Large Dog Health Issues: What to Know

Large Dogs and Their Health Issues

Large dog health issues are a major concern for many dog owners. Large breeds, such as German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers often have a higher risk of developing certain health problems. There are some common large breed health problems, including hip dysplasia, congestive heart failure, and bloat.

Hip dysplasia is a painful condition that causes the hip joint to deteriorate. Large dogs are predisposed to this problem because of their increased size and weight, which puts additional stress on their hips. Dogs with hip dysplasia will be uncomfortable when they walk or run and may even limp. They may also have difficulty getting up from lying down or sitting in one place for an extended period of time. This issue can develop slowly over many years, so there are often no obvious symptoms until it becomes severe enough to cause pain and difficulty moving around.

Hip dysplasia is most common among large breeds like German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, St Bernards and Great Danes as well smaller breeds like Cocker Spaniel.

Congestive heart failure is other problem that happens more often to large dogs because of their size. It can be triggered by any number of causes, such as heartworm disease or the dog’s body being unable to properly process toxins. As a result, fluid builds up in the lungs and makes them heavy so that breathing becomes difficult.

Liver problems: The liver aids the digestion process by breaking down toxins from food into less harmful substances before they enter the bloodstream. Large breeds often need to eat more for their size than smaller breeds, which puts an extra stress on this organ. Liver disease has many causes but is usually preceded by symptoms such as weight gain without increase in activity level, changes in behavior like lethargy and/or aggression. In this case we recommend using Denamarin for large dogs.

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