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Dogs are not that much plagued by heart disease compared to humans, however, it’s an internal medical condition in them too. Once developed, heart disease can cause severe consequences to your dog, and, if you’re a pet lover like I’m, you won’t like it.
Addressing the sign beforehand can help you to arrange suitable treatment and help your pet get well soon. This article will drive you through 9 early signs of heart disease in dogs enabling you to recognize the issue on time and treat them in a better way.
Let’s explore!
What’s Heart Disease In Dogs?
Whether it’s human, or dog, the primary function and responsibility of the heart is to pump blood throughout the body. When any issue occurs and the heart faces any difficulty in pumping blood flawlessly, it can create severe medical conditions. A large number of dogs out there get heart disease, as they get older. Therefore, recognizing the types of disease can enable pet owners to prevent or treat it on time.
9 Symptoms of Heart Disease In Dogs
When it comes to the signs of heart disease in dogs, it’s not far different from that of humans. The bigger difference, however, is that humans can realize and express health conditions while dogs, unfortunately, can’t do that. So, in order to help them do away with heart problems, pet owners should recognize the early signs of heart disease in dogs to treat them on time.
Below mentioned are signs of Cardiovascular disease in dogs. If you find any of these signs in your pet, it means it needs veterinary care immediately.
Loss of Appetite
It may seem like a common problem resulting from various health conditions, but it’s one of the considerable signs of heart disease, too. If you find your dog losing interest in food, while exhibiting some other symptoms on the list, you may need your pet to see a vet.
Continuous Cough
Continuously increasing coughs can be another sign of heart disease in dogs. In case the heart disease builds up fluid in your dog’s lungs, it’s likely to develop a cough incessantly. Try to treat it with common medication, but if you find it continues for more than a couple of days, you should see a vet for your lovely pooch.
Shortness, Or Difficulties In Breath
Difficulties in breathing, whether it’s an increased rate of breathing or decreasing the same, can be an early sign of heart disease in dogs. However, you needn’t take it seriously initially, but if it continues even when you have treated your pooch with common treatments, you should look for veterinary care.
Fainting or Collapse
Another one of the symptoms of heart disease in dogs is fainting or collapse. Oftentimes, caused by continuous exercise or cough, fainting or collapse is likely to happen when your dog is affected by heart disease, because of mitigated blood flow in the brain. Bear in mind that, at times, or in some cases, fainting may look like a seizure. So, if you find your dog faints or collapses, don’t delay to look for a vet.
Reluctance to Play, Exercise, or Climb Stairs
Would your dog carry boundless energy, but nowadays it’s hesitant to even play or exercise? If yes, it may be an early sign of heart disease. Dogs are more likely to feel a lack of energy and tire out soon compared to those who are healthy. So, if you’re experiencing your dog being reluctant to exercise, play, or climb stairs, it may be a sign that it’s suffering from heart disease.
Weight Gain or Loss
If you see your dog gaining weight or losing the same, it too, can be a sign of heart disease. You can relate it to the loss of appetite mentioned above in this article.
“When it comes to weight loss, you can see the distended or bloating belly of the dog which is far different from the usual chubbiness. The sudden weight increase can be a cause of building fluid in the abdomen when the blood flow gets interrupted by lacking circulation.”
Abdominal Enlargement
Have you noticed your dog has developed a distended abdomen that resembles a pot belly? If yes, then it’s likely to be a sign of abdominal fluid accumulation caused by heart disease. In this case, you shouldn’t be late finding a veterinarian to get your dog examined for heart disease. Immediate veterinary care will help you address the underlying cause to ensure your lovely dog’s well-being.
Sudden Change in Demeanor
It may be another early sign of heart disease in dogs. If you’re noticing a behavioral change in your dog’s personality, appetite, and enthusiasm, and find no apparent reason for the same, it could be a sign that your dog’s heart isn’t working properly. In this situation, you ought to start looking for a vet right away.
Bluish Tinge to Skin
Last but not least! If the heart of your dog doesn’t function properly, it can mitigate the oxygen in the blood leading to a bluish tinge to the skin. So, when you come to know that the skin of your pooch has developed a tinge that is unusual, you should see the vet as soon as it can be.
Way to Preventing Heart Disease in Dogs
Precaution is always better than treatment. Heart disease is severe and can be difficult to treat, hence, it’s better to safeguard your dogs upfront. That said, here are some of the ways using which you can be capable of preventing heart disease in Dogs.
- Feed your dog with quality food.
- Keep your pooch on continuous, preventive heartworm medication.
- Make sure your dog exercises appropriately on a daily basis.
- Assist it with maintaining a healthy weight.
- Circumvent exposure to contaminated and toxin areas
Signing Off….!
That’s all about the symptoms of heart disease in dogs. There may be some more signs to it, however, these are the most common signs that you can notice earlier. If you address the issue on time, it helps you find a suitable treatment for heart disease in dogs to keep your pet safe. Many types of heart disease need long-term monitoring and continuous diagnostic testing and medication.
On the other hand, some of them like congenital defects can only be remedied by surgery. So, to treat your dog better you should find a reliable vet like Safari Veterinary Care Centers for a complete solution.
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