heart-failure-dog

Heart failure dog

Fortunately, veterinary medicine has made a lot of progress in this field in the last few years, and the health prognosis of dogs suffering from this disease has greatly improved. However, since this is still a very serious disease, it is important to know how to recognize the warning signs so that you can manage it as soon as possible and offer your best furry friend the best prognosis.

 

What is heart failure in dogs?

Heart failure in dogs is a serious condition in which the heart is unable to function properly. The dog's heart is a muscle divided into two parts: right and left. Each of these parts has two chambers, a ventricle and an atrium.

Normally, the right and left sides of the heart do not communicate, since, like on a highway, one is dedicated to the return journey of the blood, and the other to the driveway. The heart is considered the vital organ par excellence of all organisms, and this for a very good reason: it is the only one responsible for the diffusion of oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

In fact, the dog's heart works like a pump. With each push, blood moves through the closed circuit of the bloodstream and into the body. As it travels, it is loaded with oxygen in the lungs and nutrients in the intestines, which it then distributes to all the muscles, tissues and organs of the body.

The use of oxygen and nutrients by the various tissues of the body produces waste products, urea, which is also recovered by the blood as it travels. As the blood passes through the kidneys, it is filtered, detoxified and purified of its urea, allowing it to continue on its journey efficiently.

In the case of heart failure, the dog's heart is no longer able to properly circulate blood through the body, which not only jeopardizes the body's oxygen and nutrient supply, but also its detoxification.

 

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Causes of heart failure in dogs

The possible causes of heart failure in dogs are extremely numerous and varied in nature. The main causes are heart disease, disorders of the electrical nodes responsible for the heartbeat, and endocrine disorders that affect the functioning of the entire metabolism.

Heart failure in dogs: heart diseases
The term "heart disease" covers a group of heart diseases that can be congenital, hereditary or acquired. Congenital heart disease in dogs is caused by malformations of the cardiac system present in the puppy from birth. This type of pathology occurs when the fetus does not develop properly in the mother's womb, its heart and/or the channels of its circulatory system not forming properly.

They usually cause early symptoms and have a very poor prognosis, although surgical treatment is sometimes possible. Among them, the most frequently observed are Persistent Canal Arterialis, Sub-Aortic Stenosis and Pulmonary Stenosis. Hereditary heart disease in dogs is a heart disease of genetic origin. Unlike congenital conditions, they are not present in puppies at birth, but develop gradually with age.

Among them, Degenerative Valve Disease (DVM), or valve insufficiency, and Dilated Cardiomyopathy are overrepresented. DVM results in deterioration of the valves of the ventricular atrium (cavity), which impairs its seal. This results in blood not being delivered to the circulatory system with sufficient force, causing the overloaded atrium to swell and the blood volume in the rest of the circulatory system to decrease.

Generally, VD is a benign condition. Most dogs have no symptoms of the disease, and it is often detected incidentally during a veterinary examination. Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy is a more serious hereditary disorder, which results in thinning of the myocardial walls. As a result, the heart is less powerful and tends to dilate, while blood stagnates and accumulates in its chambers.

The heart gradually enlarges, always losing efficiency. This condition usually progresses rapidly and has a poor prognosis.

Heart failure in dogs: electrical dysfunctions
The dog's heart has an electrical system that sends action potentials, formerly called nerve impulses, triggering and regulating the heartbeat. The sino-auricular (SA) and atrioventricular (AV) nodes perform this function. Many things can disrupt the conduction system of the electrical nodes, causing an irregular heart rhythm, also known as an arrhythmia.

Arrhythmias are either faster (tachycardia) or slower (bradycardia) heartbeats. In both cases, the heart's rhythm is no longer synchronized with the body's needs. When the heart beats too slowly, it cannot meet the body's need for oxygen: this is heart failure.

Heart failure in dogs: endocrine diseases
Endocrine diseases are disorders of the hormonal system. Hormones are molecules that send messages to the body to regulate the metabolism. When the production, or functioning, of hormones is impaired, the metabolism has difficulty regulating itself properly, and the heart rate may be affected.

In hypothyroidism, the most common endocrine disease in dogs, the thyroid gland produces less hormone than expected. The entire metabolism slows down, and the heart rate tends to decrease, which can lead to failure.

 

Symptoms of heart failure in dogs

Heart failure in dogs generally evolves silently over the long term, before manifesting itself by symptoms that are initially discreet and then increasingly severe. Exercise intolerance and exacerbated fatigue are the first signs of the disease. Your dog may start to be reluctant to exercise, becoming more sedentary than usual.

This is because dogs with heart failure instinctively tend to self-limit, aware of their weaknesses. When walking and playing, you may notice that your dog has less stamina and gets out of breath more quickly, which you may mistakenly attribute to age.

In more advanced cases, the dog may lose consciousness during excessive exertion, stagger, or suddenly appear weak. His heart rate tends to increase in an attempt to compensate for his lack of efficiency. At this stage, the dog's general condition deteriorates. The animal loses weight, essentially losing muscle mass.

At the same time, his abdomen swells: this phenomenon, called ascites, corresponds to an effusion of liquid in the abdomen, and should not be confused with a gain of fat mass. Some dogs with heart failure also develop a dry cough, which precedes the most serious complication of heart disease: pulmonary edema. Pulmonary edema causes severe breathing difficulties that can lead to asphyxiation and death.

 

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Treatment and prognosis of heart failure in dogs

Treatment of heart failure in dogs depends on the cause of the problem. Unfortunately, not all conditions that cause heart disease in our four-legged friends are curable. In most cases, heart dysfunction in dogs is irreversible, and treatment is palliative. It consists of improving the dog's quality of life and controlling the progression of the disease.

Fortunately, many dogs can live with heart failure without symptoms and without affecting their longevity. However, a proper diet is necessary to maintain a healthy body weight, and it is essential to reduce exposure to factors that can aggravate the condition, such as heat, intense exercise, stress or excitement.

Some congenital heart defects can be surgically treated, but unfortunately this is not very common. In most cases, puppies with congenital heart failure are unfortunately doomed.

 

FAQ

My dog has heart failure, is it serious?
Yes, heart failure in dogs is a serious disease, often incurable. However, some dogs can live well throughout their lives with this condition. The seriousness of the situation depends on the type of disease that causes your dog's heart problems, the stage of evolution and the profile of your pet.

How do I know if my dog has heart failure?
Heart failure in dogs is an insidious disease that usually progresses for years without causing any symptoms. This characteristic has earned it the nickname of "silent killer". In fact, the best way to find out if your dog has heart failure is to see a veterinarian for a complete check-up.

Can heart failure in dogs be treated?
The treatment of heart failure in dogs depends on the cause. Heart disease, the most common cause of heart failure in dogs, is usually incurable. Some endocrine diseases, on the other hand, have a very good prognosis. However, cardiomyopathies that cannot be cured can often be controlled over the long term, allowing dogs to maintain a good quality of life and reach a very honorable age.

My dog has heart failure, what should I do?
If you suspect that your dog has heart failure, it is essential to take him to a veterinarian so that he can receive appropriate treatment to improve his quality of life and preserve his longevity. Your veterinarian may prescribe a medical treatment and/or recommend hygienic measures to avoid factors that could aggravate his case.

A healthy diet to maintain a healthy weight is often necessary, and your dog should be kept away from stress, strenuous exercise and heat. Heart failure in dogs can be a scary disease, but it's important to be aware of it and watch for warning signs to keep your dog safe.

Since it is a common disease, which could affect about 10% of dogs, it is important to be aware that it does not only happen to others and could very well affect your four-legged friend one day.

In fact, it is highly recommended that you provide your dog with regular veterinary checkups to ensure that his heart is healthy.