What do dogs do when they are about to die?
We consider animal life to be less susceptible to what is going on around them, but in reality, they are much smarter and wiser than we give them credit for. Similarly, many dogs know when they have reached their end of life phase and whether they are going to die soon. The self-realization of a dying dog is also accompanied by several physical, mental, and emotional changes, which serve as important cues for us to know when its time to say goodbye. To ease the entire process, owners must watch out for signs before a dogs death that may indicate what to expect and how to deal with the whole situation, as well as grieving.
You must consider that two situations may result in the demise of your dog, old age and suffering from a disease, severe pain, or any medical issue. To begin with, the dog may not be entirely certain of what is going on when it has reached its death stage, which is also related to several emotions of anxiety, stress, or even fear displayed during this period. Among old dogs or any pets, a major sign that they may be dying is having little to no interest in activities to play, social interactions, or anything they once enjoyed. If your dog was trained to listen to a variety of commands, you will also notice that your dogs ability to respond to these may also decrease. When a dog is nearing death there will be severe changes in its normal eating habits, and sometimes, it may not eat any food at all.
A dying dog is also more likely to soil the house or room because of poor motor responses related to disease or age. You will also notice that when its time to go to bed, your dogs sleep is more restless than usual and may be accompanied by whining, barking, whimpering, or howling. They also display irregular sleep cycles during the night and will spend most of their time resting in one spot for hours with minimal to no movement. If your dog is dying, they will also prefer to be left alone and will avoid or show a lack of interest in pets, food, play, or even walks. Its a sign you do not want to ignore, even more so because your dogs comfort is more important than your affection. If your dog has suffered from a severe injury or is battling a health condition, watch out for signs of discomfort such as breathing heavily, pacing, vocalizations, or pain to know whether your dog may be dying.
If youre uncertain about what to do and are too worried about doing something wrong when trying to move the dog, contact your vet and request a house call. In addition, there have been stories of dogs running away from their homes when they realize they are dying, but this is not the case with every dog. Whether your dog chooses to leave his bed and run away or not depends on various factors such as family lifestyle, treatment, the severity of the illness, or type of food. However, it is not like dogs to run away because they may be nearing death.
How do dogs act when they sense death?
Endless stories and myths about dogs being able to sense dying family members, people, or other animals, have been passed on for generations. As spooky as it is to believe, dogs, as well as other animals, have shown signs of sensing death by spending endless time around a dying family member or even vocalizing not-so-normal whimpers. Whether this ability is supernatural or their sixth sense is unknown, but they have proven several times through different indications that they may be able to sense when someone is dying or died.
To begin with, the most scientific explanation that has been found for a dogs ability to sense when someone is dying or has died is their nose. It is common knowledge that a dogs nose can never go wrong, whether it involves eating or finding a criminal. Considering their excellent olfactory senses, they would be able to pick up on the scent from chemical changes that take place in the body of someone who is dying. Their ability to pick on sensory material from the environment is also the reason why dogs would also be able to sense gas leaks or natural disasters. Similarly, dogs can also pick up on behavioral changes in the household because they are quite smart.
If they notice a gloomy, grieving environment, they are more likely to understand that something is wrong, and upon realizing that a friend or family member is missing, they will understand that someone has passed away. After sensing death dogs also display several physical signs which include excessive barking, being protective, howling, whining, droopy ears, and dilated pupils. Similarly, if your dog is constantly nipping, trying to get your attention, staying beside you, or displays uncontrollable behaviors, they are trying to point out something is not right. So, scientifically speaking, the stories about dogs sensing death do hold some truth, but the effectiveness of this ability has not been proven.
Do dogs know when other dogs are in distress?
However, recent research from a team of investigators headed by Mylene Quervel-Chaumette at the University of Vienna’s Messerli Research Institute provides data that shows dogs do interpret and respond to signs of stress in other dogs, particularly those they are most familiar with.
They provide comfort not just in death but also in other difficult times, whether it’s depression, job loss or a move across country. Dogs know when people are dying or grieving, through body language cues, smells only they can detect and other ways not yet known, experts say.