Is Dog Heart Murmur Is Symptom of Congestive Heart Failure?
Dog heart failure and heart murmum is common in few dog breeds.You will get dog health info and natural remedy to dog heart murmur.
The heart of dog is made up of four chambers. The upper left and right chambers are called the atria (atrium) and the lower left and right chambers are called the ventricles. Approximately 3.2 million of dogs in USA have some form of acquired heart disease or heart failures.
You should often check your dog’s pulse at its wrist to detect this abnormality at home. If you detect a heart murmur in your dog, it implies that there is abnormal blood flow within the dog’s heart. You should any of this symptoms to your vet.
There are two types of cardiac failure or myopathy that occur in dogs. In one form called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy the walls of the chambers of the heart thicken, leading to a decrease in pumping efficiency. This form of cardiac failure is quite rare in dogs. In the second form of cardiomyopathy the chambers of the heart increase in size and the muscles that form the walls of the heart stretch thinner. This is called dilated cardiomyopathy.
There are a number of things that may cause this, as they may be congenital or present from birth, or acquired which means the heart was affected after birth because of age or disease. There are two types of heart murmurs in dogs, benign murmurs which do not concern the health of the dog, and much more serious heart murmurs which may indicate the development of congestive heart failure in dogs.
Signs of Heart Failure:
Dog heart murmur symptoms often include coughing, poor exercise ability, bluish tinge to the gums or tongue, labored breathing and even fainting.
Dogs in the later stages of congestive heart failure become much less active and tire easily. Their appetite usually falls of and they show signs of difficult respiration, panting and coughing while at rest.
If you have any suspicion that your dog may be suffering from issues relating to a heart murmur, canine heart disease or the development of congestive heart failure, contact your vet immediately for an official diagnosis.
Diagnosis of Cardiomyopathy
The best way to diagnose the severity of the dog’s heart murmur is to conduct a thorough physical examination by a veterinarian. Vet can decide additional checks like heart ultrasound, blood testing, an EKG and chest x-rays. The ultrasound offers a particularly enticing list of benefits because it allows your veterinarian to measure the extent of the murmur, defining whatever the cause of the underlying heart disease may be.
It is vital that you be able to properly diagnose the cause of your dog’s heart condition because some conditions that cause heart murmurs are treatable, either through surgery or through medication.
If your dog has a congenital heart murmur, then surgery may be necessary. On the other hand, you may have to give your pooch certain types of medication as non-congenital heart murmurs are often an underlying symptom of congestive heart failure in dogs.
Treatment
Cardiomyopathy responds best to a cocktail of medications. One of the oldest drugs used to treat this condition is digitalis (Digoxin, Cardoxin, Lanoxin). This medication belongs to a group called positive inotropic agents which increase the concentration of calcium in heart muscle cells.
Another helpful group of drugs for dogs in heart failure are diuretics. These drugs remove accumulation of fluids that occur in the lungs and abdomen of cardiac patients due to the sluggish flow of blood.
Another important group of drugs used in treating dilated cardiomyopathy are blood vessel dilators called ACE inhibitors
Dog breeds prone to heart problem
Doberman pinchers develop abnormal electrocardiograms up to four years before they develop clinical signs of heart failure.
In Boxers abnormal heart rhythms are often picked up as an incidental finding on routine health exams when no signs of illness are present.
It is very important that you share any questions or concerns with your vet especially when it comes to your pooch’s lifestyle and physical condition. If the diagnosis from your general veterinarian does not suit you, perhaps you should seek out a specialist for your dog. You could either go to an internist or a veterinary cardiologist. These vets have specialized training and they probably have a great deal of expertise in this field and other issues that you may have with your dog.
Natural treatment of dog heart murmur : You can find an intetresting on natural treatment of congestive Heart Failure Herbs :
Recommendation
1. In addition to safeguarding your dog’s heart, there’s a lot you can do to keep your dog happy and in top shape. Ensure that your dog gets a moderate amount of exercise on a regular basis and has a balanced diet. An obese dog may have a harder time staying healthy.
2. Proper care and veterinary supervision is must for your dog.
3. You should have pet dog insurance as the cost of treatment is quiet high.
Disclaimer: This website is not intended to replace professional consultation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed veterinarian. If you require any veterinary related advice, contact your veterinarian promptly. Information at pawhealer.com is exclusively of a general reference nature. Do not disregard veterinary advice or delay treatment as a result of accessing information at this site.
