@waynerl, profound sadness and depression when suffering a loss is normal. Coping with the loss can be handled in a variety of ways as you have gathered from the comments on this discussion.

It can help to talk with others. For this reason, I thought you like to know that grieving the loss of a pet is being discussed in the Loss & Grief support group here:
- Loss and grief of a pet: How do you cope? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/loss-and-grief-resulting-from-death-of-a-pet/

And there is also this discussion
- What Pets Can Do: Health and Healing https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-pets-can-do-health-and-healing/

How are you doing?