The heart is a four chambered muscular pump. There are two right and two left chambers. The top upper right chamber, called the atrium, receives oxygen depleted blood from the body through two major veins, sends it to the lower right chamber, called the right ventricle, and out to the lungs. Here the blood is replenished with oxygen, sent back to the heart's left upper chamber, called the left atrium, down to the left lower chamber, called the left ventricle, and out to the body, through blood vessels called arteries. When the heart is significantly diseased, its pumping and delivery power are compromised and clinical symptoms develop; but if the changes in the heart are minimal there may not be any outward signs.
Some commonly seen heart diseases in dogs:
Heart failure can be caused by any of the above conditions when they have progressed to the point of severely hindering the heart's ability to pump life giving blood to the body.
Signs of significantly diseased heart:
Diagnosing and monitoring heart disease in the dog:
Managing a dog with heart disease:
Treatment is tailored to the specific needs of each patient and adjustments in medication may be needed with time.
What is the prognosis for dogs with heart disease?
As with many other conditions, early diagnosis and early intervention of heart abnormalities can increase your dog’s longevity and have positive impact on the quality of life, and may extend survival time by months to years. The partnership of pet owner and veterinarian in monitoring and administering the appropriate treatments is essential.
At DR 4 PETS we believe a well informed pet owner is empowered to sustain their fur baby’s general health and thereby keep that beautiful human-pet bound alive. If however, father time or ill health brings your pet to the end-of-life we want to be there to help. We provide dignified and compassionate in-home euthanasia to the feline and canine population of Ventura, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Agoura, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Chatsworth, Porter Ranch, Calabasas, and neighboring communities. Give us a call at (805) 494-3339.