Being a huge movie buff, one of my all-time favorite teen flicks being “Clueless” starring Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, who later went on to “Friends” and other movies, and Brittarny Murphy. Last December, I was definitely stunned by the news about Brittany Murphy’s sudden death. Animal Chiropractic

My heart went out to her mother and her husband, Simon Monjack, as they laid her to rest, following her funeral, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California. The 32-year old actress’ death was caused by a heart attack at their shared home with her husband in LA on December 20, 2009, as listed by the news reports. 

I have seen breathtaking pictures that Simon had taken of Brittany as I clicked on her husband’s web site. Such a shame for someone so beautiful and talented to be taken from us too soon. 

What truly broke my heart was when I learned of Brittany’s female Maltese named Clara aside from the tragic loss of her family and fans. I am such an animal lover that I cried when I read online at People magazine’s web site that Brittany’s husband said that the dog was experiencing a change in behavior since Brittany’s death. 

Simon Monjack was quoted in People magazine, saying, “One of the saddest things is that Clara has looked everywhere for Brittany and can’t find her,” and “Clara, she looked in every place Brittany could be, she couldn’t understand why Brittany was not in bed or in the bathroom, and she looked in every inch of the house.” Identifying Clara as “a humongous personality in a tiny package,” Brittany named her after the silent film star Clara Bow. More than a pet, she is a family member. 

This tragic turn of events made me wonder how pets react to their owner’s death though I had never really given much thought. Do pets have the ability to mourn? If so, how do survivors help the pet’s physical and emotional health during the mourning period? Pet Depression

Dr. Ava Frick, my pet’s veterinarian, is a pet behavior specialist. Due to problems of excessive barking and showing aggression toward my other two dogs, she has been using Alpha-Stim technology treatments on one of my dogs. 

Dr. Frick and I discussed Clara and pets’ ability to mourn during our next appointment.  She said that it is common for a dog to go through a mourning period after the loss of a human or animal companion. In fact, the symptoms can be exhibited for days or even weeks afterwards, including decreased appetite, lethargy, and changes in the dog’s behavior. 

Keeping a dog on its normal routine is important in such cases, she said. As with humans who are going through issues, exercise can do wonders to relieve stress for pets.  Also, acquaintance with familiar people and meeting new friendly faces can boost the pet’s mood. 

It is a wise decision to seek for professional advice if the pet’s mourning period seems to continue longer than expected. Your veterinarian can identify Physiologic abnormalities, which might be contributing to the dog’s depression. 

What is interesting to note is that the very treatment we have been going through with my dog – Alpha Stim – is often recommended for doings who are depressed. Dog Pain Relief