After the death of a pet, there are several ways you can help other pets during their time of grieving:
Stick to daily routines. Maintain a consistent mealtime schedule and continue any daily walks or other outdoor activities as well as playtime.
Offer extra attention and affection to help pets recover emotionally from the loss of their friend.
Try calming aids such as music therapy or Adaptil and Feliway diffusers and calming collars.
Nutritional supplements such as Composure treats or Calming Care probiotics for dogs may also help alleviate your pet’s anxiety.
Provide new, mentally stimulating toys and chews for dogs. For cats, you can offer new cat trees, interactive toys, or access to a safe outdoor enclosure.
If your pet begins to show behaviors such as house soiling, destruction of toys or furniture, or excessive vocalizing and whining, it is important not to punish or discipline them. This will only teach them to fear you and may increase their anxiety and make these behaviors worse.
Talk to your vet or ask for a recommendation for a behaviorist in these cases. Pets with more severe behavioral changes may also benefit from antidepressant medications.
The amount of time that a dog or cat grieves will vary individually, but eventually, they do recover and will usually fall back into their daily routines at some point.
However, if your pet continues to decline physically or emotionally, consult with your veterinary team to be sure there’s no underlying medical condition that’s causing symptoms that you initially thought were related to grief.
Cats in particular should be closely monitored if they stop eating, as prolonged anorexia in cats can quickly develop into a life-threatening condition known as hepatic lipidosis.
