Listen to his heart
Bonn. Healthy dogs like to run around and love long walks. This is what the dog's heart with its pumping power is designed for. If this drive stutters, performance decreases and the four-legged friend quickly tires. Around one in ten dogs is affected by heart disease. If treated in a timely manner, the dog with heart disease can live well and symptom-free for a long time.
In principle, all dogs can develop heart failure. Even puppies are affected by genetically inherited heart disease. However, the risk of heart disease increases significantly the older the dog gets.
The symptoms are initially inconspicuous
The symptoms usually develop gradually and cannot initially be clearly assigned. Maybe the dog doesn't like to play anymore or doesn't feel like going on long walks anymore. Increased panting or occasional coughing can also be early signs. In a later stage, animals with heart disease appear tired and weak. The appetite decreases. The alarm bells should be ringing by now. If your four-legged friend is panting or coughing heavily after just a short period of physical exertion, the disease is often already well advanced. In particularly severe cases, these symptoms occur even at rest. In dramatic cases, collapse or fainting can also occur.
The heart works like a pump
If a dog's heart is sick or can no longer pump properly, it is generally referred to as heart weakness or heart failure. Only the vet can find out which of the possible heart diseases is behind it. That's why it's important to listen to your heart during routine examinations. Abnormal heart murmurs can provide initial clues. If suspected, further examinations can confirm the diagnosis.
The heart valves and muscles no longer work properly
Chronic valvular disease is the most common cause of heart failure in dogs. These are pathological changes in the heart valves. These no longer fulfill their valve function, so blood flows back with every heartbeat. Depending on which of the two heart valves is damaged, a backlog occurs in the large bloodstream or in the lungs. It mainly affects older dogs and smaller breeds such as Cavalier King Charles, Yorkshire Terriers, Poodles and Dachshunds. The disease progresses gradually.
The weakness of the heart muscle (dilated cardiomyopathy, DCM for short) is the second most common heart disease in dogs. It occurs almost exclusively in younger to middle-aged larger dogs, such as the Doberman, the wolfhound or the Great Dane. The heart muscle becomes thin and weak and can no longer provide its pumping performance. The disease usually progresses quite quickly.
Cardiac rhythm disorders can also occur, so-called arrhythmias, which in some cases lead to sudden cardiac death (second death) can lead.
What can the dog owner do?
Although there is no cure for heart failure, early drug treatment can allow the dog to live a longer and relatively pain-free life. Heart-strengthening medications relieve the strain on the heart in a phase where no symptoms are yet apparent. That's why regular checkups are so important. It is very important that a dog with heart disease exercises regularly, but does not become overexerted. Especially on hot days, a dog with a heart condition prefers to stay in the shade. A healthy diet and normal weight can also help maintain the quality of life of the dog with heart disease for as long as possible.
Further detailed information: Heart failure in dogs