Heart Disease in Dogs: How to Protect Your Dog
Heart disease in dogs can manifest itself in several ways, each affecting a different area of the heart and the body as a whole. A total of 7.8 million dogs in the United States are expected to have heart disease, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 10 percent of all dogs in the United States suffer from some form of heart illness. Despite these alarming statistics, numerous people, including those in the medical profession, are not aware that their dog may be at risk for heart disorder.
You may be terrified by the thought of your dog developing heart disease or congestive heart failure (CHF). Yet, it’s essential to keep an eye on your dog’s heart health so that you can recognize any signs that may indicate heart disease and get your dog the proper treatment for any heart conditions that he may be diagnosed with.
To help you do your best to ensure that your dog has a long, healthy life ahead of him, below we have reviewed the relevant information that is currently available about heart disease in dogs.
Table of Contents
- What Are Heart Disease and Heart Conditions in Dogs?
- Signs of Heart Disease in Dogs
- Causes of Heart Disease in Dogs
- Most Common Heart Diseases
- Why Don’t Pets Have Heart Attacks?
- What Is the Most Appropriate Treatment for Heart Diseases?
- How to Prevent Heart Disease in Dogs?
- The Takeaway
- Nutrition Strength Cardio Support for Dogs
Check out our Nutrition Strength Cardio Support for Dogs here.
What Are Heart Disease and Heart Conditions in Dogs?
Your dog’s heart is the most critical organ in his body. Cells in the body are supplied with oxygen and nutrients due to blood pumping. Most cardiac problems are caused by a reduction in blood flow. Fluid can accumulate in the chest and abdomen as a result.
The heart valves and the heart muscle (myocardium) are two of the most common elements that can change due to heart disease. Nutrition, exercise, and drugs can all be used to effectively manage dogs with either kind of ailment. Your dog can live a long and healthy life if you follow your vet’s recommendations and feed him the right dog food.
In the globe, one out of every ten dogs suffers from heart disease, says the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Even though there is no one cause, dietary issues can significantly influence the development of heart disease.
The most prevalent cause of heart disease in dogs is aging, although other reasons, such as heartworm, can also play a role. Factors that may also have a part include:
- Body condition: Overweight dogs are more likely to generate heart abnormalities.
- Age: Heart conditions in dogs happen more frequently with increasing age.
- Breed: In dogs, the chronic valvular disease is more typical in small breeds such as Miniature poodles, Cocker spaniels, Pomeranians, and Schnauzers. The myocardial illness is more expected in large and giant breeds like Great Danes and Irish wolfhounds.
Signs of Heart Disease in Dogs
A pet owner may see signs of heart illness, but they are pretty rare. If you don’t know what to look for, it would be hard to recognize them.
- Persistent cough. Heart disease may be the cause of your dog’s persistent cough if it does not go away after a few days. As with humans, coughing in dogs with heart disease can be caused by several factors. When a dog’s heart isn’t working properly, fluid can build up in the lungs. Because of this, coughing may occur when fluid from blood vessels leaks into lung tissue and accumulates. Other dogs may be suffering from diseases that cause their hearts to expand. Coughing can be triggered by an enlarged heart in dogs, putting pressure on the airways. Veterinarians should examine any cough that persists for more than a few days.
- When the heart isn’t pumping as well as it should, essential organs like the brain might be starved of nutrition and oxygen, resulting in fainting or collapse. Feigning (syncope) or collapsing can occur when blood supply to the brain is reduced in dogs with cardiac disease. It’s common for dogs with heart problems to have syncope and collapse, but coughing can also set them off.
- Breathing problems. Dogs with heart disease frequently have breathing problems (dyspnea). A dog may exhale more quickly or with greater power. Standing or sitting with their legs spread wide apart and their necks extended out is an expected behavior among dogs. Heart illness makes it difficult for dogs to breathe when lying down, so they prefer to sit or stand instead.
- Dogs with heart disease are more susceptible to exhaustion while out for a walk or exercising. More sleep or rest than usual may be required.
- People who own dogs with heart disease may notice changes in their pets’ behavior, such as a lack of interest in playing or engaging in other activities they used to like.
Because the heart pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body, dogs with heart illness are more likely to experience breathing difficulties. As heart disease progresses, symptoms such as coughing, weariness, and shortness of breath will become more pronounced.
As a result of heart illness, some dogs will also have fluid buildup in their belly. Ascites are used to describe the swollen and bloated appearance caused by this.
Causes of Heart Disease in Dogs
Dogs might be born with heart disease or develop it throughout their lifetime. A dog’s heart illness can be caused by one or more of the following factors:
- Heartworm infection from mosquitoes.
- Genetics.
- Various bacterial, viral and protozoal infections.
- Vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
- Toxins.
- Various medications.
- Tumors.
- Unknown.
Canine congenital heart disease can develop in utero for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:
- Genetics.
- Medications taken by the pregnant mother.
- Environmental factors.
- Infection.
- Poisoning.
- Poor nutrition.
- Unknown.
Most Common Heart Diseases
One of your pet’s most essential organs, the heart, pumps continually to ensure that oxygenated blood reaches every cell in your pet’s body, from nose to tail tip. Your pet’s whole body might be affected if their heart function is disrupted by an illness.
We’ve decided to present you the five most prevalent canine diseases today in the hopes that you’ll have a better understanding of your dog’s health.
Valvular Degeneration
You and your dog’s heart are both made up of four chambers, two on each side, that open and close to regulate blood flow, much like the human heart. The atria (upper chambers) and ventricles (lower chambers) have valves, as do the chambers themselves.
It is possible for a pet’s heart valves, which are responsible for closing the heart entirely, to degenerate to the point that the blood no longer flows correctly.
Dogs most commonly suffer from DMVD or degenerative mitral valve disease. With age, dogs’ mitral valves thicken and weaken, enabling a small quantity of blood to flow backward through the valve with each pulse.
This can lead to heart disease. Mitral valve regurgitation is the medical term for this backward blood flow. Heart enlargement can occur when mitral valve regurgitation worsens, which raises the risk of congestive heart failure in dogs.
DMVD usually affects small-breed dogs over the age of one year. Approximately 30 percent of dogs have a more severe condition that requires lifelong maintenance, whereas most dogs have a minor disease.
When a family veterinarian hears a left-sided heart murmur in dogs during a regular physical check, they are more likely to diagnose DMVD.
Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a group of illnesses in dogs that weakens the heart muscle. It can lead to symptoms of heart failure in dogs and even death.
Due to the reduced blood flow, the heart’s walls and chambers expand, increasing the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) in dogs. It is widespread in enormous breeds of dog, with some species, such the Doberman pinscher and Boxer, being particularly vulnerable. Unfortunately, there is no cure for spontaneously occurring DCM, and the condition worsens over time.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)
An abnormal thickening of the left ventricular muscle causes a loss in the ventricle’s capacity to relax and absorb blood. This leads to a heart disease known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
As a result, the heart dilates, increasing the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Blood clots are more likely to develop if blood flow becomes slow over time. Toxins in the heart can cause blood clots to exit the body and produce blockages, most often in one’s lower legs.
Sadly, dogs are adept at concealing disease, and as a result, HCM frequently goes undetected. CAD or a blood clot can cause rapid, acute pain and paralysis in dogs, although they seldom display signs before this occurs.
Dogs should have regular physical exams so that your family veterinarian can check for early symptoms of heart disease. Although HCM cannot be cured, good disease treatment allows many afflicted dogs to enjoy long, healthy lives.
Heart Arrhythmias
An electrical impulse runs through the heart muscle and starts and controls each heartbeat in your pet. Every heartbeat is triggered by electrical stimulation, which travels along a specific conduction pathway from the apex of the heart.
As a result of a malfunction in the heart’s electrical conduction system, an abnormal cardiac rhythm (also known as an arrhythmia) may occur. Pet arrhythmias include the following:
- Tachycardia, or an increased heart rate.
- Bradycardia, or a decreased heart rate.
- Premature ventricular contractions.
- Heart block.
- Atrial fibrillation.
Physical examination by your family veterinarian might reveal the presence of a cardiac arrhythmia. Symptoms you may notice at home include fatigue, apathy, an inability to exercise, or even death.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) can assess the heart’s electrical activity if an arrhythmia is suspected. In some instances, we use a Holter monitor (i.e., a harness housing an ECG-recording device that records cardiac activity for 24 hours) to better understand the degree and frequency. Pacemaker therapy or oral antiarrhythmic medications may be prescribed depending on the diagnosis.
Congenital Heart Disease
An estimated 3 – 5 percent of the patients are caused by anomalies in cardiac development and are thus present from birth. When your veterinarian inspects a specific dog’s heart murmur during a check-up, they may be able to identify these disorders. The following are examples of common congenital cardiac conditions:
- Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA).
- Pulmonic stenosis.
- Subaortic stenosis.
- Ventricular septal defect (VSD).
If a patient has several types of congenital cardiac disease, minimally invasive surgery may help alleviate or repair the problem. The majority of the time, pets recover swiftly from these surgeries and go on to have long and healthy lives.
Why Don’t Pets Have Heart Attacks?
You may be wondering why we haven’t discussed heart attack in dogs, which is the most prevalent cause of heart disease in the general human population. Now, we’ll go through it with you.
There is a steady build-up of fatty deposits along the inner walls of the blood vessels that provide blood to the heart muscle, which leads to heart attacks or myocardial infarctions in humans. The heart muscle might be damaged if the artery becomes clogged over time.
People suffer from heart attacks regularly, but dogs seldom suffer from an actual heart attack. Lifestyle choices such as excessive eating and smoking are major contributors to coronary artery disease.
Canine heart attack research has also benefited from using dogs as a model. Using dog studies to help diagnose and treat heart attacks has proven incredibly effective. CPR and the defibrillator were developed due to research conducted by these researchers.
What Is the Most Appropriate Treatment for Heart Diseases?
Even though heart illness cannot be cured, your dog can still have an appealing everyday life with suitable therapies. Your dog’s complete health and well-being depend on the food he eats. Your dog’s cardiac condition makes it even more critical to feed it the correct kind of pet food.
If you’ve got an illness that causes your heart to grow, you’ll notice that it’s less efficient than it was before. A build-up of fluid in the heart is the first sign of a more severe condition.
Because of this, vets recommend giving dogs a low-sodium meal to prevent fluid build-up and make it simpler for their hearts to perform correctly.
Always see your veterinarian if you want an accurate diagnosis and treatment choices for your dog’s heart health.
How to Prevent Heart Disease in Dogs?
Even while food and exercise are critical in preventing other serious illnesses like overweight and arthritis, there is no evidence to help dogs avoid heart disease.
Inquire about the parents of any dog you’re interested in purchasing if it’s a breed with a reputation for having a higher incidence of heart disease than others. Breeding dogs with a hereditary cardiac condition is a bad idea.
Heartworm disease, however, is the only kind of heart disease that may be prevented in dogs. Mosquitoes transmit heartworms to humans. Heartworm larvae enter the circulation when a mosquito bites a dog.
Dogs that aren’t on a heartworm preventive will ultimately get infested with worms that choke their lungs and heart. A year-round regimen of heartworm prevention, omega-3 fatty acid supplements, and high-quality dog food can all be given to dogs to help keep them healthy and free of heartworm illness.
Ask your vet about the most beneficial diet for your dog if you’re concerned about certain nutritional deficiencies that have been linked to heart diseases, such as a lack of carnitine or taurine.
Drugs with proven cardiac effects should not be given without a medical reason, and polluted locations and poisons should always be avoided.
The Takeaway
Dogs, like humans, are susceptible to heart disease. A significant cause of heart illness in dogs of middle age and older is a condition known as valvular disease.
Dilated cardiomyopathy, the second most prevalent cause of heart disease in dogs, mainly affects giant breeds in their middle to older years due to conditions of the myocardium (heart wall muscle).
In the early stages of heart disease, most dogs will show no symptoms at all. This is crucial to keep in mind. These compensating systems ensure that the heart and body’s tissues receive enough blood supply and oxygen. As a result, the body gets the nutrients it needs, while waste products like carbon dioxide and trash may be expelled.
These compensatory mechanisms may eventually fail and lead to congestive heart failure when heart disease worsens. Every year or six months for senior pets, you should have your heart problems in dogs checked by your veterinarian. This will help ensure that your puppy has a long and happy life.
Nutrition Strength Cardio Support for Dogs
Check out our Nutrition Strength Cardio Support for Dogs here.
Nutrition Strength Cardio Support for Dogs Plus Antioxidant, L-Carnitine, L-Taurine, with Coenzyme Q10 and Vitamin E, Promotes a Healthy and Strong Dog Heart are tasty chewable tablets, specifically designed to support optimal cardiovascular function in dogs of all ages, shapes and sizes.
Our pet heart care supplement contains important amino acids and antioxidants for dogs to help your pet’s cardiovascular system by:
- Delivering l-carnitine which encourages fat metabolism to help support a healthy heart function in dogs.
- Providing coenzyme Q-10, which supports oxygenation of the heart tissue and helps to protect against oxidation.
- Supplying amino acid l-taurine which helps support a regular heartbeat and reduces loss of potassium.
- Providing vitamin E for dogs which is a strong antioxidant that supports circulation and dog heart muscle strength.
- Supporting cellular energy within the heart by providing CoQ10 for dogs which helps with the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
Used daily, our Cardio Support for Dogs Plus Antioxidant supplement is designed to help support the metabolic pathways and the structural integrity of the cardiovascular system. Recommended for breeds that are predisposed to cardiovascular stress, dogs with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, geriatric canines.
Image source: Wikimedia / Cpl Ian Houlding.
