The worst nightmare for any paw parent is to think or even imagine about their fur baby’s death. The thought of your dog leaving you forever itself must be scary. But this scary thought will indeed be a reality one day as no one can escape death. We living beings being mortal will die someday and so will our pets. In such a situation the first thought to strike is, “What to do when dog dies?”
Through our blog, we will try to provide you with all the required information regarding what to do after your dog’s death.
What To Do When Dog Dies?
Your dog’s death must be the most crucial period for you and you must be grief-ridden. Here are the things you should do when your dog dies[1]:
- If your dog dies at home then check for the pulse and for confirmation consult a vet too. The vet will examine the dog and declare him dead.
- Make sure you wrap the dogs in a blanket or using the biodegradable sheet would be best. After wrapping keep your dog’s body in a cool and dry place to prevent it from decomposing till you decide to cremate them.
- Contact the local pet crematory and inform them regarding the incident and ask them to send for help. Their team will assist you in the further cremation of your dog. You can also consult a vat regarding the burial procedure.
- After your dog’s death sanitise the place in order to prevent the infection from spreading. If your dog is ill and suffering from any sort of infection like parvovirus or any such then it is mandatory to do it.
- Donate your dog’s leftover dog food to the street dogs along with their toys and other things. By doing this you will make the other dogs happy and this will lead to happiness for your dead dog too.
As mentioned by T. J. Dunn, DVM in petmd, "While arranging for the procedure, keep in mind that you also have options for your pet’s remains. You may choose to leave your pet with the veterinarian for burial or cremation, or you may be able to bury your pet at home depending on the ordinances in your area."
How To Cope With Your Grief?
Losing your dog might overshadow you with grief here’s what you can do to cope with grief:
- The first step to coping with the grief is to not blame yourself for the incident. Do not blame yourself, you did all you could do and took good care of your fur baby. So no need to regret things as it won’t bring back your dog.
- Talk with your friends and family, and seek their support. Do not bottle up your emotions and try to compress them. Apart from friends and family, there are many pet loss support groups active socially. You can contact those groups and connect with other people who too lose their dog.
- If you are not comfortable expressing yourself to people then you can write down your feelings. Make a journal and express your emotions through written words. You can also write down some fond memories of your dog along with the pictures.
- If you are feeling the too heavy burden of your feelings then scream and cry loudly. This will help you to vent out your emotions and make you feel lighter.
- Try new hobbies and activities to distract yourself from the grief. You can also travel to your comfort place and make yourself feel better.
- If you are feeling anxious, depressed or stressed then take the help of professionals. Consult a therapist they will guide you and help you move out of the grief.
- If you miss your dog then visit the pet homes and spend time with those animals. You can offer your help thereby either donating food, money or any required things to them. Doing this will help you feel better.
- Keep the memories of your dog enact. Store the photos, videos and things of your dog. You can also make notes of stories of your dog that really amused you.
- Even though your dog is not present with you physically keep them in your memories by celebrating them and their special days.
How To Help Your Other Pets?
If you have more than one pet then the death of one will greatly affect the others. Here’s how you can help your other pets deal with this grief:
- Let your other pet see the body of your dead dog, this will make them realise that their friend is no more. While some pets will lick and sniff the body so allow them to do it it’s their way of processing the grief.
- Maintain the regular routine of other pets as it is don’t let the death of one affect others. Provide them with food from time to time, take them for walks play with them and try to distract them. This will help them to get back to normal fast.
- Spend your maximum time or as much as possible time with the other pets and provide them comfort. Doing this will comfort them and provide them with assurance and safety.
- Monitor their behaviour and if you notice any changes then consult a vet immediately. Do not leave them alone and engage them in physical and mental stimulation.
FAQs
What to do when dog dies?
If your dog dies then it must be a moment of grief for you. You may want to bury them with all the love and honour. The first thing you should do is to call the vet or your nearby pet cemetery and inform them. You then need to ask them to send help and guide you further. These people from the cemetery will conduct the further process.
What do you do if your dog passes away at home?
If your dog passes away at home then the first thing you need to do is to check their pulse. If you are unable to make out if your dog is dead or not either call the vet or take the dog to the vet. If the vet confirms the death then start with the burial process of your dog for that you can take the help of the vet.
Can I bury my dog in my backyard?
Whether you can bury your dog in the backyard or not depends on the zoning law of the area you stay. So before burying your dog in the backyard consult with the authorities of your area and if permission is granted then you can. If you have other pets too then consult your vet also as there are risks of infection to your other pets.
When should you bury a dog?
If your dog passed away then you should bury it within 12 hours of death. Burying a dog within 12 hours or sooner will prevent the body from decomposing. If you wait for a longer period then the body will start to decay and produce smell. This will cause the spreading of disease and parasites. It can also lead to infection to you and if you have other pets then to them too.
How long does dog body take to decompose?
The duration required to take the body of a dog to decompose depends on factors like soil, the size of the dog and the climate condition. Typically if you are burying your dog wrapped in biodegradable cloth then with moderate temperature it will take up to 3 to 6 months to decompose.
Conclusion
Your dog’s death might be the worst moment of any pet parent’s life. Some things are not in our control and this situation is one of them. At this point, all you can do is to cremate your beloved dog with all love and respect. We hope through our blog, “What to do when dog dies?” we have successfully provided you with all the information.
Even after the death, you can keep your dog alive in your memory. You can join the pet shelter homes and provide your service there in memory of your late dog.
Reference:
- What to do when a pet dies. (2011, October 3). Berkeley.
