All dog breeds are at risk for injuries. However, medium and larger dogs are at risk for different types of injuries from smaller breeds. Examples of these medium and large breed dogs include Labradors, Shepherds, Hounds, Rottweilers, Golden Retrievers, Pit Bulls and Dobermans.
1. Lacerations and Wounds – wounds and skin lacerations are one of the most common injuries seen in after-hours emergency veterinary hospitals. This is most often a result of a dog fight. Big dogs tend to initiate fights with other animals more often than smaller dogs. While the can do some serious damage with their teeth, they often sustain wounds themselves from the other dog in the scuffle. In the wounds a punctures and very small, they will need to be cleaned but may not need stitches. If the skin is torn, stitches and a drain tube are often needed for proper healing. Any time an animal has a wound or laceration, regardless of the cause, they should be seen by a veterinarian for proper antibiotics and pain medications.
2. Broken Limbs – While smaller dogs have more fragile bones, bigger dogs are also at risk for broken limbs. This is due to a different cause though. Often times, bigger dogs are the ones that are outside running loose and may be hit by a car or truck causing broken bones, most often in the pelvis. Dogs that jump out of moving vehicles may also have broken limbs from the force of hitting the ground. If your dog has been involved in any type of motor vehicle accident, he should be seen by your vet immediately.
3. Foreign Body Ingestion – Large breed dogs, especially puppies, are notorious for eating all sorts of inedible items. Bouncy balls, squeaky toys, rocks, clothing, metal, corn cobs, paper and stuffing – these are a few of the many items that get eaten by dogs. Sometimes, the item is too big to pass through the intestines, so it becomes lodged in the small intestines. This can cause vomiting, lethargy and not eating. If left untreated, the item that is stuck will eventually distend the intestines causing the tissue to die which is fatal for the dog. If your dog is showing any signs of intestinal illness or you know that he has eaten something indigestible, have him seen by your vet immediately! Often times, dogs need life-saving surgery to remove the item that is stuck!
Did you know pet insurance has coverage for all three of these?