The causes,treatment, and prevention of heart disease in dogs.

Hello friends and lovers of pets, welcome again to my page, and thank you for consistently visiting, if this is your first time, you are also welcome. I would like to share a very serious topic with you today, and I am confident that after you spend time reading about this topic, you will be glad you visited my page, so do not rush to the conclusion aspect, enjoy the not-too-long but educating read (winks). Today friends, we check into the common causes of heart diseases in dogs, and we explore all that comes with it.

Heart disease in dogs cannot be associated with a single cause, other factors like obesity, nutrition, and aging would contribute significantly to heart problem issues. Regardless of the type of heart condition the dog has, spotting the signs on time will make management easier, but having heart valve problems is the most common and typical problem affecting small dog breeds that are over five years. Heart attacks are very rare in dogs, but heart failure is more common and it is often caused by existing underlying health problems. Heart disease can be either present at birth or picked up at some point during the course of their existence, almost all existing heart diseases are acquired, and a bit less percentage is acquired.

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There are a few most common heart conditions in pets amongst several other existing ones, they include;

Valve Disease is a common cause of heart murmur in dogs, blood flow becomes turbulent and creates a murmur. Murmurs are classified on a scale of 1-6, the higher the number, the more obvious the murmur is, it is possible to have your dog live a normal life even with a heart murmur, and a certified cardiologist can assist in diagnosing, and treating the condition.
Heart Muscle Disease (Cardiomyopathy): This is a more common form of heart muscle disease, in this case, the muscle degenerates to begin to wear thin. The thinning actually decreases the ability of the heart to contract and pump blood, resulting in congestive heart failure. When a dog has DCM, it is irreversible, but it can be controlled through medications by experts.
Hereditary heart diseases are genetic and are passed through the genes from parents to child, the condition will be present at birth, and could go undetected until later in life. So, when the parent of your pet had a heart condition, it is better to watch out for the same sign in your pet as well. Other health conditions like Type 2 Diabetes will increase the chances of your pet going down with heart disease.
Congenital heart disease, on the other hand, is very similar to hereditary, but they are different. In this case, the disease isn't a case of being passed from parent to child, but it gets developed while your pet is still in the womb. Contributing factors are genetic, environmental, poisoning, poor maternal nutrition, and the medication taken by the mother.
Acquired heart disease, are heart conditions that are not present at birth, instead, they develop throughout the pet's life. Examples are cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, and degenerative valve disease.

Symptoms of Heart Disease in Dogs.

Regardless of the existing heart diseases that affect dogs, most of the cases share common symptoms that serve as a form of alert to pet owners;

Consistent cough, when you notice your dog has a cough that doesn't go away after a few days, suspect heart disease as one of the possible culprits. There are several reasons why a dog with heart disease may cough, sometimes, the fluid could accumulate in the lungs when the heart fails to pump efficiently, this backup of blood in the lungs would result in fluid leaking out of blood vessels, then accumulating in the lung tissue and then proceeding to cough. Some other dogs could lead to heart diseases that proceed to heart enlargement, this enlarged heart could then press on airways and then stimulate coughing, when your pet consistently coughs for more than a few days, be sure to check with your vet.

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Behavioral changes in pets with heart disease are poor appetite, isolation, and a reluctant attitude toward play.
Cases of collapse happen when heart functions are less than optimal and when vital organs like the brain lack nutrients, especially oxygen. Then, blood flow into the brain can be compromised in cases of dogs with heart disease leading to fainting or collapsing. Usually, the fainting or collapsing are triggered by exercise but in a few cases, cough could also trigger the act.
Difficulty breathing in dogs happens with heart disease, sometimes the dog would breathe more rapidly or with an increased force. in some cases, dogs will sit or stand with their legs wide open and have their neck stretched out. Dogs whose heart diseases are more serious have a more severe problem with breathing especially when they lie down.
Inability to exercise, when your dog has serious heart disease, he will get tired during a simple walk and simple exercises.
Reduced appetite.
Swollen stomach.

It is unfortunate that most cases of heart disease cannot be prevented, but diagnosing and treating it on time will help manage the condition and to improve the quality of life of the pet. Regular checks at the vet's store will give room for easy detection of irregular heartbeat and will help them test for the presence of heart disease and with the available treatment options for your pet, he or she will be able to live longer.

In order to have your pet diagnosed, your doctors will ask about the noticed symptoms, they will want answers relating to what the dog eats, the medications consumed as well as the supplements are taken. Tests like

Blood and urine tests will be conducted in order to figure out the presence of any other medical case.
An ultrasound that makes use of sound waves to observe the size, shape, and movement of the heart.
Holter monitor is taped to the chest of the dog and worn for 24-48 hours in order to capture heart rhythms and rate.
Chest X-rays, where the vet will use radiation in low doses to capture images of the dog's internal organs.
Heartworm antigen test is when the vet will take blood from the dog in order to test for heartworms.

The treatment of heart disease in dogs is dependent on the specific heart problem cases and what caused it. Your vet in a bid to treat your pet will recommend one of these treatment options;

Medications to slow down the build-up of fluids in the lungs.
Medications that will help the heart work correctly and to correct irregular heartbeats.
Surgery to help correct a torn valve.
A prescription or commercial low-salt diet that will help decrease the build-up of fluid in your dog's body.
Limited exercise or activities to help manage weight without putting too much strain on the heart.

Supplements are also treatment options, dogs with congestive heart failure could benefit from Vitamin B supplements. Medications can also prevent heartworms or treat bacterial infections if they are discovered on time.