What It’s Like To Lose A Pet
Veterans share a common bond. A lifestyle and unmatched way of living that promotes a sense of unity. A bond that can last a lifetime. It’s in some ways like the closeness you had with your siblings. When you just feel like screaming to the roof top that I miss my dog or cat and nobody understands the way I feel. When you think about your dogs death and you can’t stop crying.
Some veterans experience depression after loss of pets. It’s the tough days that bond service members and their pets together. Your pet spent time with you while you were sick. Your dog always had your back on the battlefield when you got in trouble? Your dog was always there. Your dog was always loyal. Knowing you’re depressed and being able to stop it are very different things after your pet dies.
Depression can come from separation or death. In the military we experience separation and death very quickly. The loss of a friend that got transferred to another base. The ones killed in action who never got to come home makes you feel depression on another level.
The day you arrived at your first duty station was the day you experienced a loss. Maybe for most of us, it’s the first time we were separated from family. Now you’ve got a new family. Here’s the beginning of what becomes various levels of intense emotion. Learning to appreciate the friendships you’ve formed with others comes with a cost. That pain, frustration and anxiety felt by those loses are what help to bridge gaps in our lives. It helps us view and appreciate life in other ways.
Now couple all that with a civilian life filled with the ups and downs experienced by everyone else. This is what it’s like to be a veteran who lost a pet. The highs might be a little higher and the lows and loses are a little lower. All that builds a camaraderie. A bond that can last a lifetime. A pet’s death can be devastating and there are no words for loss of pet. It feels worse if the loss was unexpected. Losing a pet suddenly after 15 years can cause a lot of emotional stress and grief. It may take time before you feel like yourself again especially if your pet died suddenly.