how to prepare for loss of a pet?

[Deleted]

Tool-wise, I suggest a shovel. Unless it's not allowed in your state.

Putting him down before he suffers too much is a solution, especially if the animal is clearly suffering.
In the long run you are, too, dead.

[Hyve]

You should never get used to it, the moment you get used to it is the moment you start taking life for granted.

I disagree. Accepting that death is inevitable should inspire people to make the most of their lives. Everyone knows it is coming, so enjoy yourself because one day you will be dead.

[zorkuus]

I disagree. Accepting that death is inevitable should inspire people to make the most of their lives. Everyone knows it is coming, so enjoy yourself because one day you will be dead.

Accepting the inevitably of death =/= not feeling bad about death.

[TJ]

You can't, believe me. You might get into the mental state where you think you can deal with it, but when it happens it will hit you like a train.

---------- Post added 2013-02-02 at 12:57 PM ----------

Tool-wise, I suggest a shovel. Unless it's not allowed in your state.

Putting him down before he suffers too much is a solution, especially if the animal is clearly suffering.
In the long run you are, too, dead.

Very hard decision, but it's the right one if it's suffering. My dad had to make the same call.

[Deleted]

You can't really prepare for it, having had about 4 German Shepherds put down when they begin to suffer, there's always something you regret afterwards.

[ohshift]

If he is suffering, put him down.
If he is just old, but isn't in pain, stick with your old pal until the end. It's better than killing him.

[Gereorth666]

there has to be something i can do to lessen the impact.

You already have. Because you know it's highly possible of happening. That already lessened the impact.

Last summer I had to put down my 8 year old cat as he had a tumor which grown out to pretty much all vital organs. I cried for DAYS. Sometimes still shed a tear when I think about him (even this very moment). Do what you can do. Give him his last best days. Treat him at your finest, and just huggle with him. Don't let go. Stay near him till he is gone. It's the best for both you ánd him. He needs his owner.. His.. Friend. You, he needs you till the very last end.

[Varabently]

Just understand that everything ends. It's unfortunate to lose a pet, but it's an inevitability and it's going to happen (hopefully you live this long!) many times. I've lost more pets than I can count, so I am probably a bit insulated from this kind of pain. My wife on the other hand loses her shit whenever a pet dies.

Every pet is special, but it's OK to let them go and move on with your life. Don't feel guilty about moving on.

[Sandrox]

Kind of a weird question, but what do people do in the city when their pet dies? Do you give the body to an animal shelter or something? Ive always lived in the country so we usually just buried it in the woods behind our house.

[Deleted]

Other people have said it, and I'll say it myself. I don't think you can prepare yourself for it. I've never experienced the death of a pet before, but my little old shizoe dog looks like she doesn't have much time left either You should just cherish the time left with your dog, and look back at the good memories when he passes. Don't be sad, death is natural. It comes to us all, which is why life is worth living for the little time we have in this existence.

[Gandrake]

you dont

it just happens

you either love again or you don't

protip: don't let one person in your family pick the new dog. you might end up with a dachshund, which never shuts the hell up and has no redeeming qualities except for the fact that it miraculously learns how to be housebroken in the course of a week.

[Longview]

there has to be something i can do to lessen the impact.

1. Get this album:

2. Listen to it while reading the lyrics
3. Cry your heart out
4. Attempt to move on

[DPA]

Stop getting pets then?

Why? I enjoy the time spent with my pet, probably as much as anyone else. I can also have fun with them and play with them and walk them and take good care of them. I just don't get super emotionally attached, I find that silly.

[breadisfunny]

Sorry to hear that. Was he sick or something? If he was not really, I don't see the logic, just because he's old if he's not sick I don't see it as a reason to put him down.

he sleeps almost all the time now, when he runs up and down stairs he sort of cries. we have to prop up his food on a box because he doesnt want to crane his neck down that far. last night instead of running upstairs after his owner likes he usually does, he spent a whole hour before he went upstairs. he knew she was up there but didnt want to get up and go upstairs and was whining/crying.also the dog is starting to sort of snarl at the children when they get too close. (they are 2 and 8 months old.) he even did it when my sister tried to get close once(he loves her).


we also arent getting a new dog after this. too much money to maintain.

[Deleted]

there has to be something i can do to lessen the impact.

My dog died very recently (8 days ago) he was 8 years old and had been sick for a while. I often thought during these 8 years that some day he will pass and that i should prepare myself for it. Then out of the blue my mom called and told me he needed to be put down, at first i was just shocked. It took about an hour before i lost it. Never been so sad in my entire life and i still am. And as others has pointed out there is absolutely nothing you can do about it to make it easier on yourself, because there is nothing in this world that comes equal to the sadness of someone close dying.

[Wynnyelle]

I know it's not much, but I found a little bit of solace knowing that my cat was no longer in pain when we finally did put her down. I regret not doing it sooner. It was selfish of me for holding on as long as I did (she was 17 when we put her down, and had been unable to function properly for several months due to a stroke). It's still going to be hard. Just take it easy for the next couple of days afterward. Time goes on, and it will get better.

[Deleted]

I'm sorry for going a bit Off-topic but as many of you have lost your pets to various diseases and ailments I might as well ask my question here.

My cat has developed a small lump under the skin on her front leg and I'm just curious to what it is. It's about the size of an overgrown pea and quite squishy. I squish it daily as the cat doesn't mind or show signs of pain and to be honest, I just like squishing it. It's like a stressball. It's not attached to anything solid(meat/bone etc), just kinda floats around underneath the skin.

She's 22, soon 23 years old. Indoors cat and very healthy overall. I just hate not knowing what it is.

[aztr0]

You cannot prepare for it, just learn to accept it.

Can't be any more true.

[ParanoiD84]

There is no easy way, it's really like loosing a family member.

[Deleted]

You can't prepare for it, it's kinda impossible. I also lost my dog but I didn't get to prepare since he was already, yeah... Atleast you get to prepare even if you won't be able to, just try to spend as much time as possible with your dog.