Grieving The Loss Of A Pet After Euthanasia

One of the toughest decisions a pet owner has to make is choosing pet euthanasia. Chronic health conditions caused by illness or age can lower a pet’s life to the extent where the owner has to consider euthanasia. Making this decision is almost an impossible task to perform.

The elevated guilt after making the decision can be hard to absorb. And, managing life while grieving the loss of a pet after euthanasia is the hard part. However, if the time comes, you may want to ensure that you have done everything you could for your beloved pet.

How to Make the Decision to Euthanize a Pet

The process starts with asking your vet to evaluate your pet’s condition. As a part of the evaluation, every vet makes use of the ‘Quality of Life Index’. The quality of life index is a guide that evaluates the pet based on certain criteria. Also, vets share ideas on medical alternatives and possible outcomes alongside the cost of treatment.

After you have the information about your pet’s condition, other medical alternatives, and the outcomes, you can discuss the matter with your family. Even if they don’t support euthanasia, they might be able to understand the consequences better. As such, they can decide what needs to be done.

If there are other pets in your home, consider how they may react. Recognizing your limitations isn’t to measure your love for the pet, but you shouldn’t feel guilty. When you have done enough fight and made the decision that best suits you and your pet, you may feel confident that you’ve made the right decision.

How to Prepare to Put Your Pet Down

After you have decided, you may want the process easy both for you and your pet. Make sure that all your family members have the chance to say goodbye. When your pet can’t handle visits to a vet, you may want a vet who can perform euthanasia in your home.

Make the appointment at a specific time in a day so that your vet won’t feel the rush. Also, think about a time where you can prepare before handed and grieve later. You can consider taking the day off if it is a workday. Remember that you are making the best decision for your pet.

And at the same time, you need to feel right. It is your choice whether or not to stay with your companion throughout the whole process. Some people like to wait in another room to be notified later that their pet is no more. They can go in and say goodbye. Whereas, others prefer to be around the pet all time.

Does My Pet Know They are Being Put to Sleep?

Many vets will now include a sedative prior to the euthanasia drugs, to help relax your pet. The sedative helps your pet move into a twilight zone. The vets try their best to make this situation a peaceful one by giving the sedation before the original solution. This way, the animal doesn’t feel any kind of fear of what’s going on.

Within a moment, the solution makes the heart stop working. Involuntary muscle contractions may occur but after death. You may wish to spend some time with your pet.

You may want your pet’s nametag or hair as a memento. Don’t hesitate to express your emotions and do what you need to do. You might be prepared, but the feeling of sadness and pain is a part of the grieving process.

Dealing With Guilt After Euthanizing a Pet

The guilt of deciding to euthanize a pet is the most common among pet owners after euthanasia. But the hardest choice could be the most loving gift you can give to your companion who shares everything at your home regularly.

The decision to put an end to the suffering is seen by many as a sheer gift. Certainly, it isn’t the easiest choice, but it is equally important not to beat yourself up for making that decision. Your pet won’t blame you for this kind act. They won’t even hold a grudge.

They know that you have made the right decision and they trust you on that. Your pets place their little paws on your hands daily, showing you what it means to love unconditionally and live for the moment. The least you can do is to return the love regardless of the choice you need to take.

Guilt and Grief After Pet Loss

Grieving the sudden death of your pet can be painful. Losing your beloved companion is extremely difficult. Hence, you need to have a little time to yourself and let yourself out of the emotional phase. Going through the grieving process takes time. So, don’t feel rushed or pressured into “getting over it” within a certain time frame.

Take all the time in the world to heal yourself and have the belief that the storm will pass. Furthermore, you need to know that it is fine to grieve. It is a healthy manner that helps your emotional and mental state during a difficult time.

Stages of Grief After Losing a Pet

There are six stages of grief and they don’t manifest in every situation. The way people grieve is different for everyone. Here are the different stages in brief.

Shock

After your pet dies, you might be shocked that your lovely companion has gone forever. It seems that you can’t believe what had happened. You might be asking questions to yourself what could be done to save them. You tend to find ways to blame yourself for the act. Keep in mind that certain things happen despite your efforts. Over time, the shock of your pet’s death would go away.

Anger

After your pet dies, you may get furious at yourself or the world about what happened. When the shock wears off, suddenly you get the feeling that it was unfair. That your beloved pet was your true friend and you are always there. Sometimes you may lash out at your family for your loss. Anger is a natural phenomenon. You didn’t harm your pet intentionally. This stage will pass away when you would see from a different perspective.

Denial

After anger, comes denial. Sometimes you may not have clear emotions and you are in denial that your pet is no more. When people lose their pets, they don’t understand how to react. The natural reaction is either to hide what you are feeling or ignore your grief.

Guilt

It is tied to the decisions you make concerning your pet. Sometimes things may get out of control and you feel guilty about that. It can be hard to process your grief and get you to the next level of healing. Instead of searching for faults and feeling guilty for your pet, consider making a list of all the good things you did.

Depression

It is the hardest of all the stages of grief. A depressed person looks at things differently. It feels like a cloud of darkness with negativity all around. You feel like there is no way out. Many people find it hard to consider a pet’s death as a source of grief. They won’t even offer condolences. This is a good time to open yourself up and express your feelings.

Resolution

This is the last stage of grief where you accept the death of your pet and move on from this scene. This is the time when you honor your pet’s life through special tributes and memorials. When you say goodbye to your pet, the healing process begins.

How Does Euthanasia Work?

Whenever a person opts for the difficult decision to help their pet die, few questions may arise regarding the process of euthanasia. To give a humane death to the pet, the technique should result in unconsciousness following a respiratory arrest. The technique should minimize anxiety and stress experienced by the pet.

If the pet appears distressed when prepared for euthanasia, veterinarians need a sedative or a tranquilizer to the original euthanasia injection. It ensures that the pet is peaceful before the procedure. The sedative is administered with a needle in the muscle or under the skin. It may be given with pills that are taken orally.

It takes around 15 minutes for the sedative to help relax. Most vets use an injectable drug given in the vein. This depresses the central nervous system starting with the cerebral cortex. This is where it determines awareness. The animal lapses into unconsciousness and progresses to anesthesia.

With an overdose of the drug, anesthesia stops the breathing and cardiac arrest follows. The benefit of using the drug lies in the speed of action along with minimal discomfort to the pet. The only pain associated is the needle puncture to the skin, which is a small prick. To inject the solution, a specific vein is prepared first by clipping away its hair.

A needle is inserted into the vein along with the slowly injected euthanasia solution. Or, a catheter may be inserted directly into the vein and the solution injected through it. Most pets would die in an instant, within 10 seconds. The eyes are left open. If you are remaining with your pet, be aware that some pets may lose control of their bowels following death.

Some pets gasp after death and even twitch. All these normal responses can be disconcerting to the owners who choose to stay with their beloved pet during the process if they aren’t prepared in advance. As said, the decision for euthanasia is quite difficult. But, the process is very quick and painless.

It grants your pets a peaceful ending. Pet owners should discuss all the questions involved in the process with their vets so that they are comfortable with their decisions. However, in recent years, the addition of sedative has become a part of the original euthanasia solution.

Can a Dog Wake Up After Euthanasia?

No. Your vet will check your pets heart after euthanasia to ensure they have passed away.

Ways to Remember Your Pet After Euthanasia

Losing an animal companion is perhaps one of the difficult things you can go through. The grief that comes along with the passing of a pet is unpredictable and intense. The best way to honor your pet is to celebrate their memory and spirit. Here are some ways to remember your lost pet.

Hold A Memorial Service

It’s an opportunity to bring the people together who meant the most to your pet and talk about what made the animal so special. You can hold a memorial at your home or a park. Ask people to share a memory of your pet and discuss their favorite things. Taking some time to honor your pet can bring a sigh of relief during the early stages of grief.

Consider Donating

Your pet brought many things to your life. Hence, donate in their memory so that another pet can do the same things for someone else. You can donate anything that resonates with you. For example, a donation to an animal cancer foundation if your beloved pet passed away from cancer.

Create a Garden

Gardens denote continuous growth. You can plant a tree in honor of your pet, or buy a garden stone with their name inscribed to it and place in your garden. Many people make use of their pet’s water or food dish as a planter. Whenever you get to see the garden, it would remind you of your pet. This way, it helps to establish another life from the one that came to an end.

Get a Tattoo

If you have a knack for tattoos, you can have one that resembles your pet’s face, name, or anything that reminds you of them. Having a tattoo is an amazing way to commemorate your beloved pet. You would find that even your pet isn’t available physically, their memory remains with you wherever you go.

Create a Photo Album

There are possibilities that you are having plenty of photos of your companion. So, why not arrange them in an album? You can design an album through online sites. Or, you can create your album. Apart from pictures, you can add interesting quotes that bring you peace and stories that reflect your good time together.

Keep Your Pets Ashes

If cremating your pet, there are many pet urns and pet ashes jewelry available that will hold all or a part of your pets ashes. You can even keep your pets fur and have it enclosed in jewelry or a memorial figure for your home.

Important Things to Remember When Losing a Pet

Losing your beloved companion can be a heart retching experience, and the decision to euthanasia your pet is even more difficult. People struggle with overwhelmed grief and guilt of putting their pets to sleep. The strong feelings are because of the bonds you have with your pets.

If you feel that your mood is continuously low after losing your pet, you are feeling depressed, hopeless or suicidal, please make sure you speak to someone. There are pet loss support groups and emergency hotlines available to help.