One of the saddest moments in life is when you lose a pet or when you know you are waiting for your pet to die.
It doesn’t matter if your furry companion has passed away from old age or an illness.
The bottom line is that you will experience an almost inconsolable amount of grief.
The care of the pet’s body postmortem should be the thing you look into first.
The two common places where pets are likely to die are at home or in the vet clinic due to euthanasia.
Knowing how to proceed after your pet dies at a veterinary clinic should come easy because there is assistance.
What should you do when your pet dies?
1. Check to Ensure That It Is Dead
Sometimes a dead animal can have the same behavior as I would when in distress or is transitioning towards death.
For example, there may be twitching or shallow breathing, which you might mistake for signs of life.
If you are not sure about the state of the animal, you can go for the option of involving a professional.
Knowing the difference between a dead and a distressed pet can make a difference.
2. Expect nature to run its course
The first thing you need to know is that nature will take its course, and the departed might release gas from their body and may even empty the bowel, especially if you try to move them.
You don’t want to mess your floors, so place a plastic mat under their posterior region to combat the situation.
After that, if any other pets in the house, invite them to say their goodbyes to their companion.
Animals are automatically tuned to realize when death has occurred, so they will understand.
3. Call Your Vet
We suggest involving your vet after losing a pet, especially when it happens at home, as they can provide insight about your alternatives.
They can even offer to accommodate the dead animal in their facilities as you get around deciding what to do next.
In case your furry buddy died under mysterious circumstances, you have the chance to raise your concerns so that the vet can determine if it is worth looking into or not.
4. Decide Between Burial and Cremation
Inviting your vet into the equation can help your decision of where to cremate or bury your pet.
A vet has the knowledge and information about what you should do with a dead pet.
After consulting with the vet and perhaps settling for cremation, you might have to go to the vet clinic with your deceased pet to have it done.
Alternatively, they can give you a list of cemeteries in your area.
It still serves you better if you don’t just bury your pet in your compound or a public space like a park.
The authorities in some states are against it.
5. Preserve the body
You will probably have to leave your pet in the house as you go out to prepare for its burial or cremation.
Ensure you leave the body in a cool area.
You can wrap up the dead pet tightly in a refrigerator or freezer during the summer if it’s a small animal.
If it can’t fit in the freezer, place the animal on a cool surface such as a slab or floor without covering it.
6. Ensure cleanliness
One of the most important things is ensuring that you handle your dead pest body in gloves.
Also, ensure that you thoroughly clean all the surfaces touched by the animal, including any fluids from the animal.
Cleaning will help contain any germs.
7. Grieve
The worst thing you can do to yourself after losing a beloved pet is to keep all your emotions bottled up.
Sometimes, grieving occurs in stages, while for others it can come in waves.
In the first instance, you will likely experience denial, anger, guilt, and even depression, while in the second instance, grieve is either high or low and never in between.
You can’t rush grief, and you are allowed to take as long as you want with it. It can even last with you forever.
The important thing is to be patient and kind to yourself through it all.
Expect that you will miss your pet, and you will feel lonely at times, but it’s no weakness but a regular occurrence after a loss.
There are things you can do to help with your grieving process, such as:
- Reaching out to others who are going through the same thing as you are
- Have a memorial for your diseased furry friend
- Organize a ritual of remembering the good times you had with your pet
- Let out all the things you are feeling without feeling shame
- Look after your physical needs and other pets in case you have them
- Seek help from an expert if your grief persists
Compassionate Help Navigating the Loss of a Pet
We understand that letting go of a pet after it has passed on is hard.
Also, we get that sometimes all pet parents wish for is more time with their pets.
We can help with that by providing animal and pet preservation services with some of the most affordable taxidermy prices in the area.
You can contact us to make arrangements and even look at your options before your pet dies.
Animal Family Pet Preservation is here to help you with your grief. Contact us to find out the techniques we apply.