Losing a beloved pet is always an awful experience, and it may feel like a sudden illness or death.
However, there are signs that they are close to the end of their lifespan.
According to pet bereavement counsellor, Kirsty Godsell when we recognise that our animal is close to death, there are things we can do to make the loss of our fluffy pals more bearable.
Kirsty launched the Association of Pet Bereavement Counsellors (APBC) to support those who are grieving the loss of their pets nationwide, offering counselling services and much more.
Advert
She believes that pet bereavement is something that is universally swept under the rug and understands that there are some pet owners who need specialist support after they experience the death of a pet.
Kirsty told the Mirror: "I don't think society in general takes pet grief seriously. It's definitely a taboo subject still and you tend to find that unless people have experienced it, they don't understand it or have the emotional resources to relate."
What are the signs your pet is close to death?
Kirsty said: "I always recommend noting down your pet's daily activities from one to 10.
"So if they are super food-orientated, are they starting to go off their meals? If they're not enjoying it anymore, they're a three of four.
"You can mark down whether they like going for walks, playing with their toys, visiting their grandma etc.
"Over the course of weeks or months, you can physically see those numbers dropping.
"Sometimes, people need to see tangible evidence that their pets are declining before they have quality-of-life discussions with their vet."
And here’s the part where you can recognise, they are close to death: "If you know your pet, and they are part of your family, then you can see when they aren't enjoying life and everyday tasks are becoming tough for them. Maybe they're sore or sleeping more.
"I would always suggest talking to a professional. They are there to provide the best for your pet and they will never lie to you."
How to grieve a pet
When grieving, Kirsty recommends ‘putting lots of photos around the house or planting memorial trees’ to keep their memory alive and that roses are a great flower to plant as they ‘have a varying array of names and you can often find one that is the same or similar to your pet'.
She added: "A lot of my clients like to turn their dog's water bowl into a succulent planter."
However, don’t forget about younger members of your family as you continue to grieve.
Kirsty said: "People often assume teenagers know how to deal with grief. Young adults and children between the ages of five and 10 can struggle and it can become a core memory.
"I encourage people to get the whole family involved in counselling, as teenagers can be very good at hiding things."
Britt Jones