Dean McDermott: We Think Our Dog Was Eaten Alive ... But We've Moved On

Dean McDermott and Tori Spelling's thoughts about their missing dog ain't pretty, since they include visions of a very satisfied coyote licking its chops!

Mitzi -- a Maltese mix -- vanished a couple months ago, and the fam was devastated ... but we got Dean out in Bev Hills today, and it sounds like the mourning period is over.

Dean was pretty nonchalant about Mitzi's fate, but explained how they've all worked through the pain. Hint: Buy in bulk!