The Rainbow Bridge

My soul dog passed yesterday. I can't believe it was just yesterday. It feels like forever ago I last saw him. I picked up poo from the backyard today and it was still moist. How is that possible that his poo is still fresh when he has been gone for so darn long?

I hate everything. Just last year I lost another dog to old age. It was hard enough to ring the new year with one member of my family gone and this year I have to do without 2?! Seriously. I lost 5k to cancel a trip to be here with him and he is taken from me a day before my bday? I feel like the world hates me and is making me pay with my sanity.

His absence hurts like hell. I hate it all. I hate his dog brother is depressed. I hate my partner is sad. I hate how much I miss him.

My Jack Russell passed in July and I just can’t stop crying about it. It’s been months since. I don’t want to talk about it with anyone in my life because I’m afraid they’ll say ‘it’s just a dog’ and dismiss my feelings, so I’ll always just hide in the toilet or in my room or something to let everything out.

I loved her so much. I felt like she was the only member of my family who really loved me back, and now she’s gone.

I wish she was here so I could tell her about how I’ve been doing and what I’ve achieved since and she wouldn’t understand a word but she’d do that silly little celebratory dance of hers all the same :(

Roxy went in for TPLO surgery on her knee last Thursday, the 14th. All bloodwork came back fine prior to surgery and she was OK to proceed. When they were close to finishing, her heart stopped beating and they were unable to revive her. I can’t get the vet’s tearful phone call out of my head “Her heart stopped…oh Jessica I don’t know if we’re gonna get her back…” I left work and immediately headed there and I was able to snuggle her for an hour or so and sob into her soft fur as she lay lifeless on the table covered in a blanket. I am devastated.

We were there when our shepherd was born and it's been an incredibly hard transition since she passed, but our poor pit mix is so devastated. I'm currently out of work on an injury so I'm home with him thankfully, and we have a 6yo cat that plays with him sometimes. The pit mix is so sad he definitely understands she's gone. The shepherd basically raised that dog for us (we got him as an 8 week old puppy) and was a mother figure to him. I've been trying to think of different treats or foods for his sensitive belly to try (today it was hardboiled eggs which he loved), but does anyone have ideas on keeping my pittie preoccupied during the day?

Lost my childhood dog “Madison” today. She was going to be 16yr in February 💔 I can’t stop crying and I feel like my world ended.

So.. im getting a new kitten and my dog passed 5 weeks ago, I still have her crate up and some toys laying around. Will the kitten get distressed by the smell of my pup if she goes in the crate and smells my pups blanket and toys? I don't think I can handle taking down my pups crate yet, but I also don't want my kitten to be distressed when I bring her home.

I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking this but.. ugh idk this is probably a stupid question

In home euthanasia is scheduled for this Friday. The countdown has been emotionally devastating but I'm grateful and feel privileged for these few more days with her, and to be able to give her a good death.

She's been my cat for 18 years, all her life, since I was 22. We love to cuddle, kind of like a mama otter with her baby otter.

If you've experienced this process, were you able to hold your pet as they passed? I won't force anything on her, but I would like to hold her if it is fated. I just want it to go smoothly for her and I'm so nervous something will go wrong (she strongly dislikes the vet).

I know you all understand; This feels like a nightmare that I cannot wake up from. I'm afraid of the depth and intensity of these feelings, and the grief that will follow. I'm already sobbing often.

I don't want to be without her.

My cat has been a little wheezy these past few days. Vet told me to keep an eye on her. Earlier this evening she took a sudden turn for the worse.

She's in the vet hospital now. She's struggling to breathe. The vet has offered to PTS or to keep treating her. She's been there for an hour and we decided we would wait for 2 hours to see how she gets on.

Am I making the right decision? Is there even a right decision? Am I letting her suffer needlessly? She's only 7 years old. So young. We've not even had 2 years with her.

Any words of comfort would be appreciated right now if somebody has any to spare.

Friday I lost the light of my life, my beautiful rabbit Professor Smudge. The world doesn’t seem right, he has been sick for a while, but I never thought I would loose him. I have spent the last 48 hours crying. The day before his passing he took a turn for the worse, I kept him with me on his comfy pillow on my bed, I didn’t leave his side I didn’t even sleep. Then I had to go into work, my partner was with him and took him to the vets. We got the worst news they said he will not get better and there’s nothing else they can do for him. I took 3 hours on my lunch break to say goodbye to him. I really miss him, I feel like a part of me was taken when he passed. How did others deal with the loss? I honestly don’t see a way forward, I don’t have many friends and he was the bestest friend a girl could ask for. I don’t know how to stop crying everything reminds me of him. I just want to see his lovely face, and be able to give him one more hug. 💔I miss you so much 💔💔

I’m lost. This is the second pet in my life that I’ve lost to a pitbull attack (to the exact same set of injuries), the first being my family cat when I was a kid. That loss was hard, but Teddy’s loss is unbearable. He was the first pet who was mine, and I love him in a way that I can’t even begin to explain. He was defenseless at five pounds with no teeth. He was so, so perfect.

I adopted my senior yorkie a month ago during a low point during the start of grad school. He saved my life, and we became inseparable quicker than I could ever imagine. I was his person — seriously, he cried if I left the room sometimes — and taking care of him gave me motivation to take care of myself. He liked car rides and his jacket and cheese and his senior Kong despite having no teeth.

My boyfriend was bringing my baby to pick me up from work as a surprise after a hard day. We ALWAYS hold him if there’s a bigger dog nearby, but he thought that the leash was safe because there were no dogs in sight and the distance from our apartment to the car was under 20 feet. A pitbull crossed paths with them out of nowhere, and it took three grown men a full minute to pry my baby out of that dog’s death grip. While my baby’s ribs were being broken, the dog’s owner just sat on the ground and cried, not even attempting to help my boyfriend and the two strangers. I honestly think my boyfriend would have lost his fingers if he had been holding Teddy based on the pitbull’s tenacity.

My coworker drove me as quickly as she could to the vet, but I didn’t make it in time. He died, scared, in pain, and probably wondering where I was. I think I’m going to feel this pain until I die — I failed my baby, the only thing in the whole world that mattered to me that much, by not being there for him in his final moments.

The woman found us on a walk yesterday and introduced herself. When she stepped out of her apartment, something snapped in me. I realized that her dog was the one who frequently aggressively barked at Teddy through the window of that building when I got him. Teddy was so scared of her dog that I stopped taking that path for peace of mind, but I guess that didn’t matter in the end. She offered to pay the bills, but I’m not proud to say that I screamed at her, releasing all of my anger at once for about 30 seconds. Through my tears, I let her know that Teddy saved my life and she stole him from me without even trying to help despite knowing her dog was aggressive. When I saw that this 40-year-old woman was crying harder than I was, I removed myself from the situation.

He loved sweaters, but he’ll never get to wear the ones that arrived in the mail that morning. Now, I’m in my early 20s waiting to find out next week if I have cancer or not while grieving my baby who I couldn’t protect. I don’t feel like myself anymore. I don’t understand how any of this happened. He was asleep on my favorite shirt that morning when I left. I thought we’d have longer. This feels like my fault. I hope he knows how much I love him.

Two weeks ago I lost my horse very unexpectedly. Somehow this week I feel worse than last because it’s like it finally has hit me and finally feels real. The thing that is annoying me though is how none of my family seems to get it. They keep telling me to get over it. But it’s 8 years of training, and hard work, and love and money I put into that animal to just have a snipet of his tail and one of his shoes in the end…..

My 12 year old chocolate lab, Pam went to heaven this morning. The kids and I got her about 4 years ago when we got our first place together with just the three of us. They really wanted a dog and I did not. So when we went to the shelter to look for a dog, we didn't see any that felt like a good fit. As we were leaving we noticed Pam, who we hadn't seen when we came in. She looked so sweet, sitting there in her cage waiting for us to take her home. We decided to spend a little bit of time with her to see if she was "the one". We found out she was a senior dog that was a surrender from an animal hoarding situation and was looking for a family to love her for her final years. Apparently, that was us.

I had a hard time believing she was as old as the shelter said. They told us she was 8, but she was so active and full of life. She never met a stranger and was always so excited to meet someone new. We gained a few more family members since she came along and in the end I think she loved mine and my daughter's boyfriends more than us! As she got older and started losing her pep, she was still the most loving, sweet girl. It seems like she declined pretty fast over the last few weeks, not as attentive, she wasn't seeing very well and would no longer perk up as soon as we got home.

I realized earlier in the week it was time to put her down, but it is so expensive! I was able to make an appointment with the humane society which was affordable but the soonest they had available was next Friday. I went ahead and put her on for the appointment but it was almost like she knew. Up until yesterday morning she was still somewhat mobile but her appetite has been declining. As soon as the day started I was afraid it was going to be her last. She practically refused to go outside and once she came back in and plopped down in her usual kitchen spot and that's where she stayed until she took her final breath. She refused food, water and never asked to go back outside. I spent a lot of time trying to make her comfortable and everyone tried to stay in good spirits.

When the evening rolled around, she started making a long, drawn out crying sound every hour or so. Those cries got louder and more frequent as the night progressed. Eventually she was collapsed in the floor crying non-stop. It was one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever experienced. I laid in the floor with her for hours and cried too. I loved on her and talked about how awful life is going to be without her, apologized for not being able to make the whole process more comfortable for her and eventually kind of dozed off holding her while she cried the whole time. A couple hours later I woke up and she was no longer crying but was still breathing. I went to check up on my husband who is not handling this well at all. He came to the kitchen and did his loving, crying and said his final few things to her. While he and I were getting a game plan together for he upcoming events, I noticed her twitch and few times and was so worried she was going to start seizing, like I've seen other dogs do when they're dying. Husband went back out to the garage and I went back over to check on her but on my way over, I realized was walking through a giant puddle of pee running through the kitchen. I was too late. Those twitches must have been the moment she let go and I feel awful that I wasn't right there with her as she passed. I feel so guilty that she had to suffer and possibly be in pain all evening because euthanasia was more than I could afford. We did our best to make sure she knew she was loved and a part of our family. When we spent her final moments with her last night and early this morning we shared a lot of tears and memories honoring her and the short years we got to spend with her. I can only hope she knew what she meant to us when she left this earth. I'll keep her in my heart wherever I go and hold on to the memories forever. Love you, Pam. I'll see you again one day. In the meantime, I hope Papaw Bob is up there giving you all the love.

I still see you in every cat, those in the streets, those who look out their windows, those who are in shelters, those who are my friends’, those in movies or cartoons.

My heart still weeps for you, even the days I don’t remember I can’t hug you anymore. But you’re safe, you’re waiting somewhere jumping in a field of flowers, trying to eat as many petals as you would’ve done here, somewhere, waiting for me.

This is mostly just to vent and share because I felt like it brought up a lot of emotions and I just need to air them to anybody that will listen. All our babies have "S" names (yes, we are those weird people) so it was only bound to happen and happened all the time when he was alive. But today I was talking to my partner about how cute our napping kitty was being and I was talking too fast and accidently called him by the name of our precious boy who passed in September. We both just stopped and stared at each other for 20 seconds before we just went back to what we were doing prior. Judging by the reaction, I think my partner felt the same pang of sadness and grief as it happened. We are both very open with each other about our grief but I think it startled both of us. I miss my boy so much every single day. Just when I think it's starting to get better, get easier, I get hit with something like this that just breaks me again. It is wild how weird grief can be... Thanks for listening ❤️

I’m a 17 year old and just lost my dog of 13 years, I can’t do this I don’t know what to do

The months leading to that dreadful day I wasn't diligent with giving her her sc fluids

My mom had a stroke and was hospitalized, I went to work, then to the hospital, then came home tired, wary, and just wanted to disappear to sleep

And because of that, I wasn't as diligent with my Rosa's sc fluids, my sweet baby with chronic kidney disease

I feel like it's my fault, my fault that she detorieted so quickly, and ultimately, my fault that we had to euthanize, my beautiful baby Rosa

It's been almost 4 months, and life is honestly so hard

She got me through a lot and now she isn't here anymore

I miss her so much, it's unbearable.

What if I didn't euthanize, would she still be with me now? It would've been selfish, but what if she got better?...

I'm mostly thankful that I wasn't selfish that day. But I also miss her so much.

I lost my cat Cali (10) unexpectedly early Wednesday morning due to saddle thrombus. Oddly enough, I adopted her soon after losing my soul cat, Carmen of the same thing, nearly to the day two years apart. Both were surprises, although Carmen was 14 and she had shown evidence of a clot earlier that week. I had a quality of life assessment appointment set up for her a few days from then, but I didn't wake up expecting to euthanize her that day.

Cali was really out of the blue. She'd been to the vet a few weeks prior and got a clean bill of health. Cali was in my life for just under 2 years. I brought her home December 29th or 30th 2022. I can't remember which day.

I hate to admit this, but I really struggled with getting close to Cali. I recognized quickly that I adopted way too soon after Carmen's death. The grief from Carmen's death hit me like a bus. For context, I had gotten her as a kitten in 2008 and eventually took her with me to my senior year of college. We had a really strong bond and went through many life changes together, including all of my 20s.

I don't feel anywhere near the amount of grief for Cali that I felt for Carmen and I feel so, so guilty. The grief from Carmen's death permeated every aspect of my life. So far this isn't the experience I'm having after losing Cali.

I feel so guilty for this. I feel so guilty that at the time when I first got Cali, I was still crying over Carmen. I worked so hard to try to meet her physical, psychological, and emotional needs, but I hold a lot of guilt for not being able to bond with her in the same way I was with Carmen.

I do think some of the difficult grief I felt for Carmen was because I had a lot of "what ifs" in my head that I corrected with Cali. What if I had gotten pet insurance for Carmen - could I have paid for treatments that would've saved her? What if I missed a detail that I should've told the vet and that detail could've saved her?

Cali's euthanasia in some ways was so, so healing for me because I was able to be of sound mind enough to get all of my questions answered, I was able to afford treatments if they were beneficial to her, I knew that this blood clot was fatal and euthanasia was the most ethical decision amidst terrible decisions.

I think my being empowered and more understanding of the situation made it so much less traumatizing, and in some ways it was extremely healing.

But I don't miss and long for Cali in the way that I felt for Carmen and I can't help but be flooded with guilt because of this.

It's been a hard month since my hedgehog Spyro passed. It has been very weird not getting him out to play and snuggle and to hear him on his wheel at night, or to hear him eat his food. His Birthday was on the 8th, and I sang him Happy Birthday through sobs and tears. He would have been 4. I got him cremated after looking at my different cremation options, and I am very thankful with how kind they were through the whole process. I sat outside the crematorium in my car and talked to him for almost half an hour before bringing him in to them. They took me into a private room and I discussed having to change the options I had previously selected due to finances and they were compassionate and understanding, and waived some costs for me, for which I am grateful and didn't even ask for. They did a beautiful job with his wooden urn and paw prints and I feel much more at peace now that he is back home.

I still tell him I love him every night, and that I will see him when I get home from work, old habits die hard.

I am in the process of compiling every picture and video of him, and plan on getting one of those digital picture frames to upload to. I also plan to start a google drive account to make sure his photos and videos are safe.

I miss him so so much, and I don't know if or when I will get another, but I know he's home, and he will never leave my side again. I miss you Spyro, and I know I will see you again. I don't know when but I know I will.

Be patient with me buddy and know that I will always love you and miss you.

But last Sunday, he was here. At home. Eating, drinking, playing and most importantly, Matix was breathing. And now he’s not. Instead, his remains lay in a box inside of a blue bag I can’t bring myself to open. I can’t face the paw print of my boy, who left Earth far too soon.

It doesn’t make sense - how he was okay and then he wasn’t, he was just dead. His heart stopped. My heart shattered. My fluffy boy, my little lion, life is so strange with you gone.

I hate this. All of it. That it happened and that I have to heal from this immeasurable amount of pain.

My soul dog, Nugget passed away yesterday at the vet.

She was older (17.5) and she told us yesterday that it was time. I am in absolute disbelief that I am even writing that she’s passed. She was just alive 26 hours ago.

I was wearing a black sweatshirt and black jeans when I carried Nugget and held her at the vet. I still have Nugget’s fur on my clothes and I can’t bring myself to wash or put them in the hamper. They’re sitting in a pile in the back of my closet

I don’t think I’ll ever want to wash it. Has anyone experienced this? Did you wash the clothes or leave it as is?

My husband said he also purposely changed into a black outfit before the vet visit because he wanted Nugget’s fur on his clothes. And his clothes are also sitting in a pile in the closet.

Hi guys earlier today my dog sully got attacked by some huskies. Sully was a shih-tzu and was only around 3 years old he was a really playful dog and I really enjoyed his company. Right after he got attacked I rushed him to the vet suffering a bite to the abdomen the doctor said it would be very unlikely he would make it out. And to help him from suffering I took the very hard decision to put him down. And advice or tips on grieving this loss?😢

I never found my baby girl's body. My bf made a comment that he is happy our other girls are not out in the rain.

But for some reason I am in pain as I can't help thinking she is in the rain. I know she's in heaven but my god, my baby, I love you. I failed you and I'll never forgive myself. I love you so much sweetheart.

I don't know how I'm meant to have closure, ever. I write, I talk about it, but...I miss you.

Of Luca Kenobi 2014-2024

You were sick for a long time and though I’d rather you were still here, I’m glad that you are no longer in pain🐾♥️

he died of parvo. he was all i had. i don't know what to do.

About a year or two ago my old dog, childhood dog passed away from old age at 14 years old, she was a mix from the pound. She was with me since I was three-four years old. Almost a couple weeks after my mom immediately wanted another dog. I think it was about ..a couple of months or so before she suprised with another dog, even though I had stated that I don’t think i was ready yet.

I tried to love this dog, a chocolate lab. I just don’t like her at all, saying this I would never ever hurt her or anything like that. I just don’t feel a likeness towards her, she chewed everything when she first came to the house, she’ll bark and growl at me, jumps on people, eats EVERYTHING and so on.

She doesn’t seem like MY dog like my old one did, is it stupid to feel like this? I feel guilty but this dog came way to early for my liking, like my old dog didn’t matter as much. I will always care for this dog, feed or walk her, but I have no emotional connection. Is this normal?

I don't know what to do. My sweet 5 year old baby girl Minnie (a chihuahua/dachshund rescue that we had since she was a baby was healthy, joyful loving and kind.

About a week or so ago her face under her eye started to swell and we thought it was an allergic reaction. After a vet trip we found out it was a cracked back tooth and abscess. They first treated it with antibiotics to get the infection and swelling down and then this past Thursday we went in for a tooth extraction.

The morning of she was still as happy as ever, when we dropped her off I kissed her and told her I loved her and would see her soon.

Understand I have a lot of trauma with these types of situations as almost 4 years ago my mom suddenly died unexpectedly so I am really not good with Dr's and hospitals and such.. its a bad trigger for me.

The vet called us in the afternoon and told us that during the procedure her heart slowed and stopped. They said it was strange because she was tolerating the anesthesia well and it was in the middle of the procedure that this happened. They tried to revive her but could not.

Our family is destroyed, me my wife and kids have been crying since. Holding each other up for support and setting up a giant picture memorial in the shape of a heart for her. It's not enough tho, I am filled with pain, my heart physically hurts and I have no joy, I feel like I can't keep focus or do anything that I used to enjoy. I keep seeing her eyes as I kissed her for the last time and feel like I failed her. I keep thinking that we should have just left the tooth and abscess alone and maybe she would still be alive (I know that's not true and we had to try to help her, there was hole in her mouth along with the cracked tooth). I wonder if I should have gotten a second opinion or if the vet did something wrong. I just keep thinking how happy she was and how young, I don't understand how or why this happened when she seemed so fine. Even with the tooth issue she was still eating, I dunno I am at a loss and wrecked. My first dog (a 9yr old chihuahua rat terrier mix) seems to be handing it ok yet last night he was moping and whining, he is still eating and I am being supportive of him and my family as best I can but I am empty.

I honestly don't know what to do or the point of this post other to to get my feelings out in hopefully a supportive forum.. I have never posted here before but I feel like I am in a deep hole and need a hand to help me out.. thank you for reading this through and your understanding :(

hopefully this post is okay. ive been really struggling.

I lost my miniature pinscher on september 16th.
I feel like I now only feel numb and empty, or inconsolable.

I don't really know why i'm posting, I just need to ramble I guess.

I've tried doing things like going for bike rides every day, or going on long walks every day, getting back into hobbies- but I almost feel like I hate those things now. They feel pointless and dumb.

It's also been a very difficult thing, as I've had animals around me for most of my life. I was given my cat when I was one, and when she passed away in 2020. she was 21, but I had my dog, and my two other cats.
I don't really have a lot of friends, and a lot of the people that know me seem to specifically know me as "that girl with the little dog" which never really bothered me or anything, but,
My cat Lulu passed away in 2022 at around 20 years old. My dog Zora passed away at 11 in september of this year. And so now, it is me and Stripe- who I love with all my heart, but he is not my "soul-animal" the way Bubbles and Zora were. He is about 20 years old now, so obviously...well, I suppose I just have to be realistic and remind myself that I don't know how much longer he'll be here.

and this feels super selfish to say, but I feel like, as each one of them has died, part of me has gone too. Zora's death has almost left me feeling like I no longer know who I even am. She was so intertwined with my identity.
they have been a constant part of my life. I have literally no memories of being alive without an animal companion. I don't feel like I'll be the same person.
I would give years of my own life to have Zora back- even just one more year. I never knew I could hurt so much.

Sorry for the long post, needed to get stuff off my chest.

4 hours ago i had to go to the vet to put him down and im absolutely devastated. I usually go to him when im sad, or he came to me actually. It feels like a nightmare and when i wake up he will be in the kitchen crying for food. I miss him already. Pet loss is so hard how do people do this?
(And another question. Is it wise to go somewhere like a cat cafe to pet kitties and fill the hole or do you suggest not to? Considering i havent stopped crying and i dont think I'll stop anytime soon. I dont want their fur to get wet ) And to all the people on this sub going through the same thing, i hope our pets can hang out happily in whatever there's after death.

We had to put our wonderful family dog to sleep early this week, after 12 incredible years of love.

My parents got him as a puppy just after they both retired from work, a year after i had started University.

He was an amazing dog, and was there for us through a lot - e.g. did not leave my, my mum and my dad's side after we were all recovering from multiple separate serious surgeries / injuries, there through all of COVID, and helped my mum and dad as both me and my sister moved out of the family home permanently.

My Mum and Dad also moved into our family home ~3 months before my sibling and I were born, and so this is now the first time that they are alone in their house, which they are also coming to terms with.

They are very active for 65 year olds, and still regularly walk, take part in church activities etc.

I am obviously devastated about losing our wonderful dog (when does the crying stop? I miss him so much and wish i could hug him or love him one more time, it doesn't quit seem real - this was one his favourite places to lay with me), but I am equally upset to see how much this has impacted on my Mum and Dad too.

We all got together this weekend and looked at old photos and videos of him which helped, and they have planted some plants in the garden on top of where they buried him along with a little seating area, so they can still have their morning coffee with him.

But is there any advice anyone could give as to how i could help them through this tough time? (Very aware i am also probably projecting their own sadness as a placeholder for my own!)

Thanks in advance all - give your pets an extra squeeze from me this evening!

My Luna crossed the rainbow bridge 26 days ago. I'm still sad, the tears aren't as frequent. But lately I'm finding myself kinda mad that my other cats are still here when she isn't. I've lost many cats over the years but never felt like this before. Maybe because I was more bonded with her? I don't know. I still love them but when I look at them, I just can't stop thinking about how she is in the cold ground and they're all snuggled up on the couch in a warm house. It feels so unfair. Anyone else feel like this and how did you get through it?