One of the most common heart problems we encounter is congestive heart failure. This is where the heart cannot provide adequate circulation to meet the body’s needs, this usually caused by a fault or weakening of the heart.
A diseased heart can compensate for months or years with no obvious signs of failure, but when failure does occur it could be unexpectedly sudden. This is when the heart is no longer able to keep up with the body’s needs.
There are several signs of congestive heart failure that indicate your dog may be suffering from the early stages of it. The signs are tiring easily and a general decrease in activity levels as well as coughing during periods of activity, the coughing can also occur also after they have been to sleep for a few hours.
As the heart failure progresses the other signs develop such as loss of appetite, rapid breathing, weight loss and abdominal swelling. The cough is caused by fluid leaking into the lungs which can be seen as a bloody froth produced occasionally with coughing. The same fluid can also leak into the abdomen causing a characteristic pot belly and occasionally swollen legs.
In the late stages of congestive heart failure dogs sit with their elbows spread and their head extended to try and make their laboured breathing easier. Their gums become blueish grey due to lack of oxygenation and they feel cold to the touch and they become prone to fainting from stress or exertion.
To establish a diagnosis your vet would need to establish the cause for the heart damage, then they would use x-ray, E.C.G and ultrasound to determine the extent of the damage and plan the best course of action.
Treatment of congestive heart failure can be as simple as regulation of the salt intake in your dog’s diet using a special diet, however it will normally require medications to regulate the hearts workload and to increase the function of the heart.
Exercise can be beneficial but only for dogs that have yet to show symptoms. If you are concerned about how best to exercise your dog if they have heart conditions speak to your vet.
There are various drugs available that help with the management of the condition by regulating the force and contraction of the heart and therefore reducing the workload on the damaged heart.
With proper treatment a dog with congestive heart failure can live a longer and more comfortable life. Heart conditions require close monitoring and you will need to return to your vet for regular check ups.
There are various drugs available that help with the management of the condition by regulating the force and contraction of the heart and therefore reducing the workload on the damaged heart.
Medical treatments may consist of some or all of the following:
• Diuretics that remove excess fluid from the lungs or abdomen
• Medicines that ‘open up’ constricted blood vessels, so reducing the work your dog’s weakened heart has to do
• Medicines that improve the strength, or rate of, your dog’s heartbeat. This will improve the amount of blood pumped
• Medicines that allow the heart to work more efficiently which should help your dog to live longer
With proper treatment a dog with congestive heart failure can live a longer and more comfortable life. Heart conditions require close monitoring and you will need to return to your vet for regular check ups.
