Losing a pet is so much more painful than most people realize. It can even end in “broken heart syndrome.” Here’s how.
The Agony of Losing a Pet
When a pet dies, the family who loved that fur baby is grief-stricken. Pets are family members. They are there when we wake up, and beside us when we go to sleep. They see us sick, happy, angry, sad, and they never pass judgment. Our pets see the truth of who we are and they love us in spite of ourselves.
Isn’t that what family is supposed to do? Be there in good and bad times, offering support and unconditional love? Some may say they don’t even get that kind of care from their human families.
That’s why Scientific American says we should take pet loss seriously.
The aching hearts of those who lose a pet are often lonely hearts. After her dog died, a woman suffered from a terrible condition called “broken heart syndrome.” SA explains, “It can happen when the response to grief is so severe the person exhibits symptoms that mimic a heart attack, including elevated hormone levels that can be 30 times greater than normal.”
Essentially, the author says when you’re in anguish after this kind of loss, you need to reach out and let people know how badly you’re hurting.
“We need to seek social support from people we know will understand and sympathize with our emotions and not judge us for them.”
I think as a society we can always do a better job of supporting each other.
Crossing the Rainbow Bridge
You were used to morning purring to wake you up and now it’s quiet. You and your good boy always went for a walk before heading to bed. Now the leash hangs still.
When you open the front door, no one runs to you. At night all you can think about is how long it been since you slept in a bed without a four-legged friend taking up all the space.
That’s why the rest of us should show up, be loving, supportive and continue to be so for as long as it takes. There is no timeline on grief.
“It is time we gave grieving pet owners the recognition, support and consideration they need. Yes, it is up to us to identify and address our emotional wounds when our pet dies, but the more validation we receive from those around us, the quicker and the more complete our psychological recovery will be.” – Scientific American
If you’ve lost a pet, I want you to know how sorry I am you’re in pain. Tell us about them in the comments. What made you love them so? Did they have a favorite toy or a sweet way of showing you their love?
Don’t hesitate to reach out to a therapist to help you get through.
[ratemypost]
Leave a Review!
We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or comment here.
Your email address will not be published.
249 comments on “The Agony of Losing a Pet Is Worse Than People Know”
We lost our beloved lab-retriever Jackson on 6/3/19.Â
He was suffering from nasal cancer. He was 13.5 years old. We are devastated and grief stricken. We did all we could for him but in the end his last 4 evenings were very difficult for him. He passed peacefully in one of his favorite spots in the yard by the pool. We miss his bark, his smile, greeting us at the door and snuggles. Life will never be the same. Don’t think we can get another dog. It’s too painful.Â
Thanks for your article. I know we are not alone in our grief.Â
We lost our precious Raven unexpectedly this past Sunday night. Here one day and gone the next. Beautiful and in excellent condition she was the sweetest lab pit mix and only 8 years old. Just as the article says she was the first and last thing we thought of everyday besides each other and the house is so quiet we don’t even want to be here. We’re just crushed……
My husband had a heart attack on May 17, 2019. On May 20, 2019 just 3 days later my little fur baby Riley crossed the rainbow bridge. She was just about to turn 12. My husband is fine now but we haven’t had the heart to remove any of her toys. I am crying as I write this because I am so devastated. She was the best pup ever. Never had one accident in the house. She loved everyone. I have a 2 year old grandson who asks about her all the time. We tell him she is in heaven with great grandpa but he just doesn’t understand. They were best friends. He tells us to go get Riley and boy I sure wish we could.Â
We are getting close to making end of life decision for our girl. 6 1/2 years old with cancer in her leg. We’ve done this before but it hurts in a new way since my significant other also is dealing with cancer.
Winnie…my sweet sweet kitty! Died super unexpectedly this January and I still cry for her randomly. My other kitty is still missing her terribly also. 10 years wasn’t even close to enough time. I love you so much Winnie and I can’t wait to hold you again.Â
Sadie got very sick in April 2018 I tried everything to get her better, but nothing worked and had to put her to sleep. She’s been gone 14 months and I still miss her every day. She was my best friend, my travel companion and my four legged daughter. She was the sweetest little girl and I was so lucky to have her and I know that one day we will be together again. I have been asking her that she needs to send me another dog when she he feels it’s time.
Thankyou for writing this. Â I lost my baby Izzy when she was 18 months to spinal meningitis and that was three years ago. Â The pain still resonates with me as if it was yesterday. Â She was so sweet and young. Â She had the best cuddles and liked to crawl under my sweatshirt to keep warm. She will be forever missed.
My family lost our Ottis this year snd it was so hard on all of us. It’s been months but we still misss him dearly. He loved to just s uggle right where you were and sometimes it was annoying but that’s how he expressed his love for us.. He was a borrower so he’d borrow u der thr the covers and scoot right next to you. Always givings kisses and always wanted to be on your lap. He loved running in the field and loved his little football. We got to spend 12 years with him and we wanted more for he was the perfect family dog. Ottis we will always LOVE you. Please eatch over Us!!! We will see you again someday for we know you are in Heaven enjoying being you and not in anymore pain. We did everything we could to make you as comfotable as possible before you passed for we knew that your time was coming we didnt want to see you go. When we woke up and seen that you had passed in the middle of the night we were devastated and we still are!
I’ve lost several of my Rescued babies! Each one leaves me with such a broken heart! But, to know that they knew unconditional love and affection before leaving this world makes all of the difference to me! I’m about to lose another one soon to cancer! I just love my Brody Bear every day and tell him how much he is just Soo Loved and cherished!
Thank you for this article…a FB friend sent it to me. I lived next door to my mom for 10 years and we shared our beloved rescue dog Lucy. Mom passed on 9/22/19 and Lucy began exhibiting symptoms. After a month of treatments & medications an MRI revealed an inoperable tumor on her spine and I had to say goodbye to her immediately without her ever coming out of anesthesia. The grief was so overwhelming I couldn’t work and when I finally went back to work I got fired because I had taken so much time off caring for my mother the last year of her life. Being at home without my Lucy is still excruciating. Pulling in and being alone is tough. She was my sweet soul mate. I got my job back and am starting to recover but I really appreciate hearing someone say out loud that this grief is deeper than people realize.