A dog is a man’s best friend, however, unlike other types of best friends, a dog is completely loyal and dependent on you to take care of it. One of the questions that potential dog owners ask is whether the breed affects the level of care your pet will need from you. There are various factors that you need to consider to determine if the size and breed of your dog actually affect what kind of care your dog needs from you if it is ever sick or injured. The following points will guide you on what your dog may need and whether a bigger dog means more care and greater costs.
1. Dealing with an Accident or Emergency
Sometimes pets get injured or can get sick seemingly out of the blue. In such cases, you need to be aware of how to properly deal with the situation so you do not end up harming your dog rather than helping it. If your dog is ever injured due to an accident or emergency, then you need to remain calm and start assessing the situation. Remaining calm ensures that your dog does not panic and that you can get the right help as soon as possible. Assessing the extent of your pet’s injury is crucial to find out whether the injury is serious or just a flesh wound that needs minimal care. Unfortunately, a dog’s first instinct when injured is to keep others away to protect itself from further injury. This means that your dog may view you as a threat because of the pain and panic it is experiencing. To ensure that your dog does not hurt you or injure itself further, you need to restrain it to assess the damage and to be able to transport it to a vet.
Logically speaking, the bigger the dog, the more difficult the task of restraining it will be. You may need to be extra careful when muzzling it. You will also need to be physically strong enough to ensure that your dog does not get away before you can fully assess its injury. Of course, if you simply train your dog from a young age to follow your orders and to remain still when needed, you will have a much easier time no matter what breed or size your dog may be.
2. Dietary Supplements
One of the risks that bigger dogs face is arthritis or joint pains. This is mainly caused by the extra weight that a dog carries. If you do not keep track of your dog’s physical health, then no matter what size it is, there are going to be serious consequences including obesity, and diseases that can pose a great risk to your dog’s life. This is why you need to ensure that your dog’s diet is rich with all the nutrients and probiotics needed. Of course, the strength of the supplements, or in other words the dose needed for each dog, differs depending on its size. You cannot expect probiotics for Rottweilers and other dogs that are big in size to have the same potency as the chihuahuas. In this case, it is safe to say that having a bigger dog means needing special care and attention to these details. If you are unsure what diet your dog should be following, you can ask a professional to help you set up the best feeding schedule and nutrition plan for your pet.
3. Finding the Right Vet
Finding the right vet ensures that your sick pup can get the right treatment. Some vets do not work well with larger breeds. A good vet will not only help out your dog regardless of its breed, but it will also have different medications on hand to ensure that your pet can receive the right treatment to fully recover from his sickness. To find a good vet, you can look up reviews online. Chances are, you already have a vet that you take your dog to for regular procedures and checkups so it is best to take your dog to its usual vet to ensure that the doctor has the entire medical history on hand and can easily help your pet get better.
4. Vaccinations and Medication
When it comes to vaccination and medication, the dosage and frequency will definitely be different when you compare big and small-sized dogs. Just like in humans, weight is a factor when it comes to medication. If a big dog takes the same medication dose as a smaller dog, chances are it will have less of an impact. On the other hand, if a smaller dog took medicine meant for a bigger breed, then it may have severe side effects that are negligible in larger breeds. Regular vaccinations that your pet needs to avoid a range of diseases will have a more frequent schedule to guarantee their effectiveness.
After going over the above-mentioned factors, it is easy to see that different breeds of dogs, and different sizes have different needs. As a dog owner who wants the best for their four-legged best friend, it is easy to see that these differences in needs are minor and easily managed. With a little bit of effort, it is easy to provide care for your sick or injured dog no matter what size it is.
