The heart is the most important organ in the body of dogs and cats, but most dog and cat ownersIt is often not known that children can also have heart disease, and some symptoms may be ignored. In fact, to see if your dog has heart disease or not, if you look at the initial symptoms with the naked eye, you may not be able to tell for sure. Because heart disease can be both symptomatic and asymptomatic, causing many owners to wonder:How do we know?That our pet is starting to suffer from heart disease? Therefore, let's understand heart disease in dogs and cats before it's too late.
Factors Affecting Heart Disease in Dogs and Cats
age It is divided into congenital heart disease, which is usually found in dogs less than 1 year old, and congenital heart disease, which is usually found in dogs aged 6 years and older.
Breed Large breed dogs are more likely to suffer from heart disease due to enlarged heart chambers, while small breed dogs are more likely to suffer from leaky or incomplete closure of the heart valves. In cats, the heart is often thickened beyond normal.
sex It was found that regardless of gender, both males and females have an equal chance of having heart disease.
Symptoms of heart disease in dogs and cats are different.partMost cats with heart disease do not show any signs of illness, but may show signs of heart failure when they are stressed from another illness or being in an unfamiliar place. Unlike dogs, cats that are in heart failure often show signs of difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, and are less likely to cough. Some cats may also appear more restless or lethargic than usual, and may also show a loss of appetite.
Another important symptom that may be found in cats with heart disease is paralysis of the hind legs, which owners often misunderstand as paralysis caused by injury, making the hind legs unable to be used. Also, ascites and abdominal distension may also be found due to heart failure, but the chances are lower than in dogs.
If anyone checks the initial symptoms and is not sure child The dogs and cats at our house are like this.diseaseIf it's your heart, you should take him to see a veterinarian.ExperiencedTo perform a diagnosis to confirm whether or not you have heart disease, including: Guidelines for diagnosis of heart disease As follows
1. General physical examination
Look at the breathing pattern to see if there is difficulty breathing. Look at the mouth opening for breathing and the color of the mucous membranes because if there is a lack of oxygen, the mucous membranes will be pale or turn purple.
2. Listening to the heartbeat
Sometimes, it is found that the heartbeat may not be rhythmic, such as irregular, faster or slower than normal, and quieter than normal.
3. Listen to breathing sounds.
Such as lung sounds that are louder than normal or sounds like there is fluid or stagnant fluid in the lungs, etc.
4. Examination of pulse characteristics
See if it is related to the heartbeat. If it is not related or the pulse is weaker or stronger than normal, it indicates an abnormality.
5. X-ray
It helps to see if there are any abnormalities in the chest cavity, such as the trachea, heart size, and lung tissue characteristics, etc.
6. Electrocardiogram (EKG)
It is a test to check the electrical conduction within the heart to see if there is an irregular rhythm or to see if the heart rate is faster or slower than normal.
7. Heart ultrasound (Echocardiography)
It is a heart examination using high-frequency sound waves through the chest wall, which is currently considered a very important diagnosis because it can accurately indicate physical abnormalities of the heart. It also helps to assess the severity of abnormalities in the functioning of the heart very well, such as examining the characteristics of the heart valves, stenosis of various blood vessels in the heart, thickening of the heart muscle, expansion of the heart chambers, and the efficiency of the heart contracting and relaxing, etc.
8. Other inspections
Such as blood tests, blood pressure measurements, heartworm tests, etc.
Taking your dog or cat for an annual checkup or physical examination is an important thing that will detect health problems or heart disease in the early stages of your dog or cat. Therefore, owners should have knowledge and understanding about this disease, observe their symptoms to see if they are at risk, so that if they have heart disease, they can get treatment early so that they can stay with us for a long time.
Read other articles Beware! Heart Disease, a Dangerous Disease That Dogs Can Get
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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
Vet Basket. Cat slaves must know... Our bosses can also have heart disease. Retrieved September 17, 2021 from Vet BasKet: https://bit.ly/3AipheF
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