Pets

MegW · ‎08-06-2015

This will probably seem really stupid to most people but my dog is getting old and I find myself dwelling on what to do if she dies. She was recently diagnosed with a mid-range heart murmur soI now worry about her all of the time, I don't want to lose her, I just want her to live forever and be with me in my life. My dog is so much to me and I can't imagine what my life would be like without her in it. I adopted her two years ago and my depression has been much better with her in my life, she makes me happy and I love her so much, she is just like this burst of joy that I was lucky enough to have come into my life, I still can't believe I was so lucky that noone else wanted her and I was able to have her, I feel like she was meant to be with me and I was meant to be with her. Even when she is just sitting beside me having a snooze, like now, I feel 100% better, I don't know what to do if she dies or how to cope with losing her. I don't know if I should bury her or have her cremated, I worry about what bad things may happen to her soul if she is buried or cremated. Not sure if anyone can help.

Neil_1 · ‎10-06-2015

Hi there Meg

Welcome to Beyond Blue and thank you for coming here and providing your post.

What’s your dog’s name and what kind of breed is she?

I know exactly what you mean – how they absolutely DO lift your mood and your feeling. The love and affection they have for you is undying and are always so pleased to see you.

We’ve got a Jack Russell/Kelpie cross, but here’s more of a black and white looking kelpie, and with boundless energy – although he’s 10 now, but still he motors around. And when I lost my Mum in October last year, we were able to take on board my Mum’s little puppy - a little silky terrier, who has just turned 16yo. Jack has accepted little Tess into our family and she has really come on ‘leaps and bounds’ since moving in with us.

She was always an outdoors dog, but we have out dogs inside for as much as we are able to, but they do sleep outside – and coming inside, she’s taken to that like a duck to water; just have to be a bit vigilant when it comes to “wee” time.

How old is your dog?

Yes, they do mean so much to us – and really, they do become part of the family and they are a part of the family that never argues, that never answers back, and I could add so much here, but I’m guessing you’d know what I mean by all of this.

I think honestly for the moment Meg, just keep on doing things as you’ve been – and obviously keep on loving that little puppy of yours as you have been as she will do with you. Try as hard as you can to not think of ‘what might happen’ in the future – we all know these things happen, but at this point, if this is kept on being thought about, it might just negatively impact ‘your time’ now with her.

I would really love to hear back from you.

Kind regards

Neil

yona · ‎10-06-2015

Welcome meg

I my self know how you feel I have had dogs on and off for the past 19 years and they know when you are feeling sad and many other things that can be wrong with you.

One of my last dogs was Riley and he was wonderful he would always be there for me no matter what even when I would be stressed and take it out on him he was so for giving that is Y dogs make the best friends too have.

Then about four years ago now my Riley was not well and had to be put to sleep he was almost 15 years old but it was his time so I had to let him go.

I had him cremated and put in a nice little locked box with a photo on top. He sits on my bed side table so he is always close to me. The first thing I get to look at each morning is him Riley. I hope this has helped in some way.

MegW · ‎10-06-2015

Thanks to all for the replies, I feel a bit silly agonising over a dog when others have so much more important issues going on in their lives. My dog is a tiny (2.5kg) chihuahua crossed with Jack Russel Terrier, she is tan and white and really very cute. I was told she was between nine and eleven when I adopted her so now maybe she is thirteen? She is such a happy little thing and she brings me so much joy, I have another dog and two cats also, who mean a lot to me but they are relatively young and this older dog is really special to me, having her in my life has helped me cope and pretty well get over chronic depression. I know one day I will lose her and I do cherish the times I have with her. I just worry about what to do if she dies, do I bury her? (but I move around a lot so wouldn't want to leave her behind), do I cremate her (I worry about the idea of 'burning' her, what if some way, in her soul she can feel this?? I know it's stupid and maybe a bit weird but this is what I worry about), do I arrange some kind of memorial or scatter ashes or go to a pet cemetery. I just don't know...it would be good to hear from some people about what they did, what they believe in and how they felt about things afterwards and maybe what they would have done differently.

pipsy · ‎10-06-2015

Hi MegW. I know exactly what you mean about what to do when the time comes. I had a dog for 10 years, till we lost him when he had a heart attack. We had to have our dog euthanized. This was a hard decision, but it would've been harder to let him live. Our vet (who was wonderful) said he could 'buy' him time. Our dog was in so much agony, buying him time would've been selfish. Hopefully (please excuse the word 'hopefully), I meant no disrespect. It's hard to find words that don't upset you. Hopefully when your dogs time comes, a vet will be able to assist you. Burial or cremation is a very private thing. With burial, by the time she is buried, her soul will have ascended, so all you're burying is the body. Same with cremation. Whatever you decide to do will be right for you. If you have her cremated, you can choose to keep the ashes in an urn provided for you. What I would do, just a thought. If you have her cremated, you could keep her ashes with a little photo of her on the urn. That way she's always there. I think if you bury her, you will be unable to move away knowing you're 'leaving' her behind. With me, when my dog was euthanized, our vet disposed of his body. I chose that, our vet actually sent me a little 'sympathy' card after. Some do that. If she dies at home, you can still arrange to have her cremated. There are pet cemeteries who will assist you. Maybe a vet could assist you there. When you feel 'ready' to find out, ring your local vet.

Hope I've been of some help. In the meantime as Neil said, enjoy your dog to the full.

Neil_1 · ‎11-06-2015

Hi Meg

I was going to give you a further response back, but I think if you read through Pipsy’s response, it covers just about all bases (for WHEN the time comes), I mean, as long as things continue along on the same kind of track, it could be 2-3 or 4 years down the track – we just don’t know. But for when the time comes, Pipsy has given you a very good response with suggestions along a number of paths, depending on which you wish to take.

For myself, we do our burying in our backyard – fish, budgies, chooks, one dog and we have a little ceremony each time; and at the place, we generally arrange some rocks or plant flowers in the spot. For us though, we do bury as we have no plans of moving at any stage in the near future. I guess the other thing for us is that once something (someONE or some animal) dies, then that’s it – there is nothing – it’s a bit like when you get put ‘under for an operation’. You go under and you don’t dream, it’s just nothing. So I’m not meaning to sound harsh or without a heart or anything, but once they die and they’re in the ground, well, that’s it – so whether you bury or cremate, nothing will be affected.

Neil