The heart is weak when you know that the person you care about is not you. Oh! That's off topic. Because the heart is the most important organ in the body. When something happens to it, it can be life-threatening. Not just for people, but also for dogs. Are you confused that dogs can have heart disease? Let's find the answer to whether dogs can actually have heart disease. What are the causes of the disease? How can it be treated? So that every owner can take their dog to get treatment in a timely manner.
For the question that Can Dogs Get Heart Disease? The answer is that dogs do indeed suffer from heart disease. Heart disease can be present in dogs from birth or shortly after birth, or it can develop mid-life. However, acquired heart disease is the most common form of heart disease in dogs, and dogs that are diagnosed with heart disease are usually older dogs.
In addition, research has revealed that over 50% dog owners are unaware that their dogs are at risk of heart disease, even though as many as 1 in 4 dogs aged 7 years and older have heart disease.
"heart" The heart is considered the most important organ in the pet's body. Its function is to pump blood to carry oxygen and nutrients through the blood vessels to nourish the cells in the body. Most abnormalities of the heart often cause a decrease in heart contraction, which can cause fluid to accumulate in the chest and abdomen.
Types of heart disease
Heart disease is divided into two main types:
1. Chronic heart valve disease Atrial fibrillation reduces the efficiency with which the heart contracts to pump blood to the rest of the body, making it a common heart condition in dogs.
2. Cardiomyopathy This disorder occurs when the heart muscle thickens or the walls of the heart chambers become thin and weak, resulting in a decrease in the efficiency of the heart's contractions, which is a common disorder in cats.
Both types of heart disease develop gradually over time, but both can cause a serious condition that affects the heart's function called Heart failure
Causes of heart disease
Heart disease can be caused by many things, including:
- Physical condition – Overweight dogs and cats are at higher risk of heart disease.
- age – The incidence of heart disease in pets tends to increase as pets age.
- Breed – Small breed dogs that are prone to heart valve disease include Poodles, Miniature Schnauzers, Chihuahuas, Fox Terriers, Cocker Spaniels, Boston Terriers, Boston Terriers, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, etc. However, in the case of heart muscle disease, it usually occurs in large breed dogs, such as Great Danes, Dobermanns, Afghan Hounds, St. Bernards, etc. It is also found in small breed dogs, such as English Bulldogs.”
How do you know if your dog has heart disease?
Heart disease symptoms in dogs are quite variable and can be difficult to identify because they often resemble other medical conditions. Symptoms can range from non-observable to noticeable, but become more pronounced or severe as the heart disease progresses. Observable symptoms include:
1. Easily fatigued or lack of energy
2. Difficulty breathing
3. Not eating and weight loss
4. Frequent coughing
5. Weak, easily tired, less exercise
6. Fainting, losing consciousness
7. Abdominal swelling and enlargement
If the owner finds the above symptoms in the dog, they should take the dog to see a veterinarian to check for abnormalities in the dog's heart.
Guidelines for Diagnosing Heart Disease in Dogs
1. Take a medical history, perform a physical examination, and listen to the heart and lungs.
The history and symptoms that the owner finds will be information that helps in diagnosing heart disease because sometimes pets may not show symptoms during the examination, such as a soft cough in the throat with worsening symptoms at night and difficulty breathing, or a fast heartbeat with a weak pulse, which is often related to heart disease.
Listening to the chest can also help determine the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat. In addition, the pulse may be felt to check whether it is loud or soft and in relation to the heartbeat. This can indicate certain heart diseases. Listening and tapping on the chest can also help indicate abnormalities in the lungs, such as the presence of fluid, air, or tightness in the chest.
2. General blood test, liver and kidney function test, heartworm disease test
– Complete blood count, such as in cases where there is a suspected heart valve infection.
– Heartworm Disease Testing measures antigen levels (adult heartworms) or detects microfilaria (young heartworms in the bloodstream).
– Kidney function tests (Urea, Creatinine) in cases where there is suspicion of kidney function problems due to insufficient blood flow to the kidneys.
– Electrolyte abnormality measurement
– Liver enzyme measurement (ALP, ALT) in case of suspected oxygen deficiency.
– Measuring CPK levels, which may be high due to the development, degeneration or death of the heart muscle.
3. Chest X-ray
To assess whether the size of the heart and lungs are normal or not, chest and neck X-rays are very useful tools in differentiating heart disease from respiratory disease. The X-rays are taken while the dog is breathing as deeply as possible in 2 positions: supine and sideways. The X-ray images allow us to see the condition of the lungs, trachea, pulmonary blood vessels and chest cavity, which indicates abnormalities that may be caused by respiratory disease and heart disease.
4. Electrocardiogram
An EKG is important in some dogs where irregular heartbeats are detected, which may be related to lung disease or heart disease itself that cannot be detected on a chest x-ray, such as abnormal cardiac conduction or cardiac enlargement.
5. Heart ultrasound
To look at the internal structure of the heart that may have abnormalities, such as incomplete closure of the heart valves, leakage of the heart wall, or narrowing of the blood vessels in the heart, the presence of fluid in the pericardial sac, etc. It can also be used to measure the efficiency of the heart's contraction and relaxation.
Is heart disease in dogs curable?
Heart disease in dogs is treatable However, there may not be a single treatment that can cure all types of dog heart disease. The success of treating dog heart disease depends on many factors. Animals with heart disease can control their symptoms through exercise, medication, and choosing the right food along with advice from a veterinarian. However, detecting heart disease problems in the early stages is the best thing because it will help save your dog's life quickly, allowing him to stay with us for a long time.
Cautions Early symptoms of heart disease may not be obvious, so if you suspect your dog has heart disease, you should take your dog to see a veterinarian immediately.
Taking your dog for an annual checkup or physical examination is important to detect health problems or heart disease in the early stages of your dog. Therefore, anyone who raises a dog should have knowledge and understanding of this disease, observe your dog's symptoms to see if they are at risk, so that if your dog has heart disease, you can get treatment early so that your dog can stay with us for a long time.
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References
Dr. Oraya Prapanpoj, veterinarian at the Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Surgery and Department of Cardiology, Talingchan Animal Hospital
Morris Animal Foundation. 5 Common Signs of Heart Disease in Dogs. From Moris Animal Foundation : https://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/article/5-common-signs-heart-disease-dogs
Spectra For Dog. (n.d.). Warning signs of heart disease in dogs. Retrieved August 30, 2021, from https://www.spectrafordog.com/TH/protect/protect_5.html
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