How did you react to your pets death?

Question

What pet did you have and what happened?

Answer 1

I had a BEAUTIFUL White German Shepard Dog named Morgana (She unwittingly suffered the name of the heroine of a book that I was reading at the time). I had her since she was a puppy, and she was the best behaved dog (I could tell her to go and do Number 2 and she would do it....she was so smart) with the best manners that I have ever seen. My baby died at 9 years old two months ago because of "Torsion twist" where the stomach flips over and cuts off the blood supply to the rest of the digestive tract. It is very very painful and always fatal without surgery. I was a train wreck as I held her furry head in my lap on the way to the Hospital. With every cry she uttered, I felt like my heart was breaking. Having her put to sleep was the hardest thing that I have ever had to do, and I will always miss her. No other dog could ever replace her in my heart, and I hope to see her again someday!

Answer 2

Unfortunately I have the cremated remains of many, many cats and kittens since I rescue. Everyone was special and there really is no way to describe the despair and hurt you feel. I have found them in the street before I put up a "cat room" and I will never get over those. It hurts more somethimes than losing a "human" because you have no issues with your animals. They don't lie, send you to your room, steal, laugh at bad hair and clothes days, they just love you and depend on you.

Everyone reacts differently. Some people feel really guilty, others are just lost because they feel they should have done more, been more aware that something was wrong, or kept them indoors. There is no reason to berate yourself. If they lived a good life and made you happy then just cherish the memories and in time bring a new one into your life. When I worked for a vet the worst days of my life were when someone lost an animal.

Don't know if this is the answer you're looking for but it's the only one I've got. Hope this isn't happening to you or going to happen sometime in the near future.

Answer 3

The most deaths I've seen were pet rats. Most have died of old age, with one dying during surgery while she had a tumor removed. Another I had to put down myself. Stuck her in the freezer because I didn't have any other way of helping her. I never want to do that again. I was afraid of walking into the kitchen for two days because I felt so awful. I wish I'd been better to her. All I can do is learn from the experience. I've held no less than four rats as they died. The worst death besides the freezing was when a 3 week old baby was attacked by my big male. The baby seizured in my hands as he died. He was gone in less than 10 seconds. I remember phoning my best friend and wailing to her as I told her what happened. Ironically, my other good friend lost his long time pet, a 15 year old border collie cross, the same night. We went for dinner and whined about it all.

Domino and Joey were my first dogs. I wasn't there when Domino had to be put down (he had a stroke), however I was when when Joey was. He had cancer real bad and would literally stand for hours in the same spot if we didn't find him and rescue him. He was soooo sick. I'm glad his pain's over. I wish I could have helped him sooner.

I've lost several birds. One flew off and I didn't know it until the bird would have been long dead. Several got sick. One had a bacterial infection and died in vet care. Several I had caged and I would hold them before they finally passed on. Most I find dead on the bottom of the cage after a brief night of fluffing. We have no emergency vet for birds here in the city so all I could do is sit and pray while waiting for the regular vet to open.

With most of my pets, I collect feathers or sometimes, fur and stick them in a special urn I've devoted to my pets. I place their items in a paper envelope with their name, species, birthday and date of death. Then I tape it up and keep it in the urn. Joey is my only cremated pet. I'll keep him for as long as I can, as he was one of my best buddies when I was a kid. :)

The absolute worst deaths I experienced weren't pets, but horses I knew when I went to trail riding camp. I had to hear it over the news. It was late winter and someone at the camp stable turned the heater on to keep the horses warm. The straw caught fire and all the horses - 24 of them - died. I learned how to ride on no less than three of those critters and I'm devastated to know they all died a horrible death. I'm lucky enough to have photographs of many of them.

Answer 4

Gee, which one ? I've had more than I've kept count of.

But I grew up on a farm,and when I was thirteen and one of my pet kittens got mortally wounded along the road, my dad told me I was old enough to take care of it myself. The little thing had a broken back, and was going to die. All I could do to help was to make it quicker. That was really hard. But what my Dad was teaching was responsibility. If I wanted to claim a right to an animal and enjoy it's affection, then I was also responsible to take care of the less pleasant aspects of what could happen to that life. If I cared about the kitten, I didn't want it to suffer, and so I had to step up and do the right thing.

Answer 5

My first dog Ollie, I had him since I was a few months old (got him when he was 6)and he died when I was seven and I still cry about it today because he was my only friend at the time. He died of old age. He was a beautiful Great Pyrenies but now, many years later, he still is in my heart.

Answer 6

oh god, which one? My Cricket was old...even for a hound dog, she was 16 and she got to the point she couldn't get down stairs to go outside by herself and she just said it was time to go. I cried and cried.

Jesse was our 7 year old Rottie...she got hip dysplasia and we had to put her down. Only 7 years old.

My Luna was a 11 year old Rottie that was just old...she cried all the time, hurting and so the vet said it was time to put her down, at least then she wouldn't hurt.

I don't think there is anything harder than losing a pet...it is like losing a child. They leave such a huge hole in your heart when it is tijme for them to go, and you mourn them for ever. It took me 4 years to get over losing Cricket, but I was there when she was born, and then for 17 years. We went everyplace together.

Answer 7

My cat died of an illness that the vet could not control and I mourned for something like two months - it was awful - three years later and I still get tears in my eyes if I talk about him

Answer 8

a month ago my pet rabbit buffy died and it broke my heart. i had her for 5 years and it was sudden. i cried for days and wondered if there was something i could have done to prevent it. i still feel sad thinking of her now but she is buried under the magnoilia tree in my parents garden - it was her favorite spot when she was alive.

Answer 9

My dog was hit by a car. We never found out who did it and I dealt with it by using sidewalk chalk to draw a sign across the road that said" Hit and run is murder, murderers go to hell where they belong". I also plan vengence for the wonderfull day that I will find out who killed my baby.

Answer 10

Cookie. Estimated 27 years of age. Arabian Gelding. He coliced and founder pretty bad. Bad vet "Dr. Death" made him get worse til we found a good vet who realized what was wrong. X-rays showed he rotated on his hoof wall 10 and 11 degree's. That is sever. 0-1 degree is ridable just careful of his health. 2-4 is pasture and light riding. 5-7 is barley any riding and thinking of putting down. anything more than 8 is putting him down and he was way sever than that. so, it was very hard. First time I seen an animal put down. It was quiet and peaceful though. I put his head in my lap while my mom listen to his heart beat fade (her horse originaly).

Bogey-24-Sorrel Quarter Horse. Known to all ranchers as best cow working horse. They ran him so hard his knee's blew out and got athritis over the years. He had more bad days then good so, we put him down on a good day.

Jester-estimated of 38 years-Appy Gelding. He was very very very old for his age. Hips finally gave out on Christmas day of all days. I stayed home to take care of the horses while the parents went to the mountains 4 hours away. I spent all day with my bf taken care of him trying to get him up. pissed off at others who medicated my horse with out our permission. which we medicated him that morning so, he overdosed too. they would do a few things that I pissed me and the vet off. he was put down 11pm that night in the stall. Able to get him out of the stall we had to load chains to the tractor and drag him out.

let me tell you, I never ever want to hear that crickng sound of bones again. Worst x-mas ever. Had to load him the next morning and take him. We didn't want the truck to come get him cuz they hoist him up in a sling to put him in the big truck. That is depressing the other horses and too hard on us to see if that happened.

I cry rarely and when I do, I don't infront of people. But that night, I cried and cried. I will get a little teary but I know that when their is life, there will always be a death. So, I accepted death. Just sometimes it is hard.

I got a 29 year old gelding and he is going to be gone with in 2 to 3 years (I hope not sooner..). I feel he is next. He is my old man. Love him to pieces. I got my 15 year old mare that one day be and my 6 year old gelding that one day be. My babies, they are my kids, my best friends and one day to I will cry. but life goes on and in memory.

My germen shepp died in her sleep when I was 10. She was almost 11. I miss her dearly and never wanted a dog ever since. Only dog I ever loved and wanted.

We had plenty of birds and other animals die and we barried. We had our own secret pet cemetary at our old house starting back when my mom was a kid living their. We always rescued them and tried to help them. We recued cats and a few so far have been barried here at our new place. I have hit a few birds and cats and felt so bad, I barry them and say a prayer.