PREPARING, EUTHANASIA, & AFTERWARDS . . . .
JUST A FEW WORDS OF ADVICE
PREPARING FOR THE INEVITABLE
You realise that your companion is going to die.
You know that you have reached 'the beginning of the end'.
Whatever the trigger may be, it is something you have aways known, but now you feel it in every sinew of your being.
Try to be realistic about your companion's health, & try to look for ways to comfort your friend's life. Try to act normally with your companion, otherwise your sorrow will be detected by them, and this will distress them.. Give treats, play, & spend time just being together.
Enjoy eachother.
Now please read 'The Whispering Dog. Here
EUTHANISIA
Consult with your vet. In almost all cases, vets will try everything to save the animal, & vets will also be able to explain the process.
Be with your companion, and treat him or her with respect & dignity. Spend as much time as is possible together - this private time is essential to you both. Your companion will sense what is happening.
Do please try to decide whether to be with your companion throughout the process or not. This is not a decision to be made lightly; witnessing the euthanasia of your beloved companion is traumatic but it can help to see that he or she did not suffer. If you truly believe that your companion will feel more comfortable or secure with your presence, you will want to stay; but if you are concerned that your own reaction may upset or disturb your companion, then you may prefer to stay away. If you decide to stay, then as your companion fades, you will be the last thing he or she saw & heard.
Try to decide beforehand whether you wish to have a burial or cremation. Most people will already know, & will have made a decision in advance, & some will have made special funeral or private cremation arrangements.
Many people have mixed feelings about euthanasia. This act feels like murder to a good many of us, & be plaqued by feelings of guilt for a very long time. Euthanasia is oftentimes not artificially ending a life, but rather of determining when to end artificially extending a life.
AFTERWARDS
Your world has ended & collapsed.
A huge hole has appeared in your life.
Grieving a pet can take a very long time, believe me. Give yourself time, & be compassionate with yourself; as this is a real process.
Grieving for a pet can be extremely difficult, as your companion was a constant presence in your life. It is especially difficult as you probably had your routine. Try to fill your time, as difficult as that may seem.
Accept that you will never totally get over your loss - you will always remember. Talk to others who can empathise (plenty around here), as it can be easier with those who understand. Many consider grieving wholly inappropriate for someone who has lost 'just a pet'. Nonsense. It's not unusual, or indeed unnatural, to feel overwhelmed by the intensity of your feelings. Do not hesitate to reach out to others who can lend a sympathic ear.
How on earth do you survive?
Be honest with yourself. You are not weak. BUT TRY not to allow it to consume you. You cannot begin to cope until you allow your feelings out. Do not allow anyone tell you that it's crazy or overly sentimental to feel sorrow. It is natural to feel devastated by the loss of a relationship with your devoted companion.
DEDICATED TO FRIENDS PASSED ON
YOUR OWN SMALL PLACE TO REMEMBER
TRIBUTES
Please do not steal material from this site! Just ask permission!
DEDICATED TO SAM 1996 - 2008
