It sucks to be an empath at times. A coworker was talking about her old arthritic dog and started crying. I almost bawled. I felt so sad too and I've never met her dog. And I've known her for 7 months only.
She has to decide to let her dog be put down. He's old. He has a leg and hip problem. He's always falling down. She adores him. Awww.
My wife is a full empath and I am partial. I can sympathize with you.
I bawl over a lot of youtube videos with animals.
Tillie: Awww. I don't usually watch animals videos. Or if I do, they're funny. 
ChefKarl: I don't think I'm a full empath. If I were, I think I'd scream because I'd feel negativity strongly, and I usually don't. But sadness and excitement, lust, nervousness...those I can feel like they're my own.
It caused my wife test anxiety as she picked up all the stress from all the other students.
ChefKarl: I can imagine. I'm the anxious type even without picking up on nervous feelings. I could tell when one of my coworkers was nervous about public presentations. He will present in September when the new students start optometry school. We sell medical Ophthalmic equipment. He should be OK ad long as he practices.