Understanding Heart Failure
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If your dog has been diagnosed with congestive heart disease, there is no need to feel down-hearted. With your care and suitable medication from your vet, a better, longer life for your dog is now in prospect. Understanding your dog’s condition will help you to help your dog.
There are two principal causes of heart failure in dogs:
- Mitral Valve Disease (MVD) and
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy
MVD - A problem with your dog's heart valves
DCM - A problem with your dog's heart muscle
Signs of heart disease can initially be quite mild and so may be difficult to pick up. However, as the disease progresses, the symptoms can become more severe. In DCM, the disease tends to progress quite quickly. Signs include:
- Lack of energy/depression
- Poor appetite
- Weight loss
- Laboured breathing
- Coughing
- Weakness
- Fainting
- Swollen abdomen (ascites).
