Helping A Dog Move On Through Its Owner’s Death
Being a huge movie buff, one of my all-time favorite teen flicks being “Clueless” starring Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, who later went on to “Friends” and other movies, and Brittarny Murphy. Last December, I was definitely stunned by the news about Brittany Murphy’s sudden death. Animal Chiropractic
My heart went out to her mother and her husband, Simon Monjack, as they laid her to rest, following her funeral, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California. The 32-year old actress had a heart attack, which caused her death at their shared home with her husband in LA on December 20, 2009, as stated by the news reports.
I saw breathtaking photos that Simon had taken of Brittany as I clicked on her husband’s web site. Such a shame for someone so beautiful and talented to be taken from us too soon.
Aside from the tragic loss of her family and fans, what truly broke my heart was when I learned of Brittany’s female Maltese named Clara. Being an animal lover, I cried when I read online from people magazine’s web site that the dog was experiencing a change in behavior since Brittany’s death, according to Brittany’s husband.
Simon Monjack was quoted in People magazine, saying, “One of the saddest things is that Clara has looked everywhere for Brittany and can’t find her,” and “Clara, she looked in every place Brittany could be, she couldn’t understand why Brittany was not in bed or in the bathroom, and she looked in every inch of the house.” Brittany named her after silent film star Clara Bow and was reported as describing Clara as “a humongous personality in a tiny package. More than a pet, she is a family member.
I had never really given it much thought, but this tragic turn of events made me wonder how pets react to their owner’s death. Do pets know how to mourn? If so, how do survivors help the pet’s physical and emotional health during the mourning period?
My pet’s veterinarian, Dr.Ava Frick, is a specialist in pet behavior. In fact, she has been using Alpha Stim technology treatments on one of my dogs due to problems with his excessive barking and showing aggression toward my other two dogs.
At our next appointment, Dr.Frick and I discussed Clara and pets’ ability to mourn. She said that it is common for a dog to go through a mourning period after the loss of a human or animal companion. In fact, the symptoms can be exhibited for days or even weeks afterwards, including decreased appetite, lethargy, and changes in the dog’s behavior.
She said that it is important to keep a dog in its normal routine in such cases. Exercise can do wonders to relieve stress for pets as with humans who are going through issues. Being with familiar people, and even meeting a few new friendly faces, can boost the pet’s mood, as well.
It is a wise move to seek for professional advice if the pet’s mourning period seems to carry on. Your veterinarian can identify Physiologic abnormalities, which might be contributing to the dog’s depression.
Dogs who are mourning and experiencing depression often respond well to complementary and alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, herbal supplements, and dietary modification. Dog Pain Relief
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