Has anyone lost an adored pet? How did you manage the grief?

[JustlookingNotbuying]

My wonderful, beautiful dog Archie was pts yesterday.
He was 10 and had been such a strong boy, he has suffered from 3 cancers since Jan 2020.
He had a Mast Cell Tumour removed from his back in 2020 but with a very positive prognosis.
Sadly though, we received a very poor prognosis in April 2021 when a huge tumour in his spleen was discovered. The spleen was removed and he went way, way past the few weeks prognosis he was given and 15 months later I really thought he had become a miracle case. But sadly a month ago we discovered he had a huge liver tumour. We knew we could only give palliative care and I had hoped we would have a few more months.
He did really well during this month but took a turn for the worse on Sunday night. A trip to the vet yesterday and a scan showed the tumour had started to break up and bleed, he said Archie would probably not see the day out. Archie looked so poorly, we had no choice.
I know it is early days but we are all so bereft.
He was with me almost 24/7. I got him 10 years ago as I was a SAHM and went into a depression when the kids went to school. He really helped me. We would walk 3 times a day, met loads of lovely dog people on our walks, they all loved Archie. I even re-connected with my old best friend from primary school as she had just got a dog, we have become firm friends ever since.
I also became a dog walker due to my love of dogs and Archie would often come with me on our hikes.
My husband adored him, ds too.
Our 14 year old dd loved him so very much, he would sit with her when she returned from school. She was 4 when we got Archie (she says she does remember a life without him), she would push him around in her Peppa Pig pram, he loved it. She is so down and says she feels so depressed without him.
Every single corner of our house reminds me of him, it’s so painful knowing his fluffy little face isn’t going to be here to greet us.
I know some people just don’t understand pet grief but this is so real and so painful for us, he was the centre of our world.
Have you lost a much loved pet?
How did you cope and when did the pain start to lessen?

Brigante9 That must have been such a shock to have lost two beloved pets so soon. I have lost lots of pets over the years but it’s been about 11 years since the last loss so this feels so raw and new. I know another will ease the pain eventually, I’ve got so much love that I need to pour onto another pet one day. My whole life will change too, now he’s gone, I kind of moulded around him. Thank you for the link, definitely will need it especially dd, she is so depressed.

thereisonlyoneofme Thank you. My dd keeps saying she wish we had had more than one dog and I am beginning to think the same, it wouldn’t take the pain away but like you say, we would still have the same routine etc, this feels awful, so lost.