Currently, it is known that 1 in 10 dogs suffers from heart disease. Over the years, nutritional therapies have been developed that can benefit our dogs. With these we manage to reduce medications, slow down the progression of the disease, improve the quality of life of the animal, and even, in some cases, cure the disease.
How do heart diseases in dogs originate?
When we speak of canine heart disease, we refer to a series of conditions involving heart dysfunction.
There are a number of factors that make dogs more likely to get heart disease, among these are genetics, depending on breed and age. The breeds most prone to suffer from these problems are Bull Terrier, Poodle, Dalmatian, Great Dane, Pomeranian, Schnauzer… Leaving aside this circumstance, often, these diseases are caused by a poor quality of life, either by sedentary lifestyle, a low level of physical activity, or an inadequate diet. We must pay close attention to dogs that fatigue easily, in addition, we must take into account the high temperatures and other signs that can make us see that our dog is having problems of some kind.
What symptoms do dogs with heart problems suffer from?
Heart failure affects the heart in the sense that it does not allow it to pump the right amount of blood to the rest of the body. As a result, it creates a backflow of blood into the lungs, abdomen, liver, limbs… Heart disease in dogs is manifested by the following symptoms:
- Cough and dyspnea
- Tachycardia and tachypnea
- Lethargy
- Tiredness
- Increased heart rate or increased blood pressure
- Arrhythmia
- Refusal of physical activity
- Cyanotic mucous membranes
- Heart murmurs or heart sounds
- Changes in the color of the gums or tongue
- Weight loss
- Obesity
What can we do to prevent our dogs from heart disease?
To prevent these diseases we recommend the following:
Physical activity:
It is recommended that they exercise between 30 minutes and 1 hour a day. Dogs with heart disease are overly sensitive to heat, so in times of high temperatures it is preferable to do the walks or physical activity during the cooler hours of the day.
Exercise will help prevent obesity in dogs, which is a big problem, since it is estimated that between 20 and 40% of dogs are overweight. However, do not overdo it, as it will have the opposite effect.
Keep a medical follow-up:
The ideal is to have annual veterinary check-ups, especially in dogs over the age of 8 years. Another option is to visit a canine nutritionist.
Do not eat ultra-processed food:
Dogs suffering from heart problems should be stricter about their diet. It is recommended to avoid ultra-processed foods and replace them with other more natural, fresh and additive-free foods.
Nutritional recommendations
- In order to keep their organism in good working order, it is recommended that they eat well-formulated, balanced, homemade dog food based on meat and fish, always excluding compound feed. The diet should be highly digestible and easily metabolized.
- Lower sodium levels to reduce hypertension, obstruction of veins and arteries, and difficulty in eliminating fluids and toxins. It is necessary to minimize the amount of salt in our dog’s diet, since it increases the pressure on the animal’s heart. The excess of this seasoning makes the work of the heart even more difficult. Therefore, diets that care for heart health are low in sodium.
- Supplement with Taurine, Carnitine, Magnesium, Fatty acids, omega-3, Coenzyme Q-10, Vitamins D and E.
- High palatability: this concept refers to the pleasant sensory characteristics of foods that encourage us to eat them: aroma and flavor. Like people, animals also take these characteristics into account when feeding themselves.
- Consumption of natural animal protein: Normally, dogs with heart disease tend to decrease their weight and appetite, so natural animal protein is essential for their recovery. The lack of this is one of the reasons why 80% of dogs develop anorexia and other pathologies such as dysplasia.
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