when they leave us.
  • jenna324
    jenna324 Posts: 28
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    I'm so very sorry for your loss. It's not nuts or crazy at all. Our pets are essentially our children. We take care of them & love them. I had to put my sweet Eddie down right before Christmas and that was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. He was only 3 when he died (he had FIP, a fatal feline disease). I loved that cat so much and I miss him everyday. I still cry when I'm alone or when I find one of his toys that was stuck under the fridge. The only comfort I can offer you is that you gave your sweet dog a great life that he might not have had if you two wouldn't have found each other. My vet gave me a poem called the "Rainbow Bridge" that sums up everything a pet owner feels after the loss of their pet:

    Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

    When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
    All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

    They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

    You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

    Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

    Author unknown...
  • estinson79
    estinson79 Posts: 38
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    What you're going through is completely normal. I had a black lab who lived to 14 years, and I decided to put her down after her health started failing quickly. This was 6 years ago and I still cry about her. I miss her, and I have such vivid memories and dreams about her, I tell myself it is her way of visiting me and checking in on me.

    I think it took me a few days to get back to basic "functioning", like get back to work and make it through the day without crying... Then it was a few months of bouncing between complete sadness and then peace. They will always be a part of our lives, and you will still remember your golden retreiver years down the road. Try to focus on the great live that you gave him/her and remember the good stuff.

    I decided to get another dog 2 years ago, and she will never replace my first dog, but she is loved just as much and in a different way. It will get easier as the days go by, take care of yourself :)
  • Judyph6
    Judyph6 Posts: 9 Member
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    so sorry about your pet...I cried out of the blue for a month after my dog was hit by a car years back....I would sit down and look out the window and see her running up the walk way and jumping up into my husbands arms....it will get better with time...maybe long walks with music might help your pain.... and still help with weight loss...take care
  • mzhokie
    mzhokie Posts: 349 Member
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    Last year we found out our cat had a tumor on her cheek bone. There wasn't much we could do but ease her pain. So I spent two months watching her, giving her meds, making sure she was eating, etc. It just tore me up to watch her melt away. At least one of the meds made her feel almost like a kitten again. It had some anti-arthritis meds in it and it made her old bones feel new again. But eventually you know the time has come and you have to make that decision. I can feel your pain.

    The stress was horrible so I didn't worry about my diet but I did get on the treadmill, pretty much every day. Some days it was a slow walk, some days it was more. I had to burn some of that stress off or it was going to do some damage. It actually did me a lot of good.

    Find a way to let it out..... and when the time is right, you might want to add a new four legged friend to the family. We now have a dog and she means the world to us. We take long walks together.

    but on a lighter note.... we swear our cat's ghost sometimes haunts our dog. Our cat's bed was on a shelf in the corner of our living room. Once in a while our dog will jump up and start huffing at that corner. I haven't figured out a logical reason for this. She even goes over to the corner and barks at the shelf. The thing is.... our cat would totally do something like that to mess with our dog. It made us smile the few times we have seen it happen. I like knowing she is looking out for us and testing our new pet to make sure she is worthy to be ours! hehehe
  • WickedGarden
    WickedGarden Posts: 944 Member
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    "May the warm memories of the times you spent with your pet fill your heart with joy rather than sadness"
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
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    I am very sorry for your loss. It is very natural to grieve the loss of an animal companion. My Bridget passed two years ago and since then I adopted another pitbull from an animal shelter. As much as I love my Bonnie, I still miss Bridget. I kept her color (still has her hair and her smell on it) and her ashes in a beautiful box. Don't hesitate to look in your local newspaper or search on the internet in your area under "pet loss" or "pet grievance." Sometimes animal shelters, even trainers and boarders volunteer grievance therapy to help people through their loss and help them see t hey are not alone. Take care.
  • Buddhasmiracle
    Buddhasmiracle Posts: 925 Member
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    I am very sorry for your loss. It is very natural to grieve the loss of an animal companion. My Bridget passed two years ago and since then I adopted another pitbull from an animal shelter. As much as I love my Bonnie, I still miss Bridget. I kept her collar (still has her hair and her smell on it) and her ashes in a beautiful box. Don't hesitate to look in your local newspaper or search on the internet in your area under "pet loss" or "pet grievance." Sometimes animal shelters, even trainers and boarders volunteer grievance therapy to help people through their loss and help them see t hey are not alone. Take care.
  • Loislaine61
    Loislaine61 Posts: 49
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    I'm so sorry to hear you lost Fletch.

    No you are not nuts. You go through the same grieving process losing a beloved pet as you would losing a family member, because he was a family member. You can't hurry the grieving process so give yourself time and you'll know when it's time to move on get back to your life. Take it one day at a time and sometimes it's one minute at a time.

    I lost my cat in January 2010 and I still miss him. I got him when he was 4 weeks old and he passed away of old age when he was 18 years old.

    I understand your sadness.
  • tageekly
    tageekly Posts: 3,755 Member
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    You're not nuts at all! I just lost my 11-year-old cat a couple of weeks ago and I still miss him every day. I actually took some time off from worrying about calories and exercise after he passed away.

    I'm so sorry about your pup - many people know what you're going through and I wish you well. Take care of yourself the best you can and remember all the good times! :heart:
  • pipcd34
    pipcd34 Posts: 16,724 Member
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    i'm sorry for your loss, as you can see i have 3 goldens, we just lost our cat after 16yrs. the oldest is having issues and it is very hard to stay on track. but i keep doing it because i have to for me and my sanity. keep at it.. even while you're crying... don't stop
  • treetop57
    treetop57 Posts: 1,578 Member
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    Am I nuts?? Do others take the loss of a pet this hard.

    No, you're not nuts. And yes others do take such a loss this hard.

    I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. Give yourself time. It takes time to learn to live without someone who loved you so unconditionally.
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
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    Pets are family. You give to them, they give to you. You're going to feel something when they're no longer with you.

    I lost my babies in November of last year. I had bonded parakeets who'd greet me with wolf-whistles whenever I came home, blew kisses and nibbled my fingers for kisses. Shu passed away suddenly and Sox passed away around 10 minutes later. We think he died because he missed his friend. And now I miss them both. I'll find a way to tribute them someday...
  • goforkissy
    goforkissy Posts: 157 Member
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    I too had to put my pug down in October of 2011. (see profile pic) I was lost for days. It was very hard to try and stay on track and not eat everything in site. I did end up ordering a small pepperoni pizza the day he was to be put down (for cancer) and we both ate it! So my splurge turned into a lasting moment for the both of us. It will get easier. Just try and work through it with friends or family. You can always get back on track. Just go through the greiving process on your own terms and time. Sorry for your loss.


    ETA: A small poem someone sent to me that I put on a frame with my beloved Tank's photo.

    If love could build a stairway
    And memories a lane
    I'd walk on up to heaven
    And bring you home again.

    *hugs to you*
  • PANZERIA
    PANZERIA Posts: 471 Member
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    On Monday I had to put my Golden Retriever, Fletch, down. I am completely crushed. I feel like I could burst into tears at any moment.... and everytime I'm alone, I do. I'm just heartbroken.

    Paying attention to eating right and exercising is totally out the window. What little energy I have is focused on just getting throught the day.

    Am I nuts?? Do others take the loss of a pet this hard.

    You aren't nuts in the slightest. Over the past three years, I've lost 4 animals that are precious to me. My first puppy, Echo, was 6 months old when she was hit by a car. One of my cats was killed, the other died of old age, and my old family retriever was put down last March. =( Each one is hard. The worst was Echo - I spent three weeks crying.
  • JanetLM73
    JanetLM73 Posts: 1,277 Member
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    I have 5 animals in my house, they are part of the family. You are not nuts! Big hugs to you!
  • melinda200208
    melinda200208 Posts: 525 Member
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    I am truly sorry for the loss of your pet. I have a 2 year old Puggle and I NEVER thought I could love her so much! I would be devastated if she passed away. I am sure I would be crying a lot for a while. I just can't imagine. It's ok to cry and grieve. I hope you find peace and comfort within time and try to remember the good memories you had. My thoughts and prayers will be with you. ;(
  • iuew
    iuew Posts: 624 Member
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    On Monday I had to put my Golden Retriever, Fletch, down. I am completely crushed. I feel like I could burst into tears at any moment.... and everytime I'm alone, I do. I'm just heartbroken.

    Paying attention to eating right and exercising is totally out the window. What little energy I have is focused on just getting throught the day.

    Am I nuts?? Do others take the loss of a pet this hard.

    really sorry to hear you lost a pet. it has been a bad year for pets in my own family, as well.
  • cornfritter22
    cornfritter22 Posts: 230 Member
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    Had to stop reading 3/4 into the first page because I started crying. Big animal lover here. I hope my doggy is with us for a long long time. I still think about and miss my childhood dog that passed away ten years ago.

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