Canine Congestive Heart Failure

canine congestive heart failure




Canine Congestive heart failure...

This very serious illness with the symptoms often difficult to spot. It has recently been estimated that over 3 million dogs a year suffer from congenital heart disease, thats 1 in 10 dogs!

For your vet to discover the what causes heart disease in your dog he or she will may need to listen for a heart murmur with a stethoscope and depending on the symptoms your dog may need to be hospitalized or given specific medications to treat the problem including diuretics to help your dog eliminate fluids, but more on this later....

Read on to discover what causes heart disease in dogs, common symptoms and how to prevent it.

Canine Congestive Heart Failure

The Facts


  • Canine congestive heart failure is when your dog is suffereing from a weakening of the heart muscle. Your dog needs the heart to pump a certain amunt of blood around his body, and if it starts to struggle this is when heart failure is diagnosed. 
  • To help compensate for the struggle to pump enough blood around your dog's body for his everyday needs and wants it may start to beat faster, which will also cause more and more damage.
  • As previously mentioned congenital heart failure in dogs affects about 1 in 10 dogs, which equates to about 3 million dogs every year have the diagnosis of having congestive heart failure.
  • Although humans suffer from heart attacks, in dogs they do not suffer from an attack but are diagnosed as having heart failure. 
  • The term failure does not mean that it has stopped working it refers to the fact that it is suffering and beginning to slowly fail. This means that your dog will need very urgent attention from a vet.
  • Another difference between dogs and humans is that heart failure in humans is often caused by a build up of fat in the arteries. This is not the case with dogs as they don't get the fat build up.
  • Unfortunately canine congestive heart failure is not normally curable. However, if your dog manages to get the best treatment and medications there is no reason why he can't have a relatively good quality of life.
  • Canine heart disease will slowly get worst over a period of time as the heart gets weaker and weaker. This will of course put more pressure on the rest of your dog's organs which will produce more problems in your dog's health.

What Causes Heart Disease in Dogs...?


Below we have listed exactly what causes heart disease in dogs...
  • Heart worm
  • Arrhythmia
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Inflammation and possible disease in the pericardium
  • Congenital heart defects.
  • Another cause is due to a degeneration of the heart valves.

Below are som of the breeds that are more likely to suffer from heart disease. Although the disease can be present in any dog, breed or age it is more common in larger breeds than smaller breeds.
  • Cocker Spaniels
  • Great Danes
  • Boxers
  • Irish Wolfhounds
  • Scottish Deer hounds
  • Dobermans

Symptoms of Canine Congestive Heart Failure


As mentioned previously, it is sometimes difficult to spot the symptoms of heart disease in your dog but below we have provided a guide to some of the symptoms.

Canine congestive heart failure (CHF) produce the same but also different symptoms depending whether it is right sided or from the left side.

CHF - Symptoms on the Left Side.
  • Your dog may become intolerant to exercise
  • Rapid breathing
  • Sometimes a difficulty in breathing
  • Your dog may faint
  • Coughing
CHF - Symptoms on the Right Side.
  • Your dog's limbs may begin to swell
  • Coughing
  • Rapid breathing
  • Sometimes a difficulty in breathing
  • Your dog may have a swollen abdomen, this is due to a build up of fluid.
These symptoms don't always mean that your dog has heart failure as they maybe an indication of another problem. However if your dog is exhibiting any of these symptoms get him to the vet immediately.

Diagnosis &Treatment

Heart Murmur
  • A pretty good way of diagnosis in whether your dog has heart disease is for your vet to listen with a stethoscope for a heart murmur as this is one of the most common ways to diagnose Mitral Valve Disease.
  • Your vet will grade your dog's heart murmur from 1-6, with the higher the number the more serious the condition
  • It is actually relatively common for a young puppy to have a heart murmur, but if it continues for 12 - 15 weeks then your puppy will need further tests.
  • Dog's that are very athletic also sometimes have a heart murmur, the sound that your vet will hear will be the rush and surge of blood from an active heart.
  • If your dog has an enlarged heart known as a DCM it is very difficult to diagnose as it does not produce a heart murmur.
Treatment for Canine Congestive Heart Failure

The treatment your vet gives to your dog depends on what has caused the heart failure in your dog, but it may include some of the following treatments and medications...
  • Hospitalization
  • Nitroglycerine paste
  • Your dog maybe given diuretics to help encourage him eliminate fluids.
  • Your vet may perform a Thoracocentesis which basically entails your vet removing the fluid from the lungs with a needle. This will help your dog breath easier.
  • Angiotensis converting enzyme inhibitor drugs maybe given to your dog, these help to inhibit any sodium retention and also control any hormone imbalances.
  • Your dog maybe given a low sodium diet and even nutritional supplements.
  • Your dog maybe given some digoxin medication.





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