I don’t think you can ever fully prepare yourself when your pet receives a diagnosis. Whether you’ve had tests done and are awaiting results or you’re at the vets with your sweet fur baby who just hasn’t been ‘right’ for a while and hear bad news, it’s always going to come as a shock.
That’s when I wish I could wave a magic wand and make everything better, or at least reach out and give you a big hug. Whilst I may not be able to either of those things (unless you are nearby and within hugging range), I can share with you some tips to help you cope.
1. It’s ok if things feel crazy for a while.
When our pet gets a diagnosis, especially of cancer or a serious illness, it can leave us reeling. A lot of emotions can come up – from shock, to guilt (why haven’t I noticed this before, could I have found out about it earlier), to blame or denial. This could be the first time we consider our pet’s mortality. Couple this with having to make important decisions and it can feel crazy.
It takes time to process all of that. Make sure you give yourself time. Usually, you have time before decisions have to be made.
2. Get a support team
You don’t have to go through this alone and neither does your pet. You want good people around you personally and the best people there for your pets such as your most trusted veterenarian, specialist service providers (e.g. canine hydrotherapy or nutritionists) and complementary practitioners (energy therapists such as myself, acupunturists etc).
Make sure you have emotional support. Friends can be of great importance as a listening post, shoulder to cry on and someone to make suggestions. You may need more than that, especially in the long term (we get embarrased when we keep bringing our problems to our friends), which is why I actively support pet owners through the stress of their pets diagnosis / illness so they can stay strong and make good decisions.
3. Practice extreme self care.
This is important not just for your health but also for your pets as they pick up on your energy and will know if you are really worried or ‘off form’.
Use every tool you have to stay calm and be exceptionally kind to yourself (don’t let negative thoughts or scenarios dominate your thoughts). I have found EFT tapping to be a brilliant tool to help us calm the anxiety, nervousness and worry that comes with a diagnosis. I’ve included a quick video demonstrating how to tap for this situation at the end of the post. It will help you find your balance again.
4. Don’t act differently with your pet.
It’s easy to treat our fur babies differently after a diagnosis. We may feel they’re more fragile, we look out for every symptom and can scrutinise their behaviour and watch every move they make. Sometimes we want to lavish more love and affection on them.
If you can, don’t see them as ‘ill’. They aren’t their diagnosis. To the best of your ability treat them as you always have done. Their routine may change (due to medication / treatment / mobility etc) but try to keep their usual patterns intact if possible.
I say this because, intuitive ones that they are, they notice when we treat them differently, when we think of them differently and it can be unsettling for them (they are great at picking up anxiety that is being ‘covered’ with nice words – they notice the energy not the words) I’m not saying to pretend that everything is ok, just don’t let the ‘illness’ rule the day, don’t let that be your focus.
Again, EFT tapping is great for reducing the intensity of our worries and helping re-focus from negative to positive.
Here’s a video you can tap along with to help you when you’re in this exact situation. To watch it click on this link or on the image below.
I hope that you find some relief from the tapping and that you take on board my earlier suggestions. I know you can get through this. If you want extra help I’m at your service. I can help you and your pet through this. I can’t underestimate the power of having an ally to walk with you through this, to help you release the fear, find your ground and get clear on your path forward. Email me at ferris@ferrisjay.com to find our exactly how I can help you.
Please share this article with those who would benefit from it. Also, let me know in the comments if you’ve done the tapping and how it helped, or how you’ve coped if your pet had a grim diagnosis.
Thank you.
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