Traumatised - upsetting

[Pighorse]

Can anyone recommend anything, please?
I found our beloved dog's body yesterday after he'd been missing for ten days. We were all searching relentlessly. He's been hit by a train and finding him was the worst thing I've ever gone through. I was hysterical for a while and his injuries were horrific.
I can't get the image out of my mind and I'm feeling panic-stricken and sobbing.
What can I do to forget?

[TallulahTheTiger]

I am so so sorry to hear this. I would actually suggest you go to your GP and ask for help. I did when my dog got attacked and he was actually very sympathetic give me a short term script to help me deal with everything.

[TallulahTheTiger]

Of course this is not a par with your tragic news.

[HonkHonkNose]

Aw man you poor thing. Just wanted to say I'm ever so sorry x

[tinymeteor]

I'm so sorry, that is dreadful.

My advice would be to get him cremated and come up with a plan for his ashes. That way you're treating his remains lovingly, and you're physically bringing him home one last time. He wasn't left out there, which may be small comfort but it's something. It's horrible to see a pet reduced to a body, never mind an injured one, but you can't blank that image out so just try to put it alongside another, better one in which you're taking care of him at the end.

[SniffleCentral]

So sorry to hear that!

[mudandmayhem01]

I know this hard to bear, but I suspect if his injuries were horrendous he would have been killed instantly. He would have just running along and then nothing. I lost my dog early in the year, not in these awful circumstances, but this terrible news for you

[3littlebadgers]

I'm so very sorry be kind to yourself and accept all the support you can. After the shock wears off you may find it gets harder for a while but gradually you will find a new normal.

[sodabreadjam]

So sorry to hear about your poor dog. I can totally understand that you feel traumatised.

I can empathise because we lost a beloved cat in similar circumstances - hit by a car. The only thing I can say that might make you feel fractionally better was that it was probably very quick and likely that your dog knew nothing about what was happening and didn't suffer for long, if at all.

Like others have said - think about how you can commemorate your dog's life and the love you shared.

[Pighorse]

Thank you so much for your lovely messages. We took his body to the vet and he will be cremated and we will have the ashes. We've lost both our cats this year as well so all three of their ashes can be buried together.

[DailyMaui]

I'm so sorry for your loss: my dog was run over almost outside my house and I found it incredibly traumatic. It may be a good idea to go to your GP - I didn't and I think I was depressed for a lone time and I could have been helped.

[Blackfellpony]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I am a vet nurse working in emergency and have seen some awful things but we found our cat dead after 14days and that was awful as he didn't even look like our pet and I had to have him identified by microchip It wasn't nice at all and I had guilt thinking he had been lying there in pain and I didn't do enough.

I don't think there's much you can do other than lay him to rest and try and remember the good times. I would imagine he died instantly and didn't suffer if he had such bad injuries.

Maybe see your GP and see if they can suggest anything for you? There is also a pet grief helpline ran by the blue cross which may help if you need someone to talk too.

[Pighorse]

Thank you and so sorry about your own awful experiences.

[Shriek]

Sorry for your tragedy and its so completely normal to have suffered such a shock reaction.

It will pass eventually! I know I still have an image of horror still but it doesnt cause any feelings of horror or shock anymote and the best thing I found was to mentally overlay witj kindness the whole body that you knew so well thereby healing the image if that makes sense? As it is being tender and soothing to the memory and helping to process it. Along with lots of gentle images/momento's to outweight the shocking one. Give yourself some time and be patient with yourself so be really kind to yourself at this raw time. Its very early days. Lots if pamoering andnself-kindess/care. You will get over this. Everything passes.

Warmest wishes to you

[Madhousemummy]

Pighorse I can't offer any better advice than what you've had but please take some comfort that your dog wouldn't have known a thing about it. So sorry for your very sad loss

[MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig]

No I can't offer any further advice either but I just wanted to say how sorry I am and I hope you can get some help. I second the doctors though, very good idea.

[Bluntness100]

Oh god, I'm so sorry, I experienced something like this a few months ago and I cried on and off for about a week. It does get better. My husband at the time eventually had to start telling me I had to pull myself together, I was randomly bursting into tears and couldn't stop.

Even now I try not to think about it, I'm not ready to think about the dog at all because it upsets me. But not like before, I don't sit and cry and it does get easier.

[confusedandemployed]

I'm so very sorry. How awful.

One of my DDogs died earlier this year. I had her cremated then bought a huge tub , wrapped her casket in plastic and buried her, putting a load of lovely shrubs and flowers on top of her. I also took a tiny bit of her ashes and had them made into a stone set into a ring. A bit mawkish for some but she, her brother and I went through a lot and I couldn't quite bear to let her go completely. She gives me pleasure and comfort every time i wear it.

[ExitPursuedBySpartacus]

How awful.

[Blackbird82]

This is terrible I'm so sorry. There is a company that makes lovely jewellery pieces and the ashes can be incorporated into it, so you can always keep him close to you

[Pighorse]

Thanks again for all your thoughtful messages xxx