Heart disease is the leading cause of death in humans in the United States and costs the country over $300 billion annually. While not as extreme in our pets, it is frequently encountered in veterinary medicine. Approximately 10% of all dogs in the United States suffer from heart disease, and up to 75% of senior dogs have a heart condition.
Heart disease can be caused by many different illnesses. These conditions can be congenital (present from birth) or acquired. Genetics can play a role in certain congenital heart diseases such as Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Pulmonary Stenosis. Dogs can also be born with one or more openings between the chambers of the heart, leading to improper performance. Other conditions can develop over time and include degeneration of the valves, arrhythmias, and fluid around the heart. Toxins, infections, and cancers can also affect the heart. Some causes of heart disease can lead to congestive heart failure. This is the hearts inability to adequately pump/circulate blood, resulting in fluid building up in the lungs and/or abdomen.
The common signs of heart disease in dogs include coughing (mainly a dry cough, often at night), shortness of breath or labored breathing, weight loss, fainting/collapse, and becoming easily fatigued. While these signs can represent countless other non-cardiac causes, it is important to have your dog evaluated by your veterinarian if you notice any.
However, because the above clinical signs are often present when the heart disease is advanced, it is important to bring your pup in for wellness checkups as heart disease can often be detected early, before signs appear. Veterinarians can often hear a heart murmur, arrhythmia, or changes in lung sounds. They can also evaluate the mucous membranes and pulses. Early detection can lead to a longer survival time with good quality of life. Unfortunately, there are some types of heart disease that cannot be improved, but it is helpful to know the information to better understand and prepare if your pet becomes sick.
Detecting a change in the heart and/or lungs during an exam is the first step to diagnosing heart disease. To determine the cause, severity, and, hopefully, treatment, additional tests are required. These include radiographs, echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart), electrocardiogram (monitoring the electrical conduction of the heart), and certain blood tests. Many times, a cardiologist is needed to thoroughly diagnose the specifics of your pet’s condition.
Treatment depends greatly on the underlying cause. Similar to humans, ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and diuretics are among the commonly prescribed medications. Diets that are low in sodium and supplemented with omega 3 fatty acids will help support the heart. Diets that have adequate taurine levels are also important in maintaining proper heart function. There have been links to heart disease in certain grain free diets. Therefore, it is very important to keep your dog on a grain-inclusive diet unless otherwise instructed by your veterinarian.
(A quick note about heart attacks, which are very rare in dogs. Heart attacks in humans refer to myocardial infarctions. This is death of the heart muscle cells, typically due to coronary vessel obstruction.)
While some causes of heart disease cannot be prevented, responsible breeding, regular check-ups, heartworm and tick prevention, exercise, and proper diet can help keep your pet as heart-healthy as possible.