My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

AIBU?

To call in sick?

111 replies

Nicknameinvalid · 03/10/2013 21:01

My dog died yesterday :(

He wasn't breathing quite right, there was nothing massive that we would see but he was off his food and panting a lot - we took him to the after hours vets and they couldn't find his heartbeat - they checked him over and he had fluid on the lungs.. We sat in the waiting room whilst they sedated him to see what the fluid was and his lungs were filled with blood.. They couldn't stop the bleeding and suspect he has a heart tumour that had ruptured.

I'm devastated.. I've spent most of the day in tears and trying to console the children.. He wasn't just a dog he was part of our family and having him put to sleep was the hardest decision I've ever had to make.

I genuinely don't think I can face work tomorrow but am I going to look stupid for calling in sick to work over what most people may think is 'just a dog?'

:( he was only 7 and the house just feels so empty without him.

OP posts:
Report
ParkerTheThief · 03/10/2013 21:04

I'm sorry for your loss but I do think you should go into work.

I've been in the same situation as you and I was devastated but I didn't consider not going to work. In some ways getting out of the house and keeping busy might be the best thing you could do.

Report
nomorecrumbs · 03/10/2013 21:04

Awww I'm really sorry :( of course don't go into work if you're teary tomorrow. If you're embarrassed saying it's your dog, then pretend it was a human!

Report
FutTheShuckUp · 03/10/2013 21:06

Pretend it was a human? Wtf?

Report
magicstars · 03/10/2013 21:07

YANBU, if you don't feel up to going in then don't. You may however find the distraction of work, being around people etc helpful. Don't give yourself a hard time if you can't face going in as a one off.

Report
LittleNoona · 03/10/2013 21:07

Yanbu

Sad

Sorry you've lost your dog

Report
watchingout · 03/10/2013 21:08

That's horrible for you. You have every sympathy. But I think you need to give your children the message that life goes on. It's OK to be sad, but you need to keep going. Thanks

Report
CoffeeTea103 · 03/10/2013 21:08

Sorry about your loss. You should go into work though.

Report
hobnobsaremyfavourite · 03/10/2013 21:08

WTAF "pretend it was a human".??? Really??!

Report
InkleWinkle · 03/10/2013 21:10

I'm so sorry.
My dog died last year, he was only 9.

Basically you've lost a member of your family. If you need time to grieve then take it.

Report
livinginwonderland · 03/10/2013 21:11

Pretend it was a human?! Really?! Hmm

I would suggest going in - you'll be distracted.

Report
nomorecrumbs · 03/10/2013 21:12

A pet is part of the family, I'm sure lots of people pretend it was a grandmother/other relative to their employer if asked why they were grieving.

Report
sunnybobs · 03/10/2013 21:13

Well I don't know about the actual practicalities of calling in sick etc but I know that when my Dad was a regional director of a huge company he sent one of his staff home to recover for a few days when her dog died - such a lovely man & boss. Equally my current boss has mocked people for being upset about the same thing - hideous person that he is. So depending on your jobs terms & conditions I'd see how you feel tomorrow & think about it. And more importantly massive hugs & condolences to you - it's such a shock & so horrid to lose them

Report
bellybuttonfairy · 03/10/2013 21:14

Im sorry that your dog has died. I do think you should go into work tho

Report
Viviennemary · 03/10/2013 21:14

If you don't have much time off just tell a white lie and say you have a stomach upset. I wouldn't say you were off because your dog had died. People might not understand.

Report
megcleary · 03/10/2013 21:14

Depends on your job I think.

Report
Bowlersarm · 03/10/2013 21:15

It would devastate me too. I don't think you'd be unreasonable.

Report
kali110 · 03/10/2013 21:16

Yanbu! A pet is a part of the family whether its a sog or cat or rabbit etc
Some people don't understand how devastating it can be.
If you're not up to it then don't go in.
Im so sorry for your loss op

Report
elfycat · 03/10/2013 21:16

I used to work for a 'absence management' company and a man called in, crying, because his dog had died. I had huge amounts of sympathy that he had lost his best friend, and his sole companion. As it was non-medical leave he would not have been paid for the day off.

What I wanted to do was send him a personal text (I had his number after all) and say 'phone in with Stress about it all, it's medical'. I didn't of course.

I am sorry for your loss. You may feel a bit better once you sleep as sleep is good for processing emotional stuff. If you feel that you'll be OK, perhaps a little out of sorts and maybe tearful once or twice you should try to go in. I'd send my DDs into school after a pet bereavement as normal routine is good. Also you don't want to pass your bad day onto your colleagues.

But if you do phone in sick use a different excuse - related to how you feel perhaps.

Report
Annunziata · 03/10/2013 21:19

YABU.

Report
Nicknameinvalid · 03/10/2013 21:25

I should add I'm happy to take it unpaid. Not expecting to be paid for it - I work in a customer facing job.

OP posts:
Report
megcleary · 03/10/2013 21:26

Depends on how it will affect colleagues.

Report
Grittzio · 03/10/2013 21:28

So sorry for your loss, my doggie passed away on Tuesday too. I didn't go to work, I was far too teary, you may not be in a fit state to work as doubt you will sleep well, and you will feel terrible 2mro so could you call in sick? I was able to work from home, I can in exceptional circumstances, if it helps I'm feeling a lot better today and feel more able to cope with life.

Report
MrsWolowitz · 03/10/2013 21:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Catmint · 03/10/2013 21:33

The question you need to ask yourself is will you actually be well enough to work? If you have headaches from crying, repeatedly well up, can't eat, can't concentrate then I do question whether you will legitimately be fit for work.

Is there someone relatively sympathetic you can talk to,at work to discuss an unpaid days leave?

Report
Catmint · 03/10/2013 21:34

I meant to add, I am very sorry your lovely dog has died.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.