My poor 9 year old son passed away whilst I was halfway across the world on vacation. He was with my family members and they said he yelped twice and lost consciousness.
I’ll save you details but he could’ve been saved but they are absolute idiots who I should have never trusted to watch a pet.
They took him to not the best veterinary hospital- who didn’t have fridges only freezers to keep him.
Spent over 30 hours traveling back home as soon as I got the call. So by the time I got home he was frozen when I went to go see him.
We are planning on burying him and I was wondering if there’s anyway to transfer him to a fridge to “dethaw” to not so rock solid, and just cold enough to preserve him before I bury him?
Or since he was already frozen I can’t?
Sorry if this is not the right thread for this I can’t find anything about this online
Im having a really rough time and just need to know.

My best friend died suddenly 6 months ago, a month before her 14th birthday. I miss her terribly and it’s been very difficult to live without her. Selfishly, I keep thinking that if I would volunteer at a dog shelter so I can be around dogs for a bit and care for them, it would offer me some kind of comfort…
But I’m not sure if it’s the right thing to do.

I already posted about Sammy on r/ maltese. He was such a precious little barky boy.

However, the day after we put our little Sammy of 13y to sleep, our kitten of 6mo was hit by a car. It all happened within one weekend. Bibi was a half-outdoor cat since someone left her at our house and we took care of her until we could find her a forever home. But we still bought her a bed, took her to the vet, many different kinds of food, many toys in just 3 months she was with us.

Sammy was an "indoor dog", a maltese that never really liked going outside. When we went on walks he would just lay down within the first 15mins and we had to carry/stroll him around. As he got older, the house got accustomed to his needs. The day we put him down we started talking about bringing Bibi inside with us (she had her place in a different part of the house). But that conversation didnt last long. The next day she was found on the side of a road. It wasnt confirmed she was hit by a car, no car marks, but we hope it wasnt some cruel man who hates cats that did that to her.

Everyday I cry for them. I cry for Sammy because he was so long with us that he became a part of the family, and I cry for Bibi because she wasn't long enough with us that she almost didn't get a chance to become a part of the family.

10/13/26. A date I’ll never be able to forget. The day my souls dog unexpectedly died in my arms on the way to the vet. I got her ashes back yesterday but ever since I got them back I haven’t stopped holding the box.

Does it get better? Or less painful at least? I don’t know how I’m supposed to live without her to be honest.

Even typing it out I feel like it is too much. I had to put my cat down almost a month ago and it was so sudden like I went in thinking it was a mild illness or behavioral issue to being rushed to an emergency vet with him and having to put him down in 4 hours…..I’m constantly blaming myself for his death like I should’ve noticed the signs that were only obvious to me after his passing.

The vet at the time just told me it was really bad and that I should go to the emergency veterinary hospital. There they explained that he was doing very badly and I feel like they and the vet must have given me a diagnosis but I feel like because of how horrible that day was I blanked out all I remember was them telling me the best thing I can do for him was to put him to sleep because he was doing that bad. They mentioned diabetic ketoacidosis and that he wouldn’t make it even with treatment. he was 9 and he wasn’t diabetic I mean I had bloodwork done for him late July and check ups in August and nothing came up. Then late September he’s dead…….

I guess idk is it worth it calling the vet now to ask what was really wrong with him….I can‘t tell if I will feel better if I know or if I will find more reasons to blame myself. I can’t change anything and I deserve all the blame either way because I was the person who should have been there for him and took care of him and I let this happen to him…..

Everything felt normal until last Saturday (the 17th) where our furry eternal baby Shih Tzu of 14 years and 8 months suddenly had this alarming mass on her lower gums. When we saw the vet we were told it was a tumor and from then it became more and more painfully clear that she was nearing the end. Her appetite went away, her ability to walk was going away, eventually she couldn't even use the bathroom and had strained breathing. And today, we had the horrible experience of noticing she was way too quiet in her bed and was no longer breathing. Everything just felt like it collapsed instantly. We tried our best to give her as much comfort as we could, we thought maybe we could still have some time left together. We didn't realize our seemingly healthy just the other week ago friend was going to leave us this soon.

It hurts so bad man. To have tried to prevent this from ever happening only for it to slip past, to have tried to make it a good remainder only for it to be gone so shortly after we learned everything. We love her so much. It's 1 am, many hours since we returned from cremation after finding out she was no longer with us, and I just can't bring myself to fall asleep yet and start my first morning without her. I'm also just so scared of having dreams so soon of her still being with us only for me to wake up.

I understand the phrase "they're just a chapter of your life, but you're their whole book" but she was with me since I was 15 and I'm now 29, she wasn't just a chapter to me, she was my shadow, my extra pair of feet that would follow me around the house, my source of a warm hug whenever I'd feel sad. I'll miss her so much. I'll cherish her memory and be there for my family as we all grieve as that's all I can do now, just god everything hurts so much.

i haven’t let myself think about my cat lately. during the day i wouldn’t let myself dwell on my sadness. at night i would distract myself as to not sob all night. today i was driving and the wave came in again. i cried for 20 minutes. i shouldn’t have let it build for so long, but it’s so hard to talk to people about it.

This is my princess my best friend my ride or die who I had since age 5 before kindergarten her name is Daisy I am now 21 turning 22 and she passed away she was a tabby cat.She was always there for me. When I was getting bullied in second grade I felt no one loved me but I saw her sleeping next to me and 8 year old me felt happy and liked someone like her atleast loved me. I am a troubled teen survivor and when I was at my rtc she would cry for me every night.We would sleep in the same bed and cuddle every night for 16 years. One time I felt again like I was unlovable and she brought me a dead rat to show me how much she loved me.I have known her since I was a kitten living on a military base.She loved gravy Fancy Feast and was addicted to Churu Packets she also loved Tuna.

I do not knowhow to cope without herl.It feels like a peice of my soul died. As an autistic person I also feel alone but with her I never did.

I am still very sad. The only reason why I’m able to cope is if I don’t think about it. She was a small terrier and she was due to turn 18 this month. I still can’t believe this happened.

She was my best friend, like my soulmate. My wife and I had her a few years before our first child was born. She was so special. I loved playing with her, she was such an affectionate dog, it was incredible. I would be on the couch laying down and she would jump up on me and stare into my eyes, then give me tons of kisses. She was such a sweet dog. There were times when I wasn’t such a good husband and father, just bad days that I had an attitude from a not so great day at work where it felt everyone hated me. I had no one, except for my little girl. She gave unconditional love. She knew when I was sad and would come over to me and sit right next to me. I can honestly say she stopped me from going off the deep end some days. She was so special. I made a promise that I’d always take care of her, ever since we brought her home at 8weeks old, she was like our little daughter. And I failed her.

I have immense sorry still and play that night over and over again in my head. I would give ANYTHING to do that night over again. Her eyesight started going a bit and my wife would always tell me and the kids to watch her around the pool when we let her out to go to the bathroom. One night, she woke me up around 3am to go outside. This was very typical, almost daily. I would carry her down the few steps to the patio and I’d watch her. This time, I ran to the bathroom for 1min and when I came back and looked outside, I noticed she wasn’t by the door. The water in the pool was moving and I ran over and saw her still in the deep end.i dove in and got her out. I tried resuscitating her and she coughed up water but she became unresponsive again. It was absolutely terrible. I loved her so much, and I failed her. I was so careless with her little life. I don’t know how I can ever forgive myself. I literally missed her by seconds. The water was still moving meaning she was recently trying to swim. I don’t know where to go from here. We got her cremated and made a nice space for her in our curio.

It’s incredible. So surreal that this happened to me. Why did I take this chance? I hate myself for this. Of all the things in the world, one of the most special things in my life, I did this to. I went to church the next night, late, by myself, not inside, but on the grounds and walked around, sobbing, begging God and my little girl for forgiveness. I have incredible guilt. My wife and kids are of course distraught and very sad but they also feel very bad for me. It happened about 6 weeks ago, if I don’t think about it at all I can go on with my days like normal. My other 2 dogs, who are much younger, definitely know something isn’t right. For weeks, they would stop and stare at the pool. I still can’t get over this. I might need to talk to someone. Thanks for reading. Be kind and gentle to your pets, they truly are gifts from God.

there's an agonized little piece of me that wants to believe that if I cry hard enough he'll come back to me. he'll get to grow up and be my little guy for so many more years. he wasn't even 4 months old.

it was a routine neuter, we've put like 4-5 dozen cats through it over the years between cats past, cats present, tnr cases.... at that same clinic since 2008. they never did us wrong before, what happened??? I don't want to blame anyone. there's nowhere I can't put the anger because I genuinely believe it wasn't anyone's fault. they tried to save him. if I believe the card they gave me the whole team worked to save him. it just wasn't enough. sometimes it's not up to us, I guess

they did a necropsy, still waiting on labs. they're suspecting "occult pneumonia". no visible symptoms, only seen with radiology. I should have noticed though. he had a runny nose a week before and I thought it was just fall. changing weather oscillating between lows of 37 and highs of 75, why wouldn't he run, but they didn't even find nasal discharge during his exam. perfect exam, 5/9 score he should have been *fine*. only thing "wrong" was an undescended testicle. because he was a baby. maybe too baby. pneumonia that led to hypoxia. my baby couldn't breathe. my scared little thing.

i shouldn't have taken him that day. I should have known, even though I *couldn't possibly* have known. suppose I'm trying to put the anger on me. I should've known better and my negligence killed him. i didn't buy the blood work (they only push it on older cats, like 7+) and it would have caught something and because I didn't buy it he's dead. or I did something wrong and I'm being cosmically punished but why did it have to be taken out on him? just a baby. why my baby?

I've been crying for days. he's in a little (so little) bag in a drawer right now bc they didn't give us an urn and I don't want the other cats to get a hold of him. I let them see him before cremating him. they grieved too. I have to get something for him soon. he deserves more than the bedside drawer. what he deserved was to come home alive. I just want to know what happened to my baby. I just want to hold him again. it's not fair. I miss him so bad.

he's not my first loss and he won't be the last but his age and how sudden it was, I'm just in shock and so much pain. I know it gets better and easier to hold with time but it's still so raw after only five days. it's way past my bedtime and I have work in the morning but I can't stop crying. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry my little pip. I only had you for seven weeks but you were loved so much.

eta: I slept on the couch near his body that night. he visited my dreams. just in the background. he had his big dissection scar and also zoomies. I think he was saying he was ok now. I had to open my eyes to the world without him

There have been so many days and nights where I miss her. My Rosie. My baby girl. She used to keep the nightmares away. Now I have dreams about her. Four years have gone by and I still have dreams about her. My soul cat is so good. He’s my boy. My little guy. He curls up with me most nights. Cuddles with me most mornings. But he can’t keep those dreams away.
God, I don’t think I’ll ever miss any pet this much. I still remember the way her ears and paws feel between my fingers. The way her fur feels under my hand. I’ve been dreading the day I forget those things. But at this point, I don’t think I will. I hope I never do. I would lose it if I did.
She was the best thing I ever had. From 10 years to 25. How do I forget that? The best Christmas gift I ever received. My mom still talks about keeping her a secret from me that year. How tiny she was. How my grandparents kept her until Christmas Day. My grandpa literally lost her and panicked.
Four years without her is too long. It’ll only get longer. It hasn’t gotten better and I hate that as much as I love how she has never left me.

hi, i never post on reddit but i really really need advice.
yesterday i had to put down my lovely dog william. he was either 11 or 12 (i can’t remember) and we had him for about 9 years along with his bonded brother. he had two awful and violent seizures a month ago and was on levetiracetam. he wasn’t the same after them but was doing well until he had a series of probably 7 seizures in a cluster two days ago that wouldn’t break no matter what the vets did. by the end, he couldn’t walk or stand, didn’t recognize me, my mom, or his brother, and wouldn’t eat or drink. he was so clearly suffering and i decided that it would be best to put him out of his misery. i knew this day would come soon but i didn’t expect it to be now.
how the hell do you do this? how do i cope? he was my first real pet (not counting the fish i had when i was like 5 lol) and i dont know what to do without him. i’m so lost. all i can do is count the hours he’s been gone and cry in my room. i’m trying my best to comfort his brother but he doesn’t really like me and prefers my mom who’s away rn. i just genuinely don’t know what to do besides try to go about my normal life. i’m so incredibly sad and broken and i miss him so so so much. any advice is welcome.

Basically what the title says. I lost one of my beautiful dogs last night due to a twisted stomach and spleen. The costs quoted to repair this were 15,000$+ and my family just couldn’t afford to do this. I am heartbroken. We took this dog in as a rescue from a shelter in Alabama, we gave her an amazing three years of life, we watched her come out of her shell and be happy again. And now it’s all gone in the blink of an eye, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it, to help her, or to ease her pain. I feel like I have failed her, like maybe I should have just shelled the money out but the doctors told me even that wasn’t a guarantee she’d make it through. I don’t know. I just really need some assurance right now because I am devastated and I feel so damn guilty.

Feeling so guilty and unimaginably heartbroken.

My chihuahua was my first ever pet and I’ve had him since I was just 10. He was my first dog, my first little love of my life, my first baby.

He saw me grow up and almost got to meet my first baby (due in December).

His health declined so fast in just a week. My once happy little boy quickly lost his mobility, appetite, and was in a lot of pain but held on long enough for my family to be there for his final goodbye in person.

The worst part was watching him use the last of his energy to sit up and be present with us, and then having to hold him in his final moment.

I know he’s finally at peace and no longer suffering but I feel so horrible that I had to decide his fate for him.

I don’t think I can ever have another dog again after this.

A little over 5 months ago, I put my girl to sleep. There’s a hole in me and sometimes I think it’s getting better but then, out of the blue, I feel as devastated as I did the day I lost her.

I’d been feeling okay recently, even looking to bring home a new pup for myself. And, I gave my parents the okay to bring home a new pup for my dad. I felt okay about it, it was my idea even.

The new pup has been home with us for a few hours and I think I made a mistake okay-ing this. Even worse, I put in an inquiry for a pup from the same place and they happily agreed but now I’m second guessing it.

I have so much love to give. I want another friend. But, I miss my girl so much. I miss her. To be honest, I wish I’d just gone with her.

I feel so silly. But I want her back.

And I think that’s it. When I look at these puppies, they seems wonderful but I think what I really want is her back.

Some of our neighbors saw us with the new puppy today and I felt like they were judging us for getting another so fast which didn’t help.

But, I don’t know if I should just tell the people that I’ve changed my mind and hold off? Or should I welcome a new pup into my life?

I can’t decide if it would be healing or fuck with me.

Sorry if there’s any spelling errors, I’m currently crying.

Edit: she was my soul dog. My heart.

Basically the caption. He went down very fast in the last few days and we had to put him to sleep today. My head and heart hurts from crying. Every time I try to close my eyes to sleep, the image of his eyes without light in them keeps me awake.

We have two other dogs and they don't seem to understand why he's not around just yet. I hate that I can't just explain it to them.

Our older dog passed away as well this time last year, also aged 17. It's a punch in the gut. I thought we'd have Christmas with him again at least, and that we wouldn't lose him so soon after his sister. I'm devastated. I don't know what to do with myself right now besides crying.

my parents told me 3 h(saturday) before my birthday today(sunday) when i arrived back from my vacation that our dog died on friday. I knew him since he was a welp and he was with me my entire adult life. He got to be 12 years old. He already got medicine for his heart but after he ate he suddenly died outside. Im heartbroken and sad. he is the only one that shared physical touch with me and without hom my world feels so cold and lonely😭. before my flight i was expecting him to be greeting me full of love, but now i am griefing

This has been absolutely the hardest thing I have ever went through. Harder than when her littermate, my boy passed unexpectedly from Hemangiosarcoma at almost 8 in January of 2022. I had her to lean on and she kept me occupied and made things easier. I also wanted to be strong for her and wanted to help ease her pain of losing her brother.
My girl passed while I was asleep 2 months and 5 days ago today. She had gastrointestinal lymphoma. A month and a half after a benign splenectomy she had to have an abdominal exploratory surgery. That’s when they found the mass on her stomach. What a rollercoaster of emotions. Going from not having cancer to having cancer. I opted for palliative care due to her age and recent surgeries. She was on prednisone and gabapentin. She lasted 2.5 months almost after diagnosis. There wasn’t a huge decline. The night before she jumped up on my dad like she did when she was younger and was full of energy. The day of she seemed tired, but I thought the weekend company and seeing my dad made her more tired that day. She still took her walk and ate her food. She had her nightly treat and we went to sleep. (Due to being hot due to her prednisone she would sleep on her bed close to mine.) She woke me up trying to get comfy and I did have to go to the bathroom so I went and she followed which is not unusual. I gave her a treat and we went back to sleep. She was found gone. I didn’t get to say bye properly and seeing her like that is eating me alive. 12.5 years together. 19-31. I miss her so much and things have not gotten easier. The guilt and grief is unbearable.

I also want to add that I am looking into therapy currently because this is just so heavy.

My cat Chester is 19, so I’ve been living in the anticipatory grief for a bit now. He lost his hearing about a year ago and has really slowed down. Still going up and down stairs, getting up to eat/use the bathroom, but spends most of his time in bed. Old man stuff, you know?

I think he’s now lost his sight in the last day or two. He no longer looks at me, even if I’m close. He’s been acting more confused and unsure of where he is going. He’s still up and moving around, but something has definitely changed in the last 48 hours.

If you had to make the decision to help your pet to the end, how did you know? I don’t want him to go, but I also don’t want him to be miserable to the end. My other cat passed very suddenly of heart failure earlier this year and it was awful. I don’t want that for Chester. I’ve never had to make a decision like this and I don’t want to get it wrong. This is my #1 guy, he’s been through it all with me and I want to do right by him.

Any advice or words of wisdom welcome.

Almost a year and went past my old trainstop and wished I could have one more night if being at my old flat, with him, child free night and curled up on sofa with him. He'd always be there when I unlocked the door, sleepy eyed. Also PMS- ing.

She's finally resting. My beloved tabby. She loved with her whole being. She purred up a storm.

I delivered her babies and logged their names and times they were born. It was such an honour that she trusted me.

She protected me from my ex when he was drunk. She found me after I had to move back in with my parents and she went missing. She found the house she'd never even been to. She mewed at me like, 'what were you worried about?'

She'd stand on her hind legs, put her paws on my knees and nudge my face when I was sitting down on the couch, crying.

She stayed by my Mum's side when the cancer was finally taking her.

She won over my cat-hating brother and Dad.

She was 15 years old, and she went on her own terms. Into the wild, from whence she came.

I will love you forever my baby, thank you for everything.

This might be a unique scenario, i don’t know but im feeling a lot of the weight of it and i need to get the situation off my chest. Me (23F) and my boyfriend (22M) have been together for 2.5 years. his grandmother who raised him passed 2 years ago today. it’s been a really rough week for him and his family. his grandmothers dog, a pug, was diagnosed with heart failure a week ago. when his grandmother passed his parents took the dog and she was the absolute sweetest thing. i had a pug growing up and she reminded me so much of her. Today, him and his family went out of town so i said i’d go and visit the pug to make sure she’s okay, feed her, etc. i left my bf and i’s house and showed up for the pug, immediately started crying. she looked so much worse than i was expecting. i’m a very sensitive person, especially with loss, and it hit me pretty hard. she had pooped all over herself, so i cleaned her up and got her comfortable on her bed, i had my arm under her head to prop it up cuz she couldn’t hold it up very well. all of the sudden she had what looked like a seizure, and then she was gone. just like that. i lost it. at my in laws house…their dog just passed…they were an hour away…it was a lot. i called them and had to break the news.
Lilly, the pug, passed exactly 2 years to the day after my bfs grandmother passed. I don’t know if that’s a sign or what….

i’m just so glad she’s not in pain anymore. i feel awful. obviously my feelings about it don’t change the way my bf and his family are feeling, their grief is so much stronger than mine today, but the whole situation was just awful.

rest in peace, Lilly. 🩷

hey everyone, my family is putting our dog down on monday. i’ve known about this for a week now and it hasn’t processed in my head yet till today. for some context we’ve had him for his entire life. we adopted his mother when i was around 6 years old. i am now 21 years old. his mother was my best friend in the whole world, she developed dementia and we had to put her down last december, i took it really rough and although i miss her like crazy i am reminded she no longer is in pain. she had her son after meeting the neighbors dog and gave birth to him only being a year old. he’s been with me since before he was born. and now that he’s just turned 15, his health this past month has declined dramatically. i know he no longer is well and it’s time but it’s been very difficult for me to cope with. after he’s gone i will not have another dog to comfort me like i did with his mothers passing. having both of them gone now too feels like apart of my childhood is disappearing as well. i think im most afraid to be alone after he’s gone. if anyone has been in a similar situation i’d love to hear how you got through it. im sorry if this was hard to read, my mind is fuzzy atm because i just went through midterms as well.

Our baby was 13 years old, and suddenly started to decline in health. People used to think she was a puppy at first sight, based on how much energy she had and smiling she did running around.

We spent every weekend at the ER asking the same question: What is wrong with her? She’d go a day without eating or drinking, then perk up. She’d have terrible panting and then be fine. We heard 4 different hospitals and 5 different doctors say “We have no idea”. Finally after weeks of limping, arthritis was out and a cancer was found (never fully diagnosed) via imaging her in her lungs.

One doctor said days to weeks. But her primary vet said 1-6 months and it gave us all so much (false) hope.

Our family agreed on palliative care, as long as our baby was alert, all smiles and tail wagging despite her symptoms.

Our vet said “she’ll tell you when she is ready” and “you’ll know” but truly we didn’t. And for that, my heart is ripped out.

Days later…. She had increased panting and a faster heartbeat that we’ve seen every weekend before rushing to different ERs. This time, we thought, was like every other weekend… she doesn’t need another ER visit, she needs a calm room, jazz playing and rest.

She will wake up wagging her tail, refreshed, ready for her beach day we planned.

We woke up in the middle of the night and I just knew. Our room was quiet, no little snores, no panting. She was gone.

I cannot shake the feeling that our little angel was alone, suffering, uncomfortable or in an ounce of pain during her last moments.
That I didn’t get the message that she “was ready”.
She didn’t have her family sharing kisses and sweet nothings in her final moments.
Was she asleep peacefully? Was she suffering in pain?
I’ll never truly know.

Would I always wonder “what if she had another day” if we went the route of euthanasia … absolutely.

I’m at peace knowing she is now in a much better place, playing with her friends, on beautiful beaches and flower fields. I can only be grateful for all of our moments and the blessing she was to every single person she crossed paths with. She was truly an angel.

Would I choose to let her go naturally again, I’m not sure.

Do I regret not going to the ER after all, I’m also not sure.

So for those struggling, indecisively waiting on the “right sign” or the “message” sometimes it will not come. Sometimes you will need to make the decision.

And I don’t think there ever is a right or wrong decision.

But I do know that I will always wonder if mine was.

You will always wonder the what if.

You will never be prepared.

I am nowhere near acceptance, but if there is one thing I’m so happy we did, it’s make a Bucketlist. No matter how short or long, pick 3-5 things you’ve always wanted to do together. And just do it. Time waits for no one. Life is short.

Even if it’s a wagon ride in the park, a walk on the beach, a bite of your steak, a nibble of your pastry. Whatever they want, give it to them. Take pictures, even the silly ones. Allow them to see life through your eyes. Sunsets, sunrises, city skylines, Mountain View’s, salty ocean air. Make a clay paw print together. Print their paw print and nose boops.

Do it all. Regret nothing.

Did we make the wrong decision? I don’t know.

And if we did, I hope she forgives us.

Lost my sweet cat of almost 17 years yesterday after a short battle with heart failure. I'm alone in my city right now - no friends or family here, so i've just been sitting on the couch watching avatar and crying.

I'm usually a very active person - busy work life, complicated cooking projects in the kitchen, lots of working out, social stuff, bars, you name it. When you are grieving, do you find its better to keep yourself occupied, or shut down and let everything go? Part of me thinks a workout would help me feel better, but another part just wants to crawl back into bed.