Home Indoor flowers What to do with a dead dog. Why is the death of a dog often more difficult to cope with than the loss of a relative or friend? What to do if your dog dies of old age

Indoor flowers

What to do with a dead dog. Why is the death of a dog often more difficult to cope with than the loss of a relative or friend? What to do if your dog dies of old age

Over the weekend, a photo of a police dog laying its paw on the coffin of its slain handler went viral on the internet. Photographer Jonathan Palmer commented: “The dog seemed to understand what was happening.” So do dogs mourn the loss of their owners?

Sometimes they mope, but still dog emotions are a mystery. If you are inclined to believe that dogs grieve for their dead owners, there are many stories that confirm this. Sometimes dogs howl mournfully at funerals, refuse to leave the cemetery, and even find their late owner's grave weeks after his death. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals conducted a study showing that two-thirds of dogs experience lethargy and loss of appetite after another dog in the household dies. Thus, they are apparently capable of yearning—if not for people, then for their fellow humans. In severe cases, veterinarians even prescribe Prozac. However, skeptics believe that this can be explained without attributing human emotions to dogs. Unfortunately, evaluate emotional condition A dog can only be identified by its behavior, which is unstable and can be interpreted in different ways. There are not enough facts to draw a definite conclusion, so ultimately the answer will still depend on how you look at it. inner world You personally prefer dogs.

In itself, the photograph of the police dog Figo at the conductor's funeral seems a relatively weak argument. Dogs are extremely sensitive to hidden clues from people. In 2005, researchers took several opaque boxes and placed food in one of them. When a person gestured, glanced, or nodded toward the desired box, most dogs picked up the signal and found the treat. In the same experiment, chimpanzees showed significantly worst results. It is possible that Figo was motivated by curiosity rather than grief: he may simply have wanted to explore the box that attracted so much attention from the people gathered for the funeral. Much more revealing than a single frame would be his behavior at another time - in particular, factors such as appetite and energy.

Dogs that sit on their owners' graves may not be mourning them, but waiting for them to return. They often cannot accept that the owner is no longer there. An Akita named Hachiko gained fame in Japan due to the fact that 10 years after the death of her owner she came to the station at the time when he usually arrived. Monkeys come to terms with death faster: some of them try to revive their dead brothers, but then they realize that their efforts are in vain and begin to howl and hit the walls.

By the way, the behavior of a dog that has realized that its owner has died sometimes does not look very touching. In 2011, seven dogs survived more than a week by feeding on the remains of their dead owners. In principle, both cats and dogs sometimes eat the corpses of their owners. According to skeptics, the incident two years ago demonstrates that dogs are ready to start eating a dead person as soon as they are convinced that the owner is dead. However, it is possible that some dogs are simply more attached to people than others.

The grief of some other representatives of the animal world for the dead seems much more obvious. Elephants often gather around the dying matriarch and then suffer almost physically for a long time. Chimpanzees also show signs of grief, becoming silent for several days and refusing to eat.

Original publication: Will Your Dog Mourn Your Death?

Clairvoyants claim that the topic of life after death is relevant not only for people, but also for animals.

According to clairvoyants, animals describe the transition to another world as a feeling similar to sliding down the Woosh slide. Death is not something frightening, it is simply a transition to another dimension that is close to us. Even though we cannot see our deceased loved ones with our physical eyes, they are nearby.

Laura Stinchfield, a clairvoyant, says that as a child she had a cat named Juliette. She was very graceful, like a ballerina. Laura often told her that she should have been born a trot. She also had a cat named Joey who was a very clumsy hunter. One day Juliette did not return home in the evening, and at night Laura had a dream in which Juliette came and told her: “Mom, I need to leave. I want to be reborn into a lynx." Juliette really never returned, but the surprising thing is that after she left, Joey learned to catch mice. Laura claims that Juliet taught Joey how to hunt well in spirit. The cat was eaten by a lynx and was reborn into a lynx cub.

Animal paradise

Animals know that there is life after death. They also see spirits in other dimensions. Makiya the cat says: “I know that animals go to heaven. I was in heaven too. I went to heaven because I had too much insulin in my blood. There were a lot of beautiful butterflies in paradise, it was a good day.”

Before an animal passes into another world, you need to tell it everything you know about life after death. Tell him that there he will see other animals that he knew in life. You can list the names of animals, as well as the names of people who passed into another dimension after death, whom the animal knows. Animals understand human speech, they just don’t know how to speak our language, but they understand everything, and they have long-term memory.

Animals may also benefit from reading children's books about heaven, or children's books about losing beloved pets. Tell them that when their time comes to die, they need to rise high to go through many dimensions. They will understand this. Tell them that when they transition, they will no longer experience pain.

How do you know when an animal is ready to transition?

This is not always obvious because some animals continue to eat food until the very end of their lives. They usually say themselves when they want to leave. For example, one dog said: “If you want to understand us, you must know us. To know us, you must be quiet and attentive." For example, you can tell the animal: “When you are ready to move, look me in the eyes and repeat all the time that you are ready to move.” Animals will do this, they will make eye contact and repeat the thought telepathically when they are truly ready. Some animals can tell within a few months that they are going to die.

Photo: Ivan Bandura/flikr.com/CC BY 2.0

It is important to be there when an animal dies; it can be an amazing experience not only for the animal, but for you as well. Those who are especially sensitive may see their soul leaving their body or feel a great surge of energy. This is because if the owner gave a lot of energy to the animal during life, at the time of death he receives a lot of energy back from the animal, this can feel like euphoria. Some people feel the presence of an animal spirit, some see it. The less the owner worries, the more clearly he will feel the moment of transition.

Controversial euthanasia

Nowadays the procedure of “putting to sleep” (euthanasia) is very popular, which is supposedly an easy, painless death, but in fact it is bad for both people and animals. There is a spiritual explanation for this. Living in our material world, living beings accumulate karma, or sins. Illness and painful death are one of the methods of paying for sins.

Photo: Partha S. Sahana/flikr.com/CC BY 2.0

According to all orthodox religions, murder is a sin, be it euthanasia, abortion or any other form of murder. Despite the pain and suffering, it is better to let the animal die a natural death at home. In addition, if an animal dies a difficult death, it has a chance to be reborn as a human.

After transition (death)

Very often during three days After death, it can feel like your beloved animal has been torn from you and is very far away. It really is far away, but after these three days you will feel that it is nearby, it will touch you in spirit.

Clairvoyants say that deceased animals can give many signs of their presence, such as the blowing of the wind, the blinking of a light bulb, the desire to look up at the sky, thoughts and clues in the head. Spirits of people often leave coins, or feathers, or make many butterflies or moths fly before your eyes. Animals don't leave coins, but they can part the clouds to let the sun come out and do all sorts of other amazing things.

Everyone dreams about their beloved souls, but it is very difficult for spirits to do so. According to clairvoyants, the animal's soul should come into your consciousness, cleanse it, put sleep into it and wake you up. Or they put themselves in your dream and wake you up so you can remember. It takes a lot of energy and it's not easy for them.

Very often, what is seen in a dream is what is happening in other dimensions.

Your loved ones on the other side will experiment, for example, with smells, suddenly you can smell the favorite smell of this person or animal. Trust your intuition, this will make the work of the soul on the other side easier, it won’t have to work so hard to remind you of itself. If your dog loved tennis balls, then after he transitions, don't be surprised if you find tennis balls everywhere. If her soul sees that you are aware of the connection, then she will continue to use the same method.

The more aware we become, the more easily we sense the presence of souls. For example, if you think about your dog who died, and at that moment you felt her presence as a touch, then rest assured that it is her.

What are the animals talking about on the other side?

According to clairvoyants, the souls of animals very often say that on the other side they met people whom they did not know during life, for example, they met a grandmother or pro-grandmother of the owner. Our ancestors come for our animals because they love us, even if they did not know our animals when they were alive. They care about them. Animals, like people, also eat on the other side, they eat chops, kebabs and whatever. Laura Stinchfield says, "Some religions say spirits can't eat, but the spirits I've talked to, which are thousands and thousands of animal and human spirits, they all eat in heaven."

Laura also says that animal spirits tell her that in heaven they are with us, that is, they go to work with us, communicate, spend time together, etc. Laura initially thought that they were probably angels taking our form, or our loved ones might be living with the memory of us as if it were reality because there is a time difference in heaven. She says: “But over time I have discovered, as this comes up quite often in conversation with animal souls, that our spiritual side is always connected to the spiritual world, from where we get intuition, deep knowledge of things. And I believe that they do communicate with the part of us that is in spiritual world, in another dimension. It is we who miss them in the material dimension, but they can always be with us. I feel that deeply, as do many people I've talked to."

Animals learn on the other side

Many people are concerned that their animal will be lonely on the other side because it did not like to interact with other animals. But this is not the case in heaven. According to clairvoyants, dogs in heaven, for example, learn how to communicate with other dogs and not bark at them. For example, one dog says that in heaven he tried to bite another dog, but his jaw passed through the spirit of that dog, and then he realized that it was stupid to bite other dogs.

Photo: Wolfgang Staudt/flikr.com/CC BY 2.0

If animals miss their owner very much and want to return, they often return. Very often, animals can reincarnate during our lifetime, since their life expectancy is shorter than that of humans. They are returning.

Why know that a dog is dying? It's sad, it hurts to even think about it. However, knowing that you will soon face grief will make it easier to cope with, and you will have time to prepare younger family members. You can be with your pet in its last days and show how much you love him.

Moreover, only you can decide whether the dog will experience pain before death or whether you will accept a strong-willed, but the right thing to do– release her a little earlier, but in complete calm.

You can notice signs of a dog's imminent departure within a week, in a few hours, it all depends on the reason. Violations will affect all vital systems. It is important to understand whether the dog is in pain.

So, the causes of early death can be divided into three large groups:

From old age– a natural process of degradation of all vital systems, including blood vessels, brain neurons, cell conductivity, etc.
From illness-Death can occur at any age. It is in this case that owners often have to make the decision to euthanize.
Sudden death from accident, poisoning, shock, trauma and does not depend on systemic diseases or age.

The third point cannot be predicted, but everything can be done to protect the dog from dangerous situations and actions. You need to train your pet, socialize it, and help it get rid of phobias. Remember:

A happy dog is a controlled dog.
The safety of your pet is you, your actions, your actions, your forethought. It is absurd to blame someone for the death of a pet if you yourself let it off its leash near the road and it got hit by a car.

The situation is similar with all other accidents, if such a situation occurs there is only one reason - lack of education, attention, in a word - hindsight.

It is important to always follow basic safety precautions. If you are unsure of your pet's control, do not let it off the leash; if you are unsure that your pet will not take poison from the ground, walk it with a muzzle.

Main features

The following signs will let you know that your dog is about to die. Depending on the situation, these signs will either provide a last chance for salvation, or time to prepare and say goodbye.

Activity- one of the most striking signs of extinction vitality, this is a decrease in activity. Out of habit, the dog will ask to go outside, try to endure the toilet, follow the owner’s commands, and behave as usual. However, an observant owner will notice that games and walking do not bring the animal as much pleasure as before. After a walk, the dog will lie down in its place and sleep for a long time, and will not enjoy prolonged communication.

Reflexes– against the background of decreased activity, lethargy and impaired reflexes occur. At first, these violations will not be obvious, but you will notice that the pet tries not to run fast, avoids sudden maneuvers, and often lies down during walks. Even dogs that were cocky in their youth begin to give in to young animals and aggressive relatives. At this moment, it is important to support your pet and try to ensure its maximum safety and self-confidence. If you notice that your dog feels uncomfortable on a walk, consider moving the walk to a more secluded place.

Metabolic slowdown– many dog lovers say that on the eve of death the dog’s appetite worsens, but this is not always the case. In the process of natural cell degradation and metabolic processes, the following trends can be observed:

The dog eats well, but does not gain weight.
The pet independently reduces daily norm food, but drinks well.
Despite normal fluid intake, the dog develops dehydration.
The dog develops vitamin deficiency or a clear deficiency of nutrients.

Weight loss with a normal diet can indicate not only a metabolic disorder, but also a number of diseases:

At helminthic infestation The dog will lose weight, but the appetite will only improve at first. If your pet is elderly and you suspect a helminthic infestation, you should consult your veterinarian about adequate preventative measures. Not all drugs designed to remove worms are designed to take into account the slow metabolism of older animals.
Weight loss against the background of normal nutrition may indicate systemic diseases, for example, or other abnormalities in the functioning of the body. Carefully monitor your pet's condition, since in old age the risk of developing diseases to which the dog is prone increases.

Leather and wool– against the background of impaired metabolism, the dog may consume the usual amount of water and food, but suffer from micronutrient deficiency or dehydration. One of the most obvious signs of dehydration is poor skin and coat condition. The wool becomes disheveled, loses its natural shine, becomes severely deformed, and breaks. If you look closely at your skin, you may notice a large number of scales or even cracks. However, do not rush to conclusions and take your dog to the vet. This may indicate seborrhea, which most older but still physically strong dogs are prone to.
Breath- disruption in work respiratory system- This a clear sign the pet's imminent departure. When metabolic processes slow down critically, the dog falls into a lethargic state. You may notice a slowing in your breathing rate. Depending on the size of the dog, the normal breathing rate varies from 22 to 30 breaths per minute. When breathing slows down, the dog breathes slowly, deeply, often with an open mouth. The breathing rate usually decreases to 10–11 breaths per minute. Just before death, the dog continues to make breathing movements, but in fact it does not inhale or exhale air, since the lungs no longer expand.
Heartbeat– after slowing down your breathing, you will notice a clear decrease in heart rate. A healthy dog has a strong pulse with a frequency of 100-130 beats per minute. In a dog whose metabolism is slow, the heart rate drops to 50-80 beats per minute. When your heart rate drops, there is a natural drop blood pressure which is accompanied severe weakness and apathy. Usually the dog tries to hide in a dark, secluded place, hardly moves, and when trying to move from place to place, the pet sways greatly. At this stage, only the dog’s comfort depends on you; if the pet dies of old age, you can assume that this condition is irreversible. However, be prepared for the fact that the dog may remain in a state of lethargy for a day or even more. There is no need to force your pet to eat, drink, or get up.

Digestive system– a few days, and maybe hours, before death, the dog will completely refuse food. In this case, the pet may involuntarily empty its intestines and bladder. Even if the dog doesn't eat anything, they will remain in the intestines. feces, since the peristalsis of the intestinal walls is greatly reduced. Offer water to your pet, but do not force your dog to drink. Be prepared for the fact that in the last days and hours, the pet will go to the toilet under itself. If the dog gets up and asks to go outside (and this often happens), take it out for a walk in your arms and immediately bring it home. Immediately after death, the dog will have an involuntary and complete bowel movement and Bladder. This happens because the muscles completely relax after the death throes.
Mucous membranes– against the background of dehydration, metabolic disorders, deficiency nutrients The dog may develop oxygen starvation of cells. At first, you may not notice anything other than a change in the color of the mucous membranes of the eyelids and gums. Typically, the gums become gray, whitish, or almost transparent. Try to measure your pet's temperature; if it is low, provide the dog with warmth. When the temperature naturally drops, the dog experiences chills, and when the animal is cold, it cannot relax - this is a reflex.

About the death agony

Many owners panic when their pet is in its death throes. Fear is caused not even by the loss of a dog, but by the state in which it is interrupted before death. It is important to learn one thing, you cannot change anything, but it depends on you how your pet will feel in the last moments of its life. Keep calm with all your might, don’t cry, hug the animal, calm it down, try not to let your voice tremble.

Learn one more truth, your pet devoted his whole life to serving you, he was ready to do anything to make you happy. Try to be happy in the last moments of his life, so that when he leaves, your pet knows that he coped with his task perfectly.

Let's take a break from philosophy, what is the death agony? As mentioned above, a few hours before death the dog falls into lethargy. This state can be described in different ways: indifference, complete calm, tranquility, and so on. WITH scientific point vision, lethargy, is a partial cessation of the functioning of brain neurons. Being in lethargy, the dog practically does not feel pain, loses its sense of smell and hearing. The last thing a dog loses is its vision and sense of touch, which is why it is so important to be close and constantly in contact with it.

When it comes to death from old age, we can say that death is painless. The pet may feel sick. Nausea in this case is natural and should not be stopped. Try to save eye contact with the dog until its pupils dilate and stop responding to light.

Lack of pupil accommodation indicates complete lethargy or coma. After loss of vision, the dog only feels stroking (and not always), but at the same time the nerve endings of the skin constantly and very rapidly atrophy. No matter how hard it is for you, you need to remember that after the atrophy of the pupils, the dog no longer feels almost anything.

Euthanasia or death from disease is a difficult choice

Inexperienced owners often torture their pets, making excuses that euthanasia is murder. We will not refute the truth that euthanasia or euthanasia leads to the death of a dog. However, every time you see a pet in pain, watch a disease kill it, ask yourself: am I acting humanely?

Naturally, you want to stay with your pet for as long as possible, to know that you did everything and were there until the end. Try to think about the pet, about its well-being, about its comfort. Unfortunately, in this matter you have to show all the composure and rationality that you are capable of at that moment.

We do not call for resorting to euthanasia if the dog has at least the slightest chance of recovery and a full life.

Sometimes they mope, but still dog emotions are a mystery. If you are inclined to believe that dogs yearn for their dead owners, there are many stories that confirm this. Sometimes dogs howl mournfully at funerals, refuse to leave the cemetery, and even find their late owner's grave weeks after his death. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals conducted a study showing that two-thirds of dogs experience lethargy and loss of appetite after another dog in the household dies. Thus, they are apparently capable of yearning - if not for people, then for their fellow humans. In severe cases, veterinarians even prescribe Prozac. However, skeptics believe that this can be explained without attributing human emotions to dogs. Unfortunately, the only way to gauge a dog's emotional state is through its behavior, which is unstable and can be interpreted in different ways. There are not enough facts to draw a definite conclusion, so ultimately the answer will still depend on which view of the dog’s inner world you personally prefer.

In itself, the photograph of the police dog Figo at the conductor's funeral seems a relatively weak argument. Dogs are extremely sensitive to hidden clues from people. In 2005, researchers took several opaque boxes and placed food in one of them. When a person gestured, glanced, or nodded toward the desired box, most dogs picked up the signal and found the treat. In the same experiment, chimpanzees performed significantly worse. It is possible that Figo was motivated by curiosity rather than grief: he may simply have wanted to explore the box that attracted so much attention from the people gathered for the funeral. Much more revealing than a single frame would be his behavior at another time - in particular, factors such as appetite and energy.

The death of a beloved dog is a great grief for every owner. Whatever the reason, this event always leaves an indelible mark on the soul, but life does not end there and you need to learn to cope with the shock. The most difficult thing in this situation is to survive the first days, when, in addition to a difficult emotional state, you have to deal with other issues related to the death of your pet.

For many, a dog becomes a real member of the family, so its death becomes the same tragedy as the loss loved one. Psychologist Julie Axerold believes that after her death, a person loses not only a pet, but also a source unconditional love, a constant companion who provides comfort and safety, as well as a ward for whom the owner is a kind of mentor, like for a child. How to survive this period? There are no rituals in our culture that would help us more easily cope with loss (obituaries, memorial days), so sometimes it’s easier to do this if you follow some recommendations from psychologists. Despite the fact that they are quite simple, not always during periods intense grief manages to do what experts advise.

Do not look for someone to blame, especially if the pet died due to illness or injury. It is worth realizing that even ideal owners and experienced doctors sometimes make mistakes, so it is important not to blame yourself with possible phrases “I didn’t have time”, “I made a mistake in choosing a veterinarian”. Every owner does everything in his power, so the main thing is that the dog spends happy life in a caring atmosphere.
Take a break and wait until the pain subsides. You should not immediately rush to search for a replacement for a departed pet, as this will be fraught with comparisons of different animals, which often turn out to be not in favor of new pets. After a loss, it is better to limit communication with familiar dog lovers, visiting a familiar pet store or veterinary clinic to avoid unnecessary questions and memories.
Fill the void. The dog owner develops a special rhythm and schedule of life, which may revolve around the needs of the pet (for example, daily walks, feeding schedule, etc.). Lifestyle changes are one of the biggest sources of stress, so it’s important to come up with a new hobby or activity that will occupy your free time. This could be English or programming courses, going to the gym or doing renovations. own apartment– any options that will shift attention away from pain and sad thoughts.
Remember only the good things. Immediately after the death of a dog, the period when he was already sick or old most often pops up in the mind, but you need to try to get rid of such thoughts. After all, in the dog’s life there were many others, more pleasant moments: clumsy puppyhood, first training lessons, shared walks and trips and other occasions that should be emphasized. To reinforce positive emotions, you can make an album or frames with photographs, and after a while, memories of your pet will only bring a smile, not tears.

Get rid of reminders. You need to hide all things that remind you of the loss (collar, leash, feeding bowl, toys). You can give them to friends or donate them to a dog shelter where they will definitely find useful use.
Help other animals. Psychologists believe that helping a dog shelter is good way overcome a difficult emotional state faster. The realization that your help brings joy and benefit to someone will over time displace negative experiences.
Get a puppy. It is no coincidence that this advice comes last, since you should not think about a new animal until the pain of loss subsides. If, when thinking about a new puppy, an involuntary comparison arises that he will never be as smart or loyal, then it is better to abandon such an idea for now. Otherwise new member family will not be able to receive the care and love of the owner to the fullest and give him new bright emotions.

What to do when a dog dies

Death from an accident or injuries, a long struggle with a dangerous or incurable disease - no matter how much you want to change the situation, the owner is faced with the fact: the dog has died and something needs to be done next. One of the painful questions is what to do with the body, because it needs to be buried.

Responsibility for the burial of a pet falls entirely on the shoulders of its owner, but in Russia this issue remains not fully resolved. According to the law, there are two options for the disposal of dead animals: burning in a crematorium or disinfection in Beccari pits, which are located in most large cities.

Sometimes animal owners prefer to bury the animal after death and even erect a monument, for which in some cities entire animal cemeteries are organized.

Important! Under no circumstances should you bury your pet in a park, country house or forest, especially if it died due to infectious disease. The pathogens will exist in the ground for decades and over time are transferred by groundwater into wells and wells, which is fraught with the outbreak of a dangerous epidemic.

Private veterinary clinics and centers with their own crematoriums also provide assistance in this matter. Their employees are ready to arrive at any time to pick up the body of the deceased dog and transport it for autopsy and subsequent cremation. Such centers offer two cremation options:

general - several corpses are burned in the chamber at the same time, the ashes of which are mixed, but the owner can take away part of it with the thought that there is a piece of his pet there too.
individual - includes burning one animal corpse in one chamber, so the owner will be sure that the urn contains only the ashes of his dog.

The memory of pets can also be immortalized in a virtual cemetery, which is organized in in social networks or on special websites. It provides the opportunity to register your own page, where you can not only post a photo of a deceased animal, but receive psychological support and advice on how to cope with grief from other animal owners.

How dogs sense death

There is no clear answer to the question “do dogs sense their death,” but often old and sick animals leave the house, and the owner later finds the body and realizes that the leaving was intentional.

There are several versions to explain the reasons for this behavior. Some people believe that the animal is trying to relieve a person’s pain and melancholy by leaving, but this version cannot be reliable. To do this, you need to have human consciousness, since it is only human nature to think about death and fear it. But animals do this unconsciously, because for them life and death are equally natural phenomena. American psychologists believe that their intelligence can be compared to the intelligence of a 2-3 year old child, who also does not realize that death is an irreversible phenomenon.

According to biologists, the departure of a pet from home before death can be explained by the same reasons as the departure of a sick or old wolf from the pack. The dog’s consciousness becomes clouded, so the habits acquired over the years of living with a person displace the more ancient instincts inherent in all representatives of the canine family:

a weak individual that cannot run fast and hunt successfully will be a burden for the pack;
a weak individual can be an easy prey and thus attract the attention of a pack of other predators;
if you don't hide, there is a risk of meeting large predator and die painfully after being torn to pieces;
if you die in a flock, then the decomposition products negatively affect the health of the young.

It is assumed that these are the impulses that an animal is guided by when it leaves its owner. But pets that retain consciousness and affection do not always succumb to instincts, so they are left to die in the house where they spent their whole lives.

There is a legend according to which all dying dogs go to the Rainbow Bridge. This is a kind of dog paradise, where they get rid of all ailments and do not feel hunger or fear. They can spend time in endless games with other deceased animals, so you can only be glad that all the hardships for the dog are behind you. Moreover, on the Rainbow Bridge they have another pleasure that was not available during life due to their vision: they can see all its colors.