Death Ideas For When Your Pet Dies?

[hodge]

Since you are living on the road, I don't have any ideas for what to do with her body, other than cremation seems like the best way to keep her with you in a way. I did hospice with my Misha (my avatar) at home. Our vet called in a Rx for morphine and I administered it according to her directions. I feel it was the best way. She was at home with her loved ones. I couldn't bear taking her to the vet to be put down. I felt she deserved to die as people do (I've observed that there is something holy about the dying process), as she was a person to me, and I didn't feel it would be right to interfere with the natural process. I laid on the living room floor with her and held her in my arms during her last 24 hours. The cats knew what was going on and each of them went up to her individually and said their goodbyes. She is buried in our back yard, along with two of our cats.

 

[Crow]

:hug: @hodge

 

[The Albatross]

Didn't rebound very well from euthanizing Daisy, even though it was humane and the right thing to do.

Had to tell mister that I didn't think I would be able to be present and he's been avoiding decisions about our Crystal, who is sounding worse than ever.

In the midst of relocation and all that goes with it it's just too much. I feel like a right shit and that's not helping at all.

 

[LadyZane]

When I knew it was my 17 year old cat's time, I didn't want to take him to the vet either. He was so terrified of the vet experience. Fortunately I found an AMAZING service online called Pet Loss at Home. They have vets nationwide who come to your home for peaceful euthanasia.

There are different rates depending on how you want to handle burial or cremation, and I was able to arrange a private cremation. The doctor who worked with me was so amazing and compassionate and wonderful. She even hand-delivered ashes in a beautiful box along with his pawprint to me personally. The site won't let me post their URL, but they are easy to find with a google search -- definitely check them out.

 

[hodge]

Sounds like a really great service, @LadyZane! Our cats hate being in the car so much, I couldn't bear taking them to the vet for anything other than health care.

If I can't find that service near us, I'm going to do hospice for them, too.

 

[Missycat]

@Bliss ,
Apologies i didnt reply sooner, i thought i had logged the thread as a 'watched' thread so i could keep up to date.
The company who made the key ring and has the memoriam site is uk based and is called CODA memorials.co.uk. Its one woman that does it and she was inspired to do it when her own pet died. Check out the website.
I am sat looking at the german shepherd urn right now and it makes me think of her being alive and pain free. Its still really hard at times and just today i had a cry when looking through the photos of her. Our life revolved around her so there is a big gap. We cope by allowing ourselves to have a cry, we talk about her and reminisce which does help the healing process. It is easier than it was so time is a great healer. Weve also thought about how we can help other rescue dogs ie making a donation to the rescue centre - this has helped too. We also donated her toys to help other dogs.
We will rescue another dog but just dont feel ready yet.
Im so sorry you are going thru this and am sending hugs xx

 

[Bliss]

Thanks so much you all, I will reread and respond, I appreciate the wisdom more than I can say.

I came "home" where I grew up and daughter and dad are, it is triggering my PTSD something horrible but it gives me time to enjoy with Thea and make plans,

I will have time to be on the site and going to make myself continue to address this,

It makes me feel a little like a freak, I am a pretty strong person, been through a ton, worked in shelters, travel by myself, lived through many kinds of abuse, I am starting to feel like it is an abnormal attachment. I see the threads with family members dying and I felt very little when my mom died, mostly relief and in think I will feel relief when my dad goes.

All in all Thea is doing great, mostly just getting older, she needed a tooth pulled and that was why she was having trouble eating and playing stick, which we do all day, this is what made me worry to begin with not eating and not playing. So this is grace time to learn about older dogs, enjoy our time.

I read your posts with your losses and sob, this is about the sadest subject I can imagine:) thank u you beyond words for sharing these with me.

 

[Bliss]

If anyone is struggling with this situation the website and services recommended by ladyzane, petlossathome, is totally addressing the questions I had, especially about the practical aspects of being on the road. Lots of emotional resources too .

I am making progress accepting the reality of this, thank u all

 

[J'qel]

My eldest furbaby is 17 now. When he's awake he's alert, but we know his vision is starting to go (not badly yet) and he's already had a (thankfully benign) tumour removed (size of a softball o.0-kudos to the vet surgeon!), BUT I worry about him. He ate something nasty (I think) a couple days ago and made a mess upstairs and threw up a couple of times. I was so scared for him. I thought I'd prepared for this, but he's the first kitten I got of my own. I'm going to miss him so much and I don't know how much longer I have. I'm trying not to detach, but it's going to be so hard when I lose him. :(

 

[Bliss]

J- that's exactly what got me thinking on this track was the throwing up after eating yucky stuff. It is so hard but I am glad I got thinking so I can have a good plan. My heart goes out to us all, thanks for writing

 

[Bliss]

Thanks all for giving me a safe place to start processing this, I am rolling now . I felt bad as soon as I posted I was starting to feel weird about this attachment to the dog, I knew there was nothing wrong with it, but writing it out in a public forum it was sounding weird to me. I researched the last couple of days and am assured that we who are strongly attached to our pets are in good company. Just read a great article by a woman with 32 years experience running a grief group for those that have lost pets. If you google "have you ever felt overwhelming grief when you lost your pet" it should come up she says what I had realized this week. i realized I most likely will grieve more for my dog than many of the humans in my life. She explains the bond with the dog can be much like with a child, we can do the same mothering with them. I had noticed how many simalirities their is between raising my daughter and being with the dog, makes sense.

I am also sure the symptoms of PTSD I have increased the bonding with the dog, avoiding people, finding peace in nature, she made it so I could travel without fear. I am working on getting all her pictures in my travel blog, I am reassured that I will be able to find a traveling vet if needed at the end. We are going to stay in my hometown three more weeks then we are out of Michigan! I came back here so I could make sure I am doing what is best for her and living in nature is what is best for both of us.

 

[twodogcircus]

When I was a sophomore in college I took my childhood dog, Misha, to the vet to be euthanized because her heart condition was causing her so much pain that she was no longer able to enjoy her life. It was absolutely the hardest thing I'd ever done in my life and I was unable to function normally for weeks. She had been my best friend since I was 6 years old and I have no idea how I managed once she was gone. I just actually can't remember.

Shortly after Misha was euthanized, my mom found a website called Rainbow Bridge Hearts (you can google it if you're interested, I guess I'm too new to post links) where they will create a blown glass orb or heart that includes a small amount of the ashes of your pet. My mom ordered one for me as a surprise and I have it displayed on my dresser even today, 7 years later. The picture below is the glass orb. It came with a lighted base to display it on. The whitish swirl through the orb is Misha's ashes. To me this was the perfect way to memorialize my best friend.

[GALLERY=media, 4197][/GALLERY]

Now I have two dogs. One, I bought as a puppy during a time when I was struggling with one of the worst bouts of depression I've been through. His presence forced me to get out of bed every morning, his reliance on me prevented me from committing suicide (which I had been on the verge of) and his pure puppyness lifted my spirits higher than I could've hoped for. At a time when no amount of medication or therapy could help me, 3 lbs of un-house-trained fur pulled me out of the shadows. My second dog is a foster dog who I became... well, stuck with when the rescue he came from deemed him un-adoptable because he becomes too attached to and protective of his "person", leading to aggression. The poor, broken thing is the way he is because of abuse he suffered as a puppy before being abandoned in the countryside. He is my ultimate protector. He would never let anything happen to me as long as he breathes.

After a 2015 car accident that could've (and most probably should've) resulted in the deaths of both of my dogs, I've been racked with dread and anxiety over the thought of losing them. They're 4 and 1/2 and 5 years old now and both healthy so there's no reason I should be as worried as I am about losing them. But almost every day I imagine I've lost them and I break down crying. Until I saw this thread I had never even thought about preparing myself to cope beforehand but it's definitely something that I need to start doing. Thank you for the suggestion.