*Trigger Warning* Grief after having to put my dog down

[anon143]

I have found out this afternoon that my mum (our dogs owner) put our beautiful, caring, lovely family dog down due to him having cancer. We found out he had cancer just under 6 months ago & although we knew this day was coming, doesn’t make it any easier. I feel he is in a better place but it still doesn’t fill the hole that is now in my chest. I hate cancer! It ruins everything! We had our beautiful boy for around 10 years and we got him when he was around 2-3 years old already. My emotions are all over the place with this heartache. I wish cancer never existed! I feel so angry that he had to have cancer, he was such a caring, nurturing dog who wouldn’t dare hurt a fly. I wish grief and loss didn’t hurt so much. I hope he is now running around up there with our family, being his regular happy, hungry for belly pats self. I feel upset I didn’t get to say goodbye especially since he was living around the corner from me but I’m more angry at the fact that we had to relieve his pain by putting him down.

[smallwolf]

hi anon143,

Sorry to hear about your loss. 😞

Pets can be like family. The love from family pets is also unconditional.

I can remember the time when I was told about our pet cat dying. I would mostly look after the cat and it was shortly after I left home for the big city. I cried. Whether you are near or far away the emotional pain at the time is real. I am not sure what images float around your mind... I can remember mine. So those feelings of loss, sadness, etc are, well, normal and I hope people don't tell you to "get over it". The experience is unique to you. There are other stories on the forums similar to yours...

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/grief-and-loss/loss-of-a-pet-depression-trigger-

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/grief-and-loss/feeling-devastated-after-the-loss-of-my-dog

Listening to you and your story.

Tim

[blondguy]

Hello anon143

In your situation I would be crying...big time 😒

I am deeply sorry for your loss...Can I ask what his name is?

Paul

[anon143]

Our Mum called him our brother, he was with us for so long he practically is our brother, he watched us grow up, he watched our siblings kids grow up & he even got to see a few brief years of my son grow up. He is such a beautiful dog, he never scoffed his food down, was very protective and energetic, his personality was like a wise old man. He is the definition of a perfect dog and if I ever get the chance to meet and have another beautiful dog like him, I will treasure him so much! We have a beautiful cat as well, crazy similar personality to our dog & they got along amazingly! Sorry to hear about your loss, our previous cat disappeared after having him for 5 years 😭

[anon143]

Our dogs name is Levi, he had many nicknames it’s not funny haha

[smallwolf]

How did you come to pick on that name?

[anon143]

I cannot remember, our Mum picked his name 🙂

[geoff]

Hello Anon, I'm not sure what to say because what people said to me after losing my 18 old dog didn't fill that empty hole I had in my heart, but perhaps our condolences will help you overcome this terrible ordeal, so I join the others in offering our heart in knowing how losing a member of the family is so distort, knowing when to feed Levi and then take him for a walk and who's bed he was to sleep on.

I implore my greatest sympathy to you and feel the hole left in your heart, I'm just so sorry.

Take care.

Geoff.