The Inconvenience of Owning a Dog: A Rant on Their Health

An Unneeded Sense of Responsibility

I never expected to take on the responsibility of caring for another creature when I adopted my dog. I thought it would be fun, and in many ways, it is. But looking after a dog means more than simply throwing a ball around the park daily – an extra level of responsibility comes with owning a pet. It’s something that often gets overlooked by those who adopt one without considering the implications. 

As with any living creature, dogs must be cared for to stay healthy and happy. This means regular vet visits, administering medication when needed, and ensuring they get enough exercise and nutrition – all things that can quickly add up in terms of time and money. What’s worse is having to constantly worry about your pup getting sick or injured despite your best efforts at preventative care – something I know all too well from experience over these last few months with my dog’s nasal discharge issues.   

The Stressful Vet Visits

Aside from the cost associated with vet visits, there’s also the stress involved in taking your pup to see someone he doesn’t know while being poked and prodded throughout the appointment – not precisely how you want to spend your day off from work! Not only can this be traumatic for you and your pet, but there are also potential risks associated with anesthesia used during specific treatments, which need to be weighed against any benefits before proceeding with them.  

 And then once you’ve made it through all that – if you’re lucky – you may still have no idea what’s wrong or why your pup is still experiencing symptoms despite numerous trips back and forth between home and vet office for several weeks (which then leads you right back into feeling like an inadequate pet parent). All this adds up even more stress to an already stressful situation! It makes me wonder why anyone would ever choose to own such an unpredictable animal in the first place.   

The Constant Worry & Anxiety

And if all this wasn’t enough already – if unfortunately something more serious does happen, such as surgery being recommended by their veterinarian, then suddenly everything becomes even more complicated (not just financially but emotionally too), especially since emergencies tend not always allow us much time for reflection before making decisions one way or another due mainly because our pets don’t always give us signs ahead-of-time warning us when they’re feeling “off.” So we’re left worrying about whether our choice was correct long after we’ve made them hoping against hope that their health will improve soon afterward.  

The Unexpected Reality Check

Nothing ever goes according to plan when it comes down to caring for dogs – which has been an eye-opening experience for me since before adopting mine, and I had no idea how much effort went into keeping them healthy! Every day feels like walking on eggshells waiting for something unexpected that comes up directly or indirectly related to their health, detracting from some of the joyous experiences owning one should bring instead, leaving most owners overwhelmed by its constant unpredictability rather!    

A Final Thought

It’s important to remember why you wanted a dog in the first place and stay focused on all the good moments with them and all that you’ve achieved together through thick and thin. It’s not always easy, but if you can find a way to maintain perspective throughout their health journey, it may make things more tolerable when going through these experiences.