Canine Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms and Treatment

Canine congestive heart failure is a very serious condition that can affect all dog breeds.

The main cause of canine congestive heart failure is due to a build up of pressure in your dogs veins and capillaries. This is called high diastolic pressure and is when your dog can suffer heart failure.

A secondary effect due to this build up may also cause fluid to leak out from your dogs blood vessels.

Canine congestive heart failure can be a result of a variety of differing pericardial and cardiac diseases. We have listed some of these causes below.

Your dog may have a weak heart muscle that was either congenital I.e he was born with it or it may have become worst over time. The technical name for a weak heart muscle is decreased myocardial contractibility. A weak heart muscle is quite often seen alongside dilated cardiomyopathy.

Another possible cause of canine congestive is due to myocardial stiffness. This nasty affliction in your dog will affect and impair the functioning of your dog's heart's ability to fill with blood, which is of course a very important function.

Valvular regurgitation is another possible cause of canine congestive heart failure. This causes your dog's heart to have a leak in one of four of your dog's heart valves. This can be seen with tricuspid and mitral regurgitation.

One of the biggest problems with canine congestive heart failure is the difficulty that dog owners have with spotting the illness and its main symptoms. The reason for this is that the symptoms are often quite mild and may be written off as just normal dog behavior.

This is why it is so important that you take your dog for regular check ups at the vets as the symptoms may at first seem mild they can become more serious very quickly and over a very short amount of time. Below we have listed some of the symptoms to look out for.

Canine Congestive Heart Failure Symptoms

Weight loss fast or over a period of time.

Tiredness and a lack of energy. You may take your dog for a walk and he gets tired more quickly. He may even be allot less active than usual. This is a symptom of more advanced symptoms of canine congestive heart failure.

Poor appetite

You may notice that your dog has laboured breathing and having difficulty when breathing. Your dog may be showing signs of excessive panting and even coughing when not active and resting.

Restlessness

Fainting

Heavy breathing - the dog can show signs of difficulty in breathing, panting and coughing whilst resting;

Your dog may have a swollen stomach/abdomen. This symptom is due to a build up of fluid accumulating in the abdomen and liver.

Another symptom of canine congestive heart failure occurs in your dogs mouth. A normal mouth will appear pink but a dog with heart failure may appear grey.

Canine Congestive Heart Failure Treatment

Your dog's vet may prescribe diuretics which will help by decreasing the build up of fluid in the abdomen and lungs.

Another popular treatment given by vets is the use of a drug known as Digitalis. This medication is part of a group of drugs known as positive inotropic agents. This medication will aid the condition by helping to increase calcium production and its concentration in your dog's heart muscles.

More tips and advice on canine congestive heart failure.
A definitive guide to canine congestive heart failure, it's symptoms and treatment.