Contents
Overview
We have often come across the saying of how the heart is considered a powerful muscle. However, just like humans, the heart of our pets is also fragile and prone to contract illnesses and various other heart-related problems. From a medical point of view, the pets starts showing health complications as they age and become old. Heart disease is one of the most common health concern found in dogs as they go through the process of ageing, however, we can prevent them by taking some few measures.
As per sources, the term heart disease can be understood as any condition affecting your dog’s heart or blood vessels which then interferes with the functioning of their body. Although the symptoms may slightly differ from one dog to another, dog owners should keep track of any unusual movements they may exhibit to detect any early health concerns of your dogs!
Types of Heart Diseases in Dogs
In general, there are two types of heart diseases in dogs and by which they can either be congenital or acquired. Studies have shown that about 90 percent of heart disease cases are acquired as opposed to congenital.
Congenital Heart Disease in Dogs
As the name suggests, congenital heart disease is a type of disease that is hereditary or is something you are born with. Although the cases are rare, your dog may be born with congenital heart disease due to genetics of their particular dog breed or it may be hereditary as well. Should your dog be born with this heart condition, you will notice any symptoms almost right away. [s]
Congenital heart disease is categorized into three types:
- Congestive Heart Failure: It happens when the heart finds it difficult to pump blood in the body.
- Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy: It is another type of congenital heart disease affecting the cardiac muscles. And, it interferes with the heart by reducing the amount of pressure needed to pump blood throughout the vascular system.
- Pulmonic Stenosis: It is a type of congenital heart disease that blocks the flow of blood from the right ventricle to the pulmonary artery. And it also blocks the blood flow between the heart and the lungs.
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Acquired Heart Diseases
Acquired heart diseases are the most common type of heart disease found in dogs. It mostly occurs during the middle age stage of their life and keeps progressing until old age. This heart disease is preventable and is a result of wear, tear, and aging.
To prevent this, you can start by keeping your dog healthy and clean. A routine visit to the vet can help to detect any early signs of heart disease and other such problems.
Your dog should also receive regular care of their body to prevent pests like ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, and lice. These pests are dangerous to your dog’s health. And it can cause Lyme disease and other such illnesses which may be directly connected to the heart.
How to prevent heart disease in dogs?
As pet owners, we always think about ways and means on how to prolong our beloved furry babies’ lives. And like humans, they are not immune to getting sick or get any diseases. This is sad considering how we always see them as happy and energetic.
Heart disease is a common type of health ailment found in dogs which can either be congenital and acquired. In cases of congenital, although this is rare, it is still unfortunate that you cannot do much to prevent the disease. However, in cases of acquired heart disease, you will find number of ways to prevent your dog from going through this disease.
One of the most common ways to prevent heart disease is heartworm disease infection. This is found commonly during the cold winter season and transmission from mosquitoes as well. Below we have tips to help prevent heart disease in your dogs.
Practice general wellness for your dog
When we talk about general wellness, it covers everything from providing good nutritious diet to raising them in an ideal environment suited for them. Taking your dogs out for daily walks and regular exercise also contributes positively to their well-being. It is important that your dog is not just physically healthy but mentally healthy as well. This ensures the overall health if their well-being.
Maintain a schedule of regular exercise
If humans can get exercise regularly to keep themselves fit and healthy, your dogs should also get some of these exercises to keep themselves fit and healthy. And no, we don’t mean that they should lift those heavy dumbbells or run on a treadmill.
You can consider the options like going for a walk; playing throw balls; swimming; hiking; or, any other pet related exercises. Maintaining regular exercises balances the heart health of your dog. Moreover, it will help them to stay in shape and manage their weights as well.
Practice dental care
Just like how it is with humans, practicing dental care can have many life saving benefits especially for heart health. Not surprising, dental disease is a common medical condition that is found in both dogs and cats.
Cleaning your dog’s teeth regularly is another important measure you can take to prevent heart disease in your dogs. You can do this activity every once in a week without fail.
Plan a nutritious healthy diet for your dog
Studies have shown that, poor diet can have a negative impact on the health of your pet dog. If your dog is underweight or overweight, they are at a risk of developing heart diseases.
Hence, you should plan a nutritious healthy diet for your furry baby. Make sure that they are getting all the right balance of vitamins, proteins, minerals, fatty acids, and taurine in their daily diet.
Prevent heartworm and parasites
This is another important preventive measure you can take to promote healthy heart of your dog. As mentioned earlier, heartworm and parasites can directly impact the heart’s health of your dog. Moreover, in some cases it can be fatal as well.
Parasites like ticks, lice, mosquitoes, fleas, and so on can weaken their heart. Hence, you can regularly check their body and apply topical ointments and medicines. This can be given orally to your dogs as well for further spread and to prevent heart disease.
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Monthly routine check-ups for your dog
Scheduling routine check-up for your dogs every month can help to prevent or detect early signs of heart disease or any other major or minor ailments your dog may be having. As a dog parent, you should also lookout for any possible and visible signs on your pet dogs!
