How to help a grieving pet
WHEN the world’s cutest dog died recently, it was a sad day for his 17 million followers. But even sadder was that Boo, the adorable Pomeranian who’d become a social media sensation, had apparently died from a broken heart. According to his owners the tiny pooch died “from heartbreak”, having never recovered from the death of his doggy companion Buddy in 2017.
“Boo passed away in his sleep and has left us to join his best friend, Buddy,” his owners posted in a moving tribute on Facebook. “Boo showed signs of heart issues. We think his heart literally broke when Buddy left us. He hung on and gave us over a year.”
We asked Karin Pienaar, an animal behaviourist and lecturer from Centurion, Gauteng, to explain how grief affects animals.
A UNIVERSAL SADNESS
We know humans experience grief and mourning, but do animals?
“They most certainly do,” Pienaar says. “When it comes to the mammalian brain, seven core emotional states are found across all species. While animals may not understand these emotions on the same cognitive level as humans, they do experience them.
“When a strong bond is severed or interrupted a state of panic is triggered, which generates feelings of loss and grief.”
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS TO LOOK OUT FOR?
The most common way to tell whether your dog or cat is depressed is if they lose interest in everyday activities that used to give them pleasure, Pienaar says.
“They may appear withdrawn and listless, and some even stop eating. Others become agitated and irritated, and some will become unusually clingy and needy.”
HOW LONG CAN THE GRIEF PROCESS LAST?
“Like with humans, there is no specific time period to this grieving process – every dog and cat is unique,” Pienaar says.
“It depends on the strength of the bond. Some animals grieve for one day, others for years. Some may even need pharmacological assistance to recover, along with behaviour modification to help them process the loss.”
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
“The most important thing for pet owners is to be patient. Understand the animal has lost a companion and won’t bounce back immediately. By giving your pet the space to grieve you’re already helping a lot.” Other ways to help include:
S Stick to your routine. For example, if you walked your dogs at 10am every day, carry on doing that. “Routine brings them comfort,” Pienaar advises.
S Give your pet extra TLC. “Just chatting to them gently and in a happy tone can help.” S Play their favourite games. “Even though they may not appear interested, keep trying to entice your dog to play. Now isn’t a good time to start obedience training or expect him to learn new things – instead, stick to old favourites until his mood lifts.”
S Food is a great mood booster. “Handfeed your dog his daily meals or place it in special food-dispensing toys.” Try not to give too many treats which could pack on the kilos and aggravate any health issues such as arthritis. There are low-kilojoule treats available.
S Visit the vet or an animal behaviourist if your pet isn’t showing signs of improvement or stops eating completely.
“Only your vet can prescribe medication and often they’ll confer with your behaviourist about treatment programmes. Don’t be shy to ask for help.”