OT: Our family dog, Bella passed way :(

[BrookeTx]

I am not a very big poster, but I just wanted to see what others have done to get through the grieving process?

We adopted Bella from the animal shelter last April. She was just a few years old. We had her for 15 months. Monday she was fine. Monday night she cuddled with me and then I shooshed her off like normal for her to go sleep with the girls.

Tuesday morning my 7 year old found her under our bed...she had passed away. She was in a laying/sleeping position and I presume she passed without any pain. I was up and down all that night and never heard her.

The only thing I can think of is she might have had a heart attack from a huge t-storm that rolled in earlier that night. We were not at home. However she seemed fine once we got home later that evening.

Her death was unexpected and the kids are actually taking it well...me on the other hand is not. I never thought losing a pet would be so difficult, but it truly is.

I just needed to get this out. If you read this far...thanks!

 

[dwfanatic]

I am sorry that this happened to you and your family...

 

[amberg@eastlink.ca]

i'm so sorry to hear the loss of your doggie : ((((( my folks put mine down this last christmas and called me and told me after it(we don't speak)...i was devastated...kids are resiliant, they get through death so much easier than we do...i think for the most part it's cus they don't knwo it's forever....another reason it doesn't pay to be old!: )

 

[mommytodarlings]

I'm sorry.

It is hard, but it does get better. We had to make the decision to put our dog down last month, she was 8. She had a very aggressive form of bone cancer and she was in a lot of pain, which she hid very well. She was a wonderful Great Pyrenees. I cried on and off for a few days after her death. The kids talk about her and I find myself getting teary. I found too, they managed a lot better than I did.

Hope you feel better soon

 

[buzzmom3]

I am so sorry. It is very hard. I had to make that decision for my dog in November and I still get choked up. She also had bone cancer and was in alot of pain at the end. My kids did much better than I did.

 

[churchpilot]

First of all, thank you for adopting from a shelter and giving this dog a loving home for her natural life. You did a wonderful thing and no matter what caused Bella to die, she died in a loving home. Grieving for an animal is just like grieving for a human...it is a process and it takes time. God bless you and your family, and when the time is right, I hope you can give another homeless animal a wonderful home.

 

[Macduffy]

(((hugs)))

I'm so sorry for your loss - it's amazing how important these little four legged animals become in our lives.

I'm happy the kids are taking it okay but don't feel bad about grieving in front of them. If it were me I know I'd be pouring over videos and photos.

Hope you get some comfort in your happy memories

 

[susykt4]

I was watching my aunt's ~3-yr-old cat while she was working out of state for a month. It was a wonderful cat that appeared to fit right in at our house. It died totally unexpectedly after only one week. I was working at a vet's office at the time and had it necropsied. It turned out to have a 3 chambered heart and died suddenly of heart failure. So weird and sad. It had absolutely no signs of illness.

Allow yourself to mourn your dog. It was so unexpected you need time to get over the shock.

 

[BCV MOMX2]

I'm so sorry to hear that. I know exactly what you are going through. Our beloved dog of nearly 14 years passed away last month. It has been over a month and my DH and I still cry. As far as the grieving process, we find it comforting to talk about him and all of the silly things he used to do. We laugh at the stories and they sometimes end in tears. Maybe you could gather your favorite pictures of your dog along with some documented funny stories and make a scrapbook. You could do it alone or make it a family project. Hope this helps.

 

[SageFemme]

I am very sorry to hear about the loss of Bella. You can tell that she was very loved and lived a wonderful life with you after you got her from the shelter.

The grieving process can be very hard. I just lost my 14 yr old cat, Precious, that we've had since she was just 6 wks old this past March. Thing is, she was extremely healthy. I understand the feeling of waving off an animal to go somewhere else then the next day they are gone, as this is what I did. My DH and I work 16 hour shifts on the weekends. Well, one Sunday night, I heard Precious meowing from the garage. We let her in and she was limping. The door to the garage from the outside was open. Turns out my DH left the doors open and she got outside and probably got hit by a car. I still wish I had taken her to the vet that night, but my DH said she probably just needed to eat and would be okay. The next morning, she was laying down in my DD's room, not moving. I lifted her up and she meowed but was like a limp ragdoll. There are many more details like this that I won't say. It's a feeling I will never forget. I took her to the vet and he said that she was in a vegetative state. Long story short, I asked them if they knew of any pet cemetaries and they said "Precious Pets" not knowing her name...and that is where she is buried. I cried every day for weeks. I still cry every now and then.

I just wanted to let you know that many, MANY of us have been in your shoes and know the feelings of, "no one knows what I'm going through.". It doesn't seem like it at the time, but we do.

 

[MichelleVW]

I'm sorry, been there done that and it sucks hard. I lost my 15 year old dog Cody two years ago and I still miss her like mad.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I'm sorry about Bella.

That is our dogs name too.

 

[pixiewings71]

I'm so sorry for your loss. We lost our cat from a dog attack so it was very unexpected. It is so devastating to lose a pet that is such a part of your family. You gave Bella a loving home and that is a great thing. Grieve for her as you would any member of your family and always remember her. This poem is one that helped me many times over when I was missing my Rogue.
Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

 

[dogodisney]

First of all, thank you for adopting from a shelter and giving this dog a loving home for her natural life. You did a wonderful thing and no matter what caused Bella to die, she died in a loving home. Grieving for an animal is just like grieving for a human...it is a process and it takes time. God bless you and your family, and when the time is right, I hope you can give another homeless animal a wonderful home.

AMEN!!

 

[momma of 2]

We had a 15 year old Golden Retriever who we had put down 2 years ago (she weighed 35 pounds and would not eat with throwing up). I can not even say her name (2 years later) without tears. Everyone around us knew it was coming but we refused to admit it. We grieved by talking about her and how important she was to us. I made a shallow box with a picture of her, her collar and a paw print that the vet made for me. WE keep her alive in our hearts!!! A pet is something that is a part of our everyday live that we sometimes take for granted. But when they are gone you realize how much they mean to you. Talk about her, remember her, and do not be afraid to cry.

my heart goes out to you

 

[TwistofLemon]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I know exactly what you're going through. I lost my Rusty after 16 years. It was like losing a child. I was devastated. Pets are such a wonderful part of our families.

Thanks for giving Bella a forever family for the past 15 months.

And, when you're ready, there are lots of animals waiting in shelters today.

 

[CLR4321]

Awww I am sorry to hear about your family pet! I know it is so sad to lose one. I've lost a few myself. Just take it easy, allow yourself to grieve naturally. Don't feel obligated to rush out and get a new pet to replace her, just take your time.

 

[PoohMom68]

I am sorry for the loss of your pet Bella. I lost my sweet Carolina last Septemeber. she also was a rescue dog we found walking on Interstate 95 in NC. We had Carolina for only 3 1/2 years. We miss her very much. One thing I did to help with the loss was I made a college of some photos I had of her and the family and I hung it on the wall in my living room. It reminds me of the nice life we were able to provide her even if it wasn't for a long time. Also If I may I would like to recommend a book to read its a great true story. Its called Rescuing Sprite by Mark Levin. It will make you feel better and appreciate all the joy your Bella brought to your lives. Best of Luck to you and your family.

 

[SassyCat]

I am so sorry for your loss.

I completely understand how you feel. Today is actually the one year anniversary of the death of my family dog who was 11 (we had her since she was a couple of months old). She died 5 weeks after I had moved out of the house and gotten married. My mother was an absolute mess for a really long time after it. She still is, really. Suzie was like a second child to her, and the timing truly couldn't have been much worse. Suzie just stopped eating suddenly. When she was taken to the vet it was determined she had leukemia which devasted my family. Then, in the next couple of days, it was realized that she also had palametra (I have no idea how to spell it). She had never been spayed because my mom was scared of her having surgery, and she was an inside dog. She only went out into our fenced backyard to use the bathroom and play with my mom (there was not a chance of her getting pregnant). It turns out if a female goes unspayed she can develop palametra which basically turns out that her uterus fills with puss (I know there is a lot more to it, but that is the main thing) and it will them. She had to have emergency surgery to remove her uterus. My mom was A WRECK. She got a call after the surgery that Suzie was doing great, and she could come visit. By the time she got there (about 15 mins), Suzie was trying to be recitated on the table. My dad and I got there right after this. It was one of the most heartbreaking and horrible things I have witnessed. My dog's dead body was there and her uterus was laying (it was absolutely huge because she was so sick) on the table by her. Everytime I think about it, I fall apart. I will never forget it. It was the worst I have ever seen my mother. The tech who was supposed to be watching Suzie as she was in recovery left her alone for a few minutes (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) which should not have happened that quickly, and when she came back she was not breathing. It was so awful. I still cry whenever I think about. We did not expect her to die that day. We thought it would be the cancer that would get her.

I had had that dog since I was 12. She was there with me through middle school, high school, and college. While she was not the sweetest dog in the world and I regret not paying attention to her more (she had quite the personality and drove me nuts), I regret so much getting annoyed with her a lot and not being able to say goodbye. Thanks for letting me share - today is going to be a hard day.

Anyway, I am so sorry you have had to experience the unexpected death of a beloved pet. It is so hard to get through, but eventually you will. Just try to think of your fond memories. That will help a lot, like others have suggested.

 

[BrookeTx]

Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts.

Today is day 4 and I am doing a little better. I don't break out in tears randomly. I still miss her very much and she will always be apart of our family.