The death of
a pet can be very distressing. Our pets are not only
members of the family, they are our dependable friends,
our children's dedicated playmates and reliable,
affectionate companions for the elderly or disabled.
They are a part of
our
everyday life and their passing makes for a deeply felt
loss.
There are many reasons why we have to
face a pet's death. A terminal illness, old age or
senility, fatal accident or unexpected occurrence,
behavioral problems, and long term or chronic illness
entailing heavy care or financial burdens.
Most of these factors may place you and
your family in the heartbreaking position to contemplate
euthanasia. As a pet owner, you are responsible for your
pets overall health & welfare. When their quality of
life deteriorates, determining to do the humane thing
and end your pet's suffering may be one of the hardest
decisions you and your family will have to make.
Bereavement often begins before the actual death of the
pet.
Assessing your pet's quality of life can
be a pain staking task, but as a responsible pet owner a
task which may be necessary at some point in your pet
family members life.
Quality of Life Assessment Points
Does you pet experience:
Difficulty in Breathing
Extreme loss of appetite
Vomiting and/or diarrhea following
eating or drinking
Pain or serious discomfort when
walking or moving
Capacity to see and hear properly
Unresponsive, unmanageable or
dangerous behavior
Incontinence or other serious
problems with urination or defecation
Talk to your Veterinarian at Klima Small
Animal Clinic, he or she can give you a complete
assessment of your pet's current health and level of
suffering, as well as assist you in evaluating your
options. Klima Small Animal Clinic Veterinarians can
help you in this decision process. Getting support from
your family and friends can also help you during this
difficult time.
Losing a
friend, is always very painful. your pet is your friend
in addition to a part of your family. Dealing with this
type of loss is not easy and may induce feelings of
anger, denial, guilt or even depression before final
acceptance is attained. These reactions are normal and
should be expressed. Everyone grieves in his or her own
way. You may go through some or all of these
feelings/emotions, in varying extents and for numerous
lengths of time.
Acknowledging them is an important step in the healing
process. You should know that it is perfectly normal to
need comforting. It will not only help you to cope with
your emotions and adjust to your life without your
friend.
Your
Child Grief
Honesty is best! Kids
know when something is wrong, and in waiting to prevent
them from the pain of losing someone they love, you may
decide to exclude them from the decision process.
However, once the decision has been made, it may be best
to talk openly about what has happened. Simple answers
appropriate for their age and honesty will be understood
better than euphemisms, such as "went to sleep." Such
terms may weigh heavy on the emotional state of the
child and lead to your child fearing sleep. Honesty will
better prepare them to deal with the grief. Give your
child the opportunity to release their grief and
encourage them to speak about their pet's death.
Involve them in the preparation of your pet's funeral.
this gives them the chance to say goodbye. Explain to
them that no one is to blame for their pet's death.
We may not believe it at
the time, but the old cliché "time heals" does hold true
when we are faced with the loss of a pet. recognizing
the loss and giving yourself and those around you time
to grieve, in time the pain will be less and you will be
able to remember those great moments you shared with
your special friend and companion.
our
everyday life and their passing makes for a deeply felt
loss.
