title: Loss of a companion animal: understanding and helping the bereaved.
abstract: Pet owners may face numerous animal losses in a lifetime. Grief following pet loss is often misunderstood and devalued. Nurses are likely to encounter patients and families mourning the loss of a companion animal. This article outlines the grief process and offers practical suggestions for assisting those who are bereaved.
authors.affiliation: Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT 06518, USA. anne.durkin@quinnipiac.edu
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Durkin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000523:psychology*; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012944:Social Support