How To Prevent And Treat Heart Disease In Dogs

Have you just came home from the vet and received the sad news that he or she has found heart disease in your dog? When you heard this prognosis, chances are you felt your own heart sink as this is your beloved pet. Did you know that there is plenty you can do in order to change what might look like bad news from your vet? By reading this article, you will find out how to prevent and treat heart disease in dogs.

Prevention is definitely better than cure when it comes to heart disease. Is your dog eating a healthy diet? If not this could be the cause of his heart problems. Don’t beat yourself up about this, but it’s time to start learning about healthy foods for dogs and what to feed your dog to improve his health and recovery.

Chemical medicines for heart disease in dogs do have known side effects. If you can, find a holistic vet who would be qualified to recommend herbal remedies such as dandelion or hawthorn which can both help strengthen the heart muscle and prevent fluid build up.

Always take your dog to the vet for his annual check-up even though he doesn’t appear to have any health problems. If you notice your dog coughing, especially during the night time or after exercise, then you should take your dog to the vet immediately as this could be one of the symptoms heart disease.

If your dog is lethargic and can’t seems to keep up while you are walking or there seems to be a difference in the way he’s breathing, then take him to the vet without delay. Other serious symptoms of heart disease in dogs include weight loss for no apparent reason, labored breathing and fainting.

Gentle exercise is also important and is as simple as walking your dog a few times a week. If your dog already has heart disease allow him to set the pace. Stop or slow down if he seems very tired or starts to cough.

your vet has diagnosed your dog with cardiac ischemia, which is a shortage of blood supply going to the heart, or reperfusion, which is damage to the heart tissue, then CoQ10 will help your dog. CoQ10 is a fantastic supplement for dogs as it not only slows down the progression of heart disease, but it will also improve the overall health of your dog. We all know that a happy dog is a healthy dog.

In order to prevent bad cholesterol (LDL) in your dog and to help your dogs heart health, then we recommend some good old Vitamin E. You should give your dog Vitamin E in 200-500 IU each day.  

Another great supplement that will help your dog’s heart is L-Carnitine. It will help with deterioration of the heart muscle. When you combine L-Carnitine with Taurine, it will increase your dog’s life expectancy. This can be given in the amount of 500-2000 mg daily.

In the end, it is very easy to keep your dogs heart safe, as long as you pay close attention to his health and remember to take him to his anuual visit to the vet each year or straight away if something seems wrong. Remember, heart disease in dogs could arise at any time, so you should keep an eye out for any symptoms that may arise.