The animal dying process can take months or it can happen in an instant. You may be wondering how the dying process can be so vastly different. Let me explain....
A lot of the animals in our lives will live a long and happy life. As they begin to approach the end of life, the process will begin gradually and in fact you may not even notice that it has started. At some point however, you will start to notice that your beloved pet seems to be failing, so naturally you begin thinking that the end is very near. But then, they rebound and their activity level increases again, maybe they start interacting more with the members of the household and now you feel hopeful! This period of rebound can last a day or a few weeks before they start sliding backwards again. The confusing thing about this process is that they can rebound and back slide multiple times. This of course leads their pet parents to no longer trust the original feeling that the pet was close to passing. As such, this makes any decision even harder because you don't know if they will rebound again and you don't want to end their life prematurely. The reason this process takes place is that it takes time for the animal's soul to fully leave their body. You can picture the soul like a rubber band. It begins stretching out and then snaps back into the body. This process of the soul stretching and snapping back is why it can take so long for a pet to pass away. The final push for the soul to fully leave the body takes a lot of energy on the animals part or euthanasia can be used to help the process along. Some animals in my experience have a harder time passing on their own (dogs in particular) and really need the help of their pet parent and their vet. The important part to remember about this process is that you are in fact getting clear and accurate information from your pet! If you feel they are in the dying process and/or ready to pass TRUST that information! It is important to realize that your pet is working with you on a lesson here as well! Maybe it is to overcome your own fear of death and dying, trust your intuition or to realize how deep your love and compassion run.
Now the process for instant/accidental deaths is different. It is important to know that animals plan their own deaths and are fully aware of when, where, how and who will be there. While seeing your beloved pet get hit by a car for example is horrific, it is important to remember that the soul is OUT of the body before any suffering occurs. Normally, a death that is instant/accidental is a teaching moment for the pet parent as well. Every lesson around this area will be different, but there is always a lesson in dying. Once again, it may take a lot of energy/force to help the expel the soul from the body. Please know that when you pet is crossed over they are OK. There is no pain or suffering. They will get readjusted to the other side just like if they passed of old age in your living room. There is NO difference.
Something else that is really important to know about the dying process is that the physical body can still be functioning even though the soul has already left. You may be wondering how on earth that is possible?!? Let me explain....
To start with, you should know that this applies to humans and animals. If you have ever watched a loved one (human) pass, then you are familiar with the death rattle. It is a sound that happens shortly before the physical body dies. By the time you hear the death rattle, the soul has already vacated the body. The body has become just a shell. The loved one who once resided there, has already moved on. This scenario applies to animals as well, so if your animal is unresponsive after being hit by the car and the physical body dies with minutes or hours, you can rest assured that the body is just a shell at this point and that your pet has crossed over. Most people worry that because their pet still has a pulse or is barely breathing that it means they are suffering. The physical body is automatic in its functions and so it does not mean that your pet is in there and suffering.
Please know that should have questions about this post or if you need help to determine if your pet is ready to pass, I am here for you. While the dying process can be difficult it can also be beautiful. I can help you to know what your pet wants or needs before they cross. I love doing bucket lists so that people can get the most out of the last days or weeks they have with a pet. Additionally, should you have questions about a pet that crossed accidentally I can help you with that as well.
Coming up next month: Life on the other side!
