Do pets grieve over the loss of another animal in the house? Some pet owners will say yes, without a doubt.

“My dog wouldn’t eat right for days,” said one dog owner who recently lost one of her two pets. “He really acted depressed. I know he was upset and missed my other dog.”

People who have to take ownership of an animal after the owner passes away also notice signs of grief, but some chalk that up to a change in surroundings.

“When my mother died, we took her dog to live with us,” explained another pet owner. “She’s an older dog, and it seemed like it took her a while to adjust. She slept a lot and acted like she couldn’t figure out how to tell us when she needed to go outside, even though she was perfectly potty-trained for my mom. It was kind of frustrating.”

Some people expect their pets to be upset when another animal dies, and are disappointed to find that the living pet doesn’t seem too sad. This often just represents a different personality type. As with humans, some pets are more dramatic and some are more low-key. And for some pets, having fewer animals around to compete with human attention is welcomed.

Grief is, in general terms, a reaction to the removal of something that was enjoyable. If a favorite person or play partner is no longer around, that can invoke behavioral issues in the remaining animal that range from being subdued or withdrawn to refusing to eat to showing signs of physical problems. Some pets make more or less noise (from yowling for hours to refusing to bark), while some show signs of nightmares or dreams. And some will become very clingy, sticking to a surviving person like glue.

Animals probably do not understand loss in the same way that humans do. The concept of permanent loss is one that humans understand, but pets only know that someone or something they loved is no longer around. But they do seem to understand the concept of death.

For example, if one of a pair of bonded rabbits dies, it’s advised to allow the other to see the body so they can understand what has happened. In my years of caring for rabbits, I’ve seen a range of reactions. Some rabbits ignore their partner’s body completely and some spend a lot of time grooming and saying good-bye. Many animals stop looking for a missing animal or person once they see the body, so it seems that pets can comprehend and make some sense of death.

As with human grief, time is what’s needed for pets to overcome their loss. Some pets recover quickly; some will spend months looking or waiting for their missing companion.

Initially, grieving pets may spend time looking for the person or pet who is gone. This may require that you keep the pets confined indoors, especially if you have moved them to another house. They may decide to try a return to their previous home to look for their owner. Make sure that any new pets are immediately marked with identification that has their new contact information, just in case.

If the pet has a microchip, call the company that issued the chip to change the contact information. (You may need proof of ownership, such as a death certificate of the previous owner. Contact the most common microchip makers if you don’t know what chip is in your pet:

Avid is at avidmicro

chip.com or 800-434-2843 and 24PetWatch is at 24petwatch.com or 866-597-2424.)

After this wandering behavior, animals usually show some signs of depression. This doesn’t have to be lethargy, although it can be. Any change to normal behavior may be caused by depression and will gradually be alleviated over time.

Sometimes a pet will be so overwhelmed that it may need some medical help. A thorough checkup can show any physical problems; your veterinarian may also be able to prescribe anti-anxiety medication that can help.

If the loss is one that affected you and your pet — whether human or animal — remember that your animal may be reflecting some of your mood and behaviors as well. Include your pet in your own grieving if possible. Spend additional time with your pet when you can and encourage it to interact with you more. Some pets will be clingy during this time, but you may need to make more of an effort with others.

Don’t be afraid to share your personal grief with someone else. Many vet clinics have information about pet loss counseling and groups that can help. You can also visit a therapist or human grief counselor — no one will turn you away for grieving over a pet. The grief stage for loss of human companions or pet companions is very similar and you may benefit a great deal by getting help for yourself as you navigate the loss with your living pets.