There are many pet loss support hotlines that offer grief counseling staffed by veterinary students at veterinary colleges. Others are run by veterinary medical associations. Sometimes, all it takes is for a friend or fellow pet owner to listen while a grieving owner is allowed to talk freely about their pet. Sometimes, it is necessary for the veterinarian who cared for the sick or injured pet to discuss the details of the illness with the owner. This allows the owner to understand why his pet died, and to assure him that everything possible was done by the owner to aid the pet.
Many owners suffer from guilt and anxiety over the choices made over the pet's care.
These types of questions can stall the grieving process, and the owner becomes unable to move through the stages of grief. She describes the five stages of grieving as 1. Anger or Resentment 3. Acceptance and Resolution. There is no specific time frame within which this must occur, as everyone grieves at their own pace.