What is Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs?
Congestive Heart Failure in canines is a disease that requires to be carefully observed and treated in order to offer your furry pal as many healthy years as possible.
Congestive heart failure in dogs is quite common. Infact, around 10% of dogs and 75% of senior dogs, will develop some form of heart disease.
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition that comes from having a heart disease. It refers to the heart's inability to distribute enough blood to the body.
Here’s everything you need to know about congestive heart failure in dogs – how to prevent your pupfrom congestive heart failure, the early signs or of congestive heart failure that you should look out for, and what to do if you notice symptoms of congestive heart failure in dogs.
Symptoms of Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs
Congestive Heart Failure can cause noticeable changes in your dog’s wellbeing and behaviour. As a pet owner, it is essential to recognize the signs and symptoms of congestive heart failure in dogs, so you can get the appropriate treatment for your pet dog as soon as possible.
- Coughing
- Excessive Panting
- Loss of Appetite
- Weight Loss
- Swolen Belly
Please Note: The information provided in this page is designed to help inform you of congestive heart failure. It is not meant to replace the vet diagnosis or treatment for congestive heart failure. If you have any concerns or questions about your pet’s health or possible symptoms, be sure to contact and consult with your veterinarian right away.
The Main Causes of Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs
To recognize and treat congestive heart failure in dogs, we need to understand the underlying causes of congestive heart failure in dogs. This can help a pet parent prevent congestive heart failure occurring in the first place or again.
There are varous causes of Congestive hart failure in dogs, however the two main causes are:
- Mitral valve insufficiency (MVI) - Leaky valve disease
- Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) - an enlarged heart
Diagnosing Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs
Nobody knows your dog better than you do and therefore it is important that your dog be checked thoroughly by a vet annually.
With any heart disease, diagnosis will consist of many tests:
- Chest X-ray
- Auscultation
- Blood and urine tests
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Ultrasound xxamination (echocardiogram)
For pets at risk of getting congestive heart failure, more frequent visits to the vet clinic recommended.
Preventing Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs
It is upsetting when your dog gets ill, and watching them suffer can be absolutely heartbreaking. With caution and a bit of extra care, a pet parent can make sure that dog stays protected from conditions such as congestive heart failure.
To not to appear weak or vulnerable to predators, the natural survival instincts make pet dogs conceal diseases. This suggests thorough physical exams by a certified veterinarian are essential to keep your family pets healthy. Usually, blood and urine tests carried out by your vet are required to get the complete understanding of your pet’s health. These preventive checks actions will detect any illness sooner making treatment more successful and less pricey and, more importantly, will help your canine live a longer, much healthier life.
To prevent CHF in dogs, you must know the signs and symptoms that can develop from heart problems and address them right away. A well-balanced diet with proper nutrition and supplements can play a vital role in preventing heart disease in dogs.
Treatment for Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs
Treating CHF will depend upon the underlying cause along with the sverity of the disease. There is no actual cure for CHF but there are multiple treatments that can provide effective results. This includes the following supplements, medications and diets:
- ACE inhibitors to help with reducing blood volume, pressure, stress on the heart, and slowing the deterioration of the muscles in the heart.
- Vasodilators to help decrease pressure and relax blood vessels, and improving the pump of blood.
- Positive inotropic drugs to help increase the force of the heart muscle beats.
- Diuretics to better stimulate the kidneys.
- Proper nutrition involving limiting sodium, adding supplements and implementing a well-balanced diet to maintain a healthy weight.
Contact your veterinarian to find out more about how to treat congestive heart failure in dogs.