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I had to put my fur baby v-tec to sleep 5/5/2010 and I am having a really hard time letting him go. I still miss him and cry. I have had these horrible dreams about 4 times a week where I buried him alive!!! I have also had dreams where he seems to want me to follow him but then I lose him. I have resorted to taking sleep meds just so I can get more that 3 or 4 hrs. of sleep a night. Has anyone else had dreams like these or do I need some serious help?
Last edited by prettyprincess; 06-23-2010 at 02:12 AM..
Reason: wrong date
It's not unusual to have those kinds of dreams - but still awfully scary. Give it some time. Try to avoid the sleep aids if you can, I find that they blur the line between sleep and reality and they make those dreams a little harder to shake off.
Contact your local shelter or vet and see if they know of a local grief counseling program. It's tough going it alone and some people just don't understand. These groups can be very helpful.
Remember that letting our furry friends go is the final gift - no more pain, no moe sadness. Don't second guess your decision.
Knowing when to let our fur babies go is a responsibility we owe them for their unconditional love that they give us.
No doubt your fur baby was happiest when you also were happy and would not want you to grieve for it but to remember the good times together. Eventually, when your heart has healed, honor that love by parenting another fur baby.
Our animals are blessing in our lives while they are with us. They are not meant to be burndens once we have helped them cross the rainbow bridge. Would you grieve an angel for getting his wings or be happy that you had the honor to know him a brief time on this earth?
In the past 14 years I've had to help three of my dogs find their way to the rainbow bridge. It never gets easier but your now broken heart will one day open itself up to receive the unconditional love of a fur baby again. You did the responsible thing for your fur baby. Let the paw print in your heart be stronger than the scar of letting go.
There is nothing wrong with letting go, and do not beat yourself up over it or carry feelings of guilt. This is probably the biggest act of love we can extend to our pets.
While this may not be of much consolation, rejoice in the fact that you both had unconditional love for one another and he is no longer suffering. I have found through the loss of a pet that I may have let go physically, but they are always with us in our hearts and minds.
I also agree with MissNM regarding the counseling. Being around others who have experienced the loss of a pet will definitely help you to cope. If your are having trouble sleeping, I highly suggest you consult with a doctor, especially if you have to resort to taking sleep meds.
Another idea would be to put together a scrapbook, a memorial in your home or online photo album.
I am truly sorry for your loss, and I've been there.
It's natural to feel guilt after having to release a furkid from this world...but you have given your baby a tremendous gift in ending the pain and letting him go. Time will make the selflessness and love in your act more apparent...hang in there and know his spirit is grateful for being free. As for the sleep, you could try chamomile and/or valerian root...I get bouts of insomnia and these 2 things usually help me. (((HUGS)))!
You did the right thing. The pain will never really go away (and do we want it to?).
I lost my little spaniel 2 years ago in July after being his mommy for nearly 16 years and even now it is still hard even though now I can smile through the pain and laugh at his little antics and the joy he gave me.
I should have put him to sleep sooner. I thought I was doing the right thing by allowing him to pass naturally but on the night of his death he cried all night and was obviously in much pain but for some reason I couldn't get out of the bed to help him. I wondered if that was nature's way of allowing me to not interfere with the death process.
I never had a dog live to extreme old age. Either I had to move away and give the dog away when he was still rather young or either he died of cancer or at an old age but not extremely old. My little dog had started to circle back and forth - a sign I now learned was a symptom of brain functioning deteriorating and it is now time to put him to sleep. I talked to a vet about prescribing meds for his disorder but he told me that he had been a vet for 30 years and knew the end is near but for some reason I didn't listen. I don't know why. Maybe it's because the dog was still eating normally so I figured it wasn't yet time.
I find myself even now continuously asking my little dog to forgive me for being such a dunce and allowing him to suffer. I am not a particularly spiritual or psychic person but my little dog has come to me in my dreams especially last year when I was very sick. Family members have also reported the same, one of them (his favorite) actually hearing him come in through the back door and curling up beside her on the bed like he did for the past 15 years of his wonderful life.
It gets easier with time. I thank him every day for the 16 years of joy he brought the family. We all miss him and if I ever get another dog and he lives to a ripe old age I will definitely be more aware of when it's time to put him down - no matter how painful. It's the best way. I read somewhere that few dogs die peacefully in their sleep. For most it's a painful process. It's better to allow the vet to put him down easily and gently.
Your dreams may be because you felt helpless to save him. But like every creature, including humans, we all have to go some time. YOu did the best you could for him to go in comfort with the best of care. That beats the way most animals suffer and die in the wild without human help. Feel better and know that your friend wouldn't want you to feel bad! Most of all, remember the good times when he was alive and you made each other happy!!
Thank you all for helping me to get through this difficult time. I'm actually starting to feel a little better and almost myself again. He was just so young and so very special to me. Maybe soon I will be able to think about taking in another furbaby.
Prettyprincess...
Your post just breaks my heart. Its obvious you loved him very much and it was hard for you to let him go. I had to pts my little fellow this last Easter due to a car hitting him and hurting him very badly. He wasnt much more than a puppy and I had anticipated another ten years of loving on him. Overwhelmed by that I couldnt fix him. I had trouble sleeping too, would burst into tears just out of the blue and the grief/guilt hit me like a concrete ball in the chest more time that I could count. but time really does help. And, after some time, to read of others here on this Rainbow bridge forum who have gone through the same agonizing decision and the aftermath. Knowing youre not alone in this painful journey is a real comfort. I hope your happy memories of him start outweighing your sadness soon.
hugs!
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Its obvious you loved him very much and it was hard for you to let him go. I had to pts my little fellow this last Easter due to a car hitting him and hurting him very badly. He wasnt much more than a puppy and I had anticipated another ten years of loving on him. Overwhelmed by that I couldnt fix him. I had trouble sleeping too, would burst into tears just out of the blue and the grief/guilt hit me like a concrete ball in the chest more time that I could count. but time really does help. And, after some time, to read of others here on this Rainbow bridge forum who have gone through the same agonizing decision and the aftermath. Knowing youre not alone in this painful journey is a real comfort. I hope your happy memories of him start outweighing your sadness soon. 
