Heart disease in dogs: types, symptoms, diagnosis. What are Dog Heart Diseases Dog Heart Disease Symptoms

A big heart beats in the chest of any dog, which is filled with love and devotion to its owners. But, unfortunately, our pets are increasingly diagnosed with diseases of the cardiovascular system, complicating and shortening their lives.

How to understand that your dog has heart problems, what to do with it, how to treat it, how long do dogs with heart disease live? We will try to answer these questions in the most complete and accessible way.

What is a dog's heart?

The heart of dogs is a hollow organ made up of muscles, the main of which is called the myocardium. The heart has an inner shell - the endocardium, and outside it is covered by an outer shell - the epicardium. In addition, it is placed in a special heart sac or pericardium, which protects the "main pump of the body" from shocks, shocks, infections and contact with other organs.

The heart is divided into two ventricles and two atria, while there is a common valve between the right atrium and the ventricle, the second valve is between the left atrium and the ventricle. The third valve connects the left ventricle and the aorta leaving it, and the fourth valve is located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery.

The job of all four valves is to organize the movement of blood through the heart in only one direction.

We've outlined the anatomy of the canine heart for you so you can understand why heart disease occurs in dogs.

What kind of heart diseases are diagnosed in dogs?

Heart problems in dogs are classified as congenital or acquired during life. Congenital heart disease is a consequence of:

• Improper intrauterine development, resulting in the formation of a heart defect in the dog.
• Complications from an infectious disease that the bitch suffered during pregnancy.
• Genetic predisposition of certain breeds to heart disease.

Congenital heart diseases make themselves felt at an early age (up to one year) and have a not very good prognosis for survival. If the defect is small, then it may practically not manifest itself in any way during life, and only on examination in the clinic, the doctor will hear a heart murmur in the dog. With serious cardiac problems, puppies have the following symptoms:

• lethargy, drowsiness;
• poor appetite;
• shortness of breath and cough after active games and jogging;
• breathing with an open mouth;
• blue discoloration of the mucous membranes;
• sudden fainting.

Can Congenital Heart Disease in Dogs Be Cured? For minor defects, the doctor can prescribe supportive drug therapy courses and restriction of movement, and your dog will live with his illness for many years. In the case of a serious pathology, the prognosis is most often sad, since a dog's heart surgery can only be performed by a cardiac surgeon, of which there are very few in veterinary medicine.

Signs of illness and treatments

Let's take a look at the types of acquired heart disease in a dog, their symptoms and treatments.

One of the most common problems is heart failure in adult dogs. This pathology arises as a result of the fact that the heart can no longer fully perform its pumping functions, and the blood begins to linger in the lungs, causing them to edema.

A typical symptom of the pathology is the so-called cardiac cough. The reasons for this cough are the irritation of the bronchi with accumulated fluid.

At first, the signs of heart failure are not very pronounced - the dog develops shortness of breath during active games or at elevated air temperatures. Over time, the situation begins to worsen, and the dog begins to get tired very quickly, breathes heavily even after a small load, his gums and nose turn pale, his tongue turns blue.

At the next stage of the disease, the dog has a heart cough. At first, the animal coughs infrequently, but then there are prolonged attacks, during which the dog chokes with a cough. This symptom indicates that your pet has developed severe heart failure.

The owners need to understand that it is necessary to see a doctor at the first signs of an illness, as this will help prolong the life of their pet. Heart failure is a chronic disease, so the dog will be prescribed a lifelong intake of certain drugs to normalize the heart and diuretics to reduce pulmonary edema.

Depending on the severity of the condition, the veterinarian selects therapy individually for each animal.

It will be necessary to reconsider the lifestyle of your pet, now it will be recommended short walks, not too active games, a certain diet and the elimination of stressful situations.

What is cardiomyopathy in dogs?

The cardiovascular system of the dog, when properly functioning, ensures the supply of all organs with blood and nutrients, which allows the animal to live and develop normally. However, the anatomy of the heart muscles can change with age, as well as due to complications after viral, bacterial infections.

The pathological transformation of the heart muscles is called cardiomyopathy.

There are several types of cardiomyopathies:

• Hypertrophic, in which the dog's heart is enlarged. It is considered the most "mild" type of disease, as there is a proportional hypertrophy of all walls of the ventricles and atria, that is, the heart increases evenly. But in order for such a large heart to work well, the dog needs to spend more strength and energy, which are not very much in older dogs. In addition, it puts pressure on nearby organs and receives less nutrition and oxygen, which can lead to a heart attack.
• In the dilated form, stretching and atrophy of the myocardium occurs, as a result of which the heart cannot contract normally and push blood through the vessels.
• The restrictive form is characterized by the formation of fibrous tissue in the thickness of the heart wall, which interferes with the normal contractility of the dog's heart.
• In a mixed form, a combination of all the above types of cardiomyopathy is possible.

As we have already mentioned, the causes of the development of cardiomyopathies are infectious diseases, complications after inflammatory ailments, heart worms, as well as serious errors in nutrition, in which there is a lack of vitamins E, B12, and selenium in food.

The main symptoms of cardiomyopathy include:

• asthma attacks;
• hoarse breathing;
• heart cough;
• heartache;
• violation of the heartbeat;
• swelling;
• rapid fatigue;
• cyanosis of the mucous membranes;
• weight loss;
• apathetic animal behavior.

The manifestation of such symptoms should prompt the owner to seek veterinary assistance with the dog as soon as possible. After the research has been done, the doctor will prescribe medications for your pet that he will take throughout his life.

Most often, digoxin is prescribed to support the work of the heart, which prevents atrial fibrillation, and procainamide to regulate gastric extrasystoles. To eliminate stagnation of fluid in the body, diuretics are used, in particular furosemide. The use of enzymes such as L-carnitine helps to increase myocardial nutrition in order to prevent heart attacks.

In addition to drug therapy, it is important to correctly calculate the physical activity for the dog and compose the diet in such a way that it contains a minimum amount of salt and fat, but a lot of protein and vitamins.

Myocarditis

Inflammatory and infectious diseases can cause another type of heart disease in a dog - myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle.

The impetus for the development of myocarditis can be some infections, intoxication of the body with poisons or an excess of drugs, trauma to the heart with broken ribs.

The disease can manifest itself with the following symptoms:

• violation of the rhythm of the heart;
• dry cough;
• weakness of the dog;
• hard breath;
• temperature increase.

Treatment is prescribed according to the cause of the myocarditis.

Endocarditis

If the cause of endocarditis is an infection, then the dog has severe hyperthermia and signs of heart failure - shortness of breath, heart murmurs, weakening of the heart beat, against which pulmonary edema may develop, fraught with death of the animal.

In the case of endocarditis, it is important for the doctor to determine how to support the dog's heart during illness and to prescribe adequate therapy. In parallel, the treatment of pathology that affects the work of the heart is carried out.

Myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction is a dangerous disease, as a result of which the blood supply to any part of the myocardium stops and then it dies off. The consequence of such a pathology is the disruption of the whole body, up to the death of the dog.

For the clinical picture of a character infarction, severe pain in the chest area, panic in the dog, a sharp change in the color of the mucous membranes. The prognosis of survival in dogs with a heart attack depends on the size of the affected area of ​​the myocardium, the age and general condition of the animal.

How is heart disease diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosis of heart disease in dogs is similar to human diagnosis and includes:

• blood and urine tests;
• electrocardiography;
• echocardiography.

The results obtained are carefully studied by a veterinarian-cardiologist, who selects specific medications for each patient, develops an individual treatment schedule, schedules a diet and gives recommendations on the animal's lifestyle.

Surgery for the treatment of heart disease in dogs is very rare, as it is an expensive and underdeveloped field of veterinary medicine.

We hope that our article will help owners recognize cardiac problems in their pets at the earliest stages, when there are still ways to help the dog and make its heart beat for years to come!

Article contentCausesMain symptomsDiagnosis in a veterinary clinicTreatment method and prognosisWhat to do at homePossible ...

Chronic heart failure - CHF - is called cardiac dysfunction, when the heart cannot cope with pumping blood, usually accompanied by shortness of breath, tachycardia, increased heart sounds, fluid retention in the body and suppression of physical activity.

Traditionally, it is believed that heart failure in dogs develops during old age. However, in veterinary medicine, there are three different types of heart disease: congenital, acquired due to complications of other diseases, and age-related changes.

Heart failure in dogs symptoms

Pet owners under the age of 1 year should immediately show the dog to a veterinary cardiologist, if the puppy has poor appetite, he is not gaining weight well, is inactive, and even if he plays, he gets tired quickly, he has shortness of breath, cyanosis of the tongue, he faints, coughs when actively moving.

In the behavior of dogs of an average age group - from 3 to 7 years - the owners should be alerted to such symptoms of heart failure in dogs as the appearance of shortness of breath at rest, lethargy, sudden fainting (usually after physical exertion), a cough that is somewhat similar to vomiting, growing thirst, weight gain.

Alarming symptoms for the owner of an adult dog over 8 years old should be a deaf cough, impaired coordination of movement, uncertainty, unsteadiness of gait, heavy breathing even in a cool place, weakness, loss of appetite, blue tongue, change in the set of the forelimbs (elbows wide apart), increase in volume belly.

In addition to congenital CHF, the causes of the appearance of the disease are past diseases (viral, colds, and others), as well as physical activity, both too large and insufficient.

Heart failure in dogs treatment

These alarming symptoms, even if they are not regular, should be the reason for an immediate visit to the veterinary clinic. The prognosis for animals, if treatment for heart failure in dogs is started early in the development of the disease, is positive. But those owners whose dogs were diagnosed with CHF already at stage IV are faced with a high probability (60%) of a lethal outcome for a pet for a year.

Modern research methods - ultrasound, ECG, and others - make it possible to diagnose with high accuracy and determine the stage of the course of the disease. This in turn helps to provide more effective treatment.

CHF therapy is reduced to the appointment of a salt-free diet and restriction in water, a decrease in physical activity, as well as drug treatment. The classic scheme in the case of chronic heart failure in dogs is the appointment of ACE inhibitors (captopril, enalapril, fosinopril, etc.), diuretics (furasemide, ethacrynic acid), cardiac glycosides (digoxin) and β-blockers (carvedilol, bisoprolol).

Prevention of Heart Failure in Dogs

The general prophylactic means for preventing the onset of CHF are dosed physical activity, balanced nutrition, regular medical examinations, which often help to identify the disease before it manifests itself symptomatically.

Owners of especially large dog breeds (Great Dane, Newfoundland, Boxer, etc.) should be aware that heart failure is especially common in dogs of these breeds.

It is important to remember that the heart is the most important organ, and only an attentive attitude to it guarantees a high quality of life and long years of the dog.

HEART FAILURE

The disease develops when the heart cannot supply enough blood to the body's tissues. As a result, the dog's pressure drops, stagnation occurs in the tissues, and the parts of the body remote from the heart do not receive the amount of blood necessary for activity.

Common Symptoms

In the early stages of the development of heart failure, the disease does not manifest itself in any way, since compensatory changes occur in the body. However, even at this stage, the doctor can diagnose the disease. As the disease progresses, symptoms begin to appear. At first they are only noticeable with significant physical exertion, but later they are visible even when the dog is at rest. The main symptoms are due to their origin of fluid accumulating in the lungs and / or in the abdominal cavity, an increase in the size of the heart, which thus tries to compensate for its defect, and a poor supply of blood to the body. Symptoms are as follows:

● Rapid breathing

● Difficulty breathing

● Bloating

● Weakness and drowsiness

● Fainting

● Weight loss

● Refusal to eat

● Depression

Some dogs develop symptoms gradually; in others, severe symptoms may come on suddenly.

How dangerous is it?

Heart failure is very life-threatening for a dog.

Dogs at risk

Some dog breeds are prone to certain heart conditions. For example, valve diseases are common in middle-aged and older dogs, dwarfs and small breeds, such as chi-hua-hua, cocker spaniels, poodles, and Yorkshire terriers.

Boxers, Cocker Spaniels and Doberman Pinschers, as well as large breeds of dogs, such as Great Danes, Irish Wolfhounds, St. Bernards and Newfoundlands, often suffer from heart disease.

Your actions

Even if the dog looks healthy, it should be seen at least once a year. Only then can you be sure that the disease will be detected at an early stage. Your veterinarian will be able to monitor your dog's heart condition and prescribe appropriate treatment in time. If the animal exhibits any of the symptoms described, contact the veterinary clinic as soon as possible. If you lose consciousness or have difficulty breathing, you must call an ambulance and give the dog first aid.

Your veterinarian will review your medical history and symptoms and then do special tests to determine the cause of your heart failure.

For this, the following methods are used:

● Listening to the chest with a stethoscope for symptoms such as a heart murmur, indicating turbulence in the blood flow. irregular heartbeat or fluid in the lungs

● Fluoroscopy to measure the size of both the heart and major blood vessels, as well as changes in the lungs and airways

● ECG or electrocardiographic studies that detect abnormalities in the electrical activity of the heart

● Ultrasound examinations

● Blood test

Treatment

Treatment depends on the severity of the disease and on underlying causes that the veterinarian can identify. Treatment for heart failure is to control symptoms. It may be impossible to eliminate the cause of the disease as a whole, therefore, usually treatment continues until the end of life.

The main methods are as follows:

It is very important that a dog with heart failure does not overstrain. In severe cases of the disease, you can set aside special hours of rest between exercises.

With obesity, it is necessary to develop a special weight loss program. A salt-free diet is very important in such cases.

● Medicines

There are a number of medications available to treat heart failure. The doctor selects them depending on the severity of the disease.

Prophylaxis

If your dog has a heart condition, obesity can become one of the main causes of heart failure. It is for this reason that it is important that the animal always has a normal weight.

Chronic heart failure in dogs

Heart failure is a common cause of poor quality of life for an animal and its owner.

Heart failure is the inability of the heart to circulate enough blood to meet the metabolic needs of the body.

Insufficiency is distinguished between chronic and acute. These forms of the disease differ in the rate of development and increase of symptoms, as well as the underlying disease.

Chronic heart failure (CHF) - develops for a long time. CHF can be considered as a consequence of any underlying disease of the cardiovascular system.

Acute heart failure (AHF) - has a lightning-fast course and often does not have any prerequisites for the development of the disease.

Modern veterinary medicine, like human medicine, does not consider chronic heart failure in animals as an independent disease, this condition arises as a consequence or complication of certain diseases. In this case, the heart cannot function correctly - to ensure normal blood flow to all organs and tissues. In this regard, over time, when the circulation of nutrients and oxygen is disturbed, stagnation occurs in the animal's body, which leads to the appearance of clinical signs.

Symptoms of chronic heart failure in dogs

Like all diseases, chronic heart failure has its own symptoms. But there is a characteristic feature - the disease develops rather slowly and the body manages to adapt to changes in the work of the heart. In the early stages of the development of the disease, the deterioration of the pet's condition is difficult to notice, but they become most pronounced with physical exertion or in hot weather.

The main symptoms in which the owner needs to see a specialist are:

• Shortness of breath (which can occur at rest)
• Cough (often to the owners it seems that the dog has choked on something and cannot clear its throat. Over time, coughing begins to bother the animal at night)
• Increased fatigue. The dog begins to tire more quickly than usual and after exercise it takes longer to return to normal.
• Blue discoloration (cyanosis) of the visible mucous membranes and tongue. Most often occurs after exertion
• Loss of consciousness or fainting - occurs suddenly and usually without preconditions
• An increase in the volume of the abdomen, often against the background of general weight loss. That is, the animal loses subcutaneous fat, and the ribs and spinous processes of the vertebrae begin to be felt, and the abdomen at the same time increases and acquires a spherical shape and becomes tense to the touch. This condition is called ascites, or fluid accumulation in the abdomen.

Causes of Chronic Heart Failure in Dogs

Heart failure itself is extremely rare. In young animals, CHF is most often caused by congenital heart defects. Elderly animals can suffer from chronic heart failure against the background of almost any disease of the cardiovascular system. For example:

• cardiomyopathy (diseases characterized by a change in the geometry of the heart muscle itself, which, as a result, leads to impaired blood circulation in the systemic or pulmonary circulation)
• arterial hypertension (high blood pressure)
• heart defects (both congenital and acquired)
• valvular heart disease

Also, chronic heart failure in dogs can occur as a complication after previous diseases of the kidneys, lungs, liver, endocrine system.

In addition, there are risk groups - dogs in this group are more prone to heart disease. The risk group includes animals after 6 years old, large and prone to obesity, as well as representatives of some breeds (giant breeds, also Dobermans and Boxers, dwarf breeds and breeds with an excitable nervous system).

Diagnosis of CHF in the clinic

In the clinic, heart failure is determined quite quickly. For the initial diagnosis, it is very important to correctly describe the nature of the changes in the pet's condition. The owner will definitely need information about the feeding regime and loads, about vaccinations and past diseases and surgical interventions. The more detailed you describe to the doctor what worries you, the faster the doctor will be able to navigate and prescribe the necessary additional instrumental studies.

Further, heart failure is diagnosed as follows. After obtaining a complete picture of the state of the animal from the words of the owner and a clinical examination by a specialist, hardware diagnostics are followed.

• X-rays are a reliable, proven way to assess the size of the heart and the condition of the lungs. On the X-ray, we can also see signs of fluid accumulation in the chest or abdominal cavities, which will undoubtedly help the doctor in making the correct diagnosis.
• Electrocardiogram - detects any disturbances in the rhythm of the heart, identifies the type of arrhythmia.
• Echocardiography is a diagnostic method that clearly identifies structural heart disease. Echo allows you to see the condition of the heart valves, the size of the chambers of the heart muscle and identify congenital defects.
• Laboratory diagnostics involves blood tests to identify concomitant systemic diseases.

Treating chronic heart failure in dogs

The method of treatment of the animal depends on the underlying disease, as a result of which heart failure developed. Usually, it is impossible to completely eliminate the cause of the disease, therefore, drug therapy is prescribed for life with the condition of periodic monitoring of the animal's condition by a doctor. This period of time is individual for each patient.

Medication is prescribed for the dog to eliminate or minimize symptoms. With the help of drugs, you can reduce shortness of breath, edema, tachycardia, and increase the overall vitality. Medication can slow the progression of the underlying disease, thereby prolonging and improving the life of your animal.

Non-drug treatment for heart failure in dogs is also important. Often the disease develops as a result of obesity - accordingly, a strict diet is required to normalize weight, usually salt-free. Such a diet is developed by a nutritionist according to the testimony of a cardiologist and the general condition of the animal. After returning to normal weight and until the end of life, you will also need to adhere to dietary nutrition - the program must also be developed by a specialist, possibly feeding with ready-made dietary feed.

In case of heart failure, strictly dosed loads play an important role in the normalization of the dog's condition - recommendations are given by the doctor. All exercises must be strictly regulated. The owner needs to control all the loads and such attention should be given to the animal throughout its life.

Even though heart failure is usually a consequence of heart disease, there are still ways to make your dog as comfortable as possible for a longer life, especially if heart failure is diagnosed early enough. Such treatment includes taking care of the dog at home, keeping it active, treating the dog with diuretics, and using other types of medical care and treatment.

Steps

Taking care of a dog with heart disease

Limit the amount of daily exercise for your dog. If your dog has a weak heart, exercise can add additional stress to the dog's body. Heart failure can cause difficulties with blood circulation, which causes the vital organs of the animal to begin to receive less oxygen. If your dog has heart failure, he shouldn't run hard, but he can walk around the yard. Instead of going for a walk with your dog, give it a few hours of your attention by petting the animal, or just give it a chance to laze around. To help your dog get more rest:

• Limit activities that can put additional stress on your heart. Move your dog's water and food bowl closer to where he spends most of his time. Do not allow your dog to climb or climb stairs unless absolutely necessary.
• Making small changes, such as moving the dog up and down stairs instead of forcing the animal to climb on its own, will make the dog's life more comfortable.
• Light exercise in the early stages of heart failure can significantly alleviate the condition of the animal - the fact is that during such exercises, the dog's body directs blood flow from the muscles to the heart.

1. Keep track of the amount of salt your pet is eating. Sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt, helps to retain moisture in the body. A diet high in salt can slow blood circulation and cause fluid retention in certain areas of the dog's body.

   Take your dog's heart rate at home. Some dogs are afraid of the veterinarian, which makes it difficult to correctly calculate the heart rate of the animal. Therefore, it will be very helpful to count the dog's heart rate at home while she is sleeping. To do this:

   • Place your fingers on the dog's heart and count how many times it beats per minute. Similarly, calculate the dog's resting breathing rate, this information will be very useful to the veterinarian.

2. If your dog is stable, schedule a check-up schedule for your dog. With heart failure, the heart condition of the animal is constantly deteriorating, so it is very important that your dog is regularly examined in order to prolong the dog's life and make it more comfortable.

   • If your dog's symptoms remain stable (as they are, no worse), you can schedule an appointment with your veterinarian every three months.
   • If your dog's condition worsens, you should contact your veterinarian immediately to schedule an appointment.

3. Watch for symptoms of heart failure. Heart failure in dogs is usually associated with fluid buildup around the lungs or in the abdomen. When this build-up occurs, it can lead to symptoms that need to be looked out for if you are concerned that your dog may or already has heart failure. Such symptoms may include:

   • rapid breathing;
   • excessive cough;
   • exhaustion with physical exertion;
   • lack of energy;
   • shortness of breath after minor physical exertion;
   • weight loss and decreased interest in food;
   • heart palpitations.

4. Start medication for your dog if your dog's symptoms seem to be getting worse. When your dog develops the symptoms described in the first step of this method, your veterinarian will most likely begin medication on the dog with a diuretic, ACE inhibitor, and positive inotrope regimen.

   • Diuretics that can be given to your dog are described in the second method, and ACE inhibitors and positive inotropes are described in the third.

   Diuretic drugs

   1. Know the effect of diuretics. Diuretics are medications that help remove accumulated fluid from the body. In heart failure, fluids escape from the cardiovascular system and accumulate around the lungs (pulmonary edema), inside the chest cavity (pleurisy), or in the abdomen (ascites). In all of the above cases, the heart has to work even harder to drive blood through the tissues and produce efficient oxygen exchange.

      • To reduce the stress on the dog's heart, it is necessary to assist his body in getting rid of the accumulated fluid or reducing its amount.

   2. Get a furosemide-based diuretic for your dog. Furosemide is a loop diuretic, which means it works by preventing the dog's kidneys from absorbing sodium and chloride (which make up salt). This will help your pet urinate more often, which will help him get rid of salt build-up.

      Talk to your veterinarian about giving your dog spironolactone. Spironolactone is usually prescribed when the dose of furosemide can no longer be increased. This drug binds to mineralocorticoid receptors in the kidneys, heart, and blood vessels of the dog. Mineralocorticoid receptors help regulate water transport and maintain normal salt levels.

   Other types of medical care and treatment

   1. Consider giving your dog the positive inotrope pimobendan. Pimobendan causes the muscles to respond more efficiently to calcium, which in turn helps the heart muscle contract harder. It also reduces the stickiness of platelets, which means it is less likely that they stick together in the bloodstream and cause a stroke.

      • The usual dosage is 0.1–0.3 mg per kg twice a day. This drug should be given to the dog at least one hour before meals. Pimobendan is now marketed under the Vetmedin brand and is sold in 1.25 and 5 mg tablets. A 10kg King Charles Spaniel should be given one 1.25mg tablet twice a day.
      • If you start giving your pet pimobendan early in the development of heart failure, it can prolong your pet's life.
      • If your pet has a heart murmur, take him to the veterinarian so that he does all the necessary examinations and prescribes the appropriate dosage of the drug.

   2. Talk to your veterinarian about removing fluid from the dog's chest for short-term relief. If too much fluid has accumulated in the animal's abdomen, your veterinarian may advise you to pump out the fluid. This will give the dog temporary relief so that the diaphragm will then expand more fully and the vital organs will be relieved of the pressure. Unfortunately, the fluid will most likely come back, but the time it will return depends on the severity of your dog's condition. To pump fluid, your veterinarian:

      • Inserts a sterile needle or special catheter through the previously clipped and sterilized skin of the animal. Suction is done through a closed collection system, such as a syringe with a three-way stopcock, until all liquid is removed.
      • Most good-natured dogs do not need a sedative for this procedure. If your dog is not aggressive, he will only need a local pain reliever.
      • If you repeat this procedure from time to time, the dog will experience constant stress, moreover, the frequency of the procedure is directly proportional to the increase in the resistance of the animal's body.

   3. Try an ACE inhibitor. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are drugs that, like diuretics, can help reduce the stress on the heart. They work by increasing the flow of blood from the heart. Angiotensin plays a role in the contraction of blood vessels and salt retention.

      • When blood vessels narrow, it becomes harder for blood to circulate throughout the body. ACE inhibitors prevent this and help the blood vessels to open.

What are the symptoms of heart failure?
It:
Decreased stamina, refusal of the dog to move a lot.
Increased need for drinking water (thirst).
Rapid breathing even in a cool room, breathing with an open mouth.
Noisy breathing (wheezing breathing).
Blue tongue after minor physical exertion.
Cough in the absence of colds.
Short-term loss of consciousness (often while walking).

Heart disease in dogs can be roughly divided into 3 large groups:
Congenital heart defects.
Acquired heart failure (after suffering infectious diseases or as complications of current diseases).
Heart disease in older dogs.
The first group of diseases occurs in young dogs and puppies. It is characterized by vivid symptoms of heart failure (wheezing, shortness of breath, blue tongue, fainting, or even death of a puppy at a very early age). The second group is more common among middle-aged dogs.

Symptoms of heart failure can be latent (changes can only be seen on the R-picture or on the ECG), and when the development of heart failure reaches stage II-III, signs of the disease are already manifested (7 signs described above). The reasons for such conditions are different: insufficiency of the heart valves, expansion of the heart chambers (cardiomyopathy), infection with heart worms (dirofilariasis), myocarditis after piroplasmosis.

Attention! It should be especially noted that in case of heartworm disease (heartworms), right heart failure develops, when the animal's right atrium and ventricle enlarge (since this is the habitat of adult helminths), symptoms of circulatory failure appear, and ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity) ).

Only a complete examination will help to understand all the reasons and correctly diagnose.

The third group of diseases often occurs in dogs after 8 years of age and proceeds with clearly visible symptoms: cough, wheezing when breathing, increased respiratory rate, increased thirst, impaired coordination, loss of consciousness.

What is the reason for a dog owner to contact a veterinary cardiologist?

We divide animals into III age groups

Group I. What should alarm the owner of the puppy (from 2.5 months to 1 year):

Eats poorly, gains weight poorly, does not play, but sleeps all the time. (Healthy phlegmatic puppies, of course, sleep a lot, but in the period between sleep they still play).
The puppy actively moves, plays, "runs", but after active movements it cannot catch its breath, breathes with high frequency, with an open mouth, then becomes lethargic for a while.
Constant shortness of breath and bluish tongue, fainting are adverse symptoms indicating severe changes in the work of the heart.
Cough after active movement.

Group II. What should alarm the owner of an adult dog between the ages of 3 and 7:

Dyspnea at rest.
Unexplained lethargy, weakness.
Sudden loss of consciousness (fainting) - often while walking.
Cough or "coughing". Often, owners point to a cross between the urge to vomit and cough.
Excessive weight gain and increased thirst.

III group. What should alarm the owner of an adult dog between the ages of 8 and 15:

Deaf cough in the absence of colds.
Impaired coordination, staggering gait.
Breathing with an open mouth in a cool room.
Inexplicable restlessness, combined with shortness of breath, rapid breathing with an open mouth.
Weakness, refusal to eat, rare breath.
Breathing with an open mouth with a noticeable blueing of the tongue (this is already a reason for calling an emergency veterinary care).
The dog changed the position of the forelimbs: it spreads the elbows wide, they seem to be turned outward.
The volume of the abdomen has increased.
Many owners are disappointed with the service in the clinics, since they are not explained what is the reason for the poor condition of his pet.

The main criterion for a correct cardiological examination is a comprehensive study. It is impossible to diagnose "congenital heart disease" only after auscultation (listening with a phonendoscope).

Cardiological examination begins with a general examination and auscultation. This is followed by a chest X-ray, then the doctor examines the ECG and, if the device allows, monitoring for at least 10-15 minutes to detect cardiac arrhythmias. The final stage of the examination is an ultrasound of the heart. Each method carries its own information, thanks to which a cardiologist can make the correct diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

After taking cardiac drugs, it is necessary to monitor the condition, that is, it is imperative to repeat the ECG to determine the effectiveness of treatment. It often happens that with a mandatory examination before a planned operation, an ECG is taken off the dog and heart disorders are detected that did not manifest clinically and the owner did not notice them, but during the subsequent survey they recall, for example, that occasionally the dog coughs at night or breathes often after walking, and coming home, he can’t catch his breath.
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dog's heart

Heart failure is an age-related disease. A bad heart in an old dog is like a self-evident fact. "Where does a healthy heart come from at this age?" - I often hear from the owners of "oldies". Of course, the aging process is irreversible. But is it always natural, do we sometimes speed it up ourselves, due to our ignorance or insufficient care for our animals?

The first signs that a dog's heart is beginning to fail can be detected long before serious disorders appear in it. It is very important to grasp this point, because in the early stages of heart failure, treatment is most effective. Sometimes you just need to change the diet and reduce physical activity in order to pause the process.

The first signs may appear as early as six to seven years old. Your dog gets tired faster and needs more time to catch its breath after a walk. If it happened in hot weather, then everything is clear: the dog tries to get rid of excess moisture in the body, "sweats". But soon the heat was replaced by cool days, and the dog's shortness of breath continues. Of course, shortness of breath is associated with many diseases. It appears at high temperatures and with various pains, with poisoning and simply from indigestion. However, with all types of cardiac disorders, shortness of breath is the most constant and sure sign. If you go to your doctor in time and he confirms that it's all about the heart, then you should simply shorten the walking time and transfer the dog to three or four small meals a day.

But here you are not paying attention to the very first signal. Coughing may appear a little later, although your pet does not have a cold and retains its appetite. This happens after long runs or when you are happy to meet you. This is a formidable symptom, and here you cannot do without medication. They should be given for a long time and always under the supervision of a veterinarian. But let's imagine that here you missed (the dog is cheerful and agile, it has an enviable appetite). Attacks of coughing and shortness of breath can go away without any treatment, but after a while they will reappear. This can be repeated several times. Over time, the intervals between attacks will become shorter and longer.

Now your dog will need to be given medication all the time, for the rest of its life, and there will be less hope of success. And, finally, the unfortunate animal develops shortness of breath at rest, attacks of coughing do not go away for a long time and torment the dog both day and night. The dog becomes lethargic, indifferent and indifferently looks at the pieces of meat offered to her, which she recently loved so much. This is a neglected case, and the doctor often fails to correct the situation at this stage. The heart muscle is already so worn out that it has no reserves left for even partial recovery. In this case, the forecast is always disappointing.

But you can prevent trouble: if your pet suddenly has shortness of breath after six or seven years, and even more so a slight cough, show it to the veterinarian.

There are breeds that are particularly prone to heart disease. This does not mean that all these dogs end up with a heart attack. It's just that heart failure occurs more often in them and at an earlier age than in others. And it does not mean that dogs of other breeds do not know what heart pain is.

The "risk group" primarily includes dogs of giant breeds. These are Great Danes, St. Bernards, Newfoundlands. As a rule, they have heart problems for two reasons: from excessive physical exertion or, conversely, from a lack of exercise. In both cases, the heart of a dog fails ahead of time. More than once I heard from the owners how the Grays and Polkans love to run after their bike for a long time. “Doctor, Gray and I have been playing sports all our lives, and now it’s hard for him even to climb the stairs,” the owner of an eight-year-old Great Dane explained to me in confusion. A huge handsome man was lying on the cold floor of my office and could not catch his breath. I listened to his heart. It was clearly out of order, it worked with great stress. Fortunately, there were no serious violations yet, and it was still possible to correct, but, of course, on condition that the "sports career" is over. It's good that I didn't have to explain to the owner of the dog for a long time how dangerous heavy loads are for Gray. Eight years is not old age yet, but still more than half of Gray's life has already been lived.

Sport, of course, is good for everyone, but it is very difficult to calculate the load for dogs, especially for those who are not fit for running. Yesterday's load today can become unbearable, and as a result - a breakdown. These breakdowns are always unexpected and take owners by surprise. It must be remembered that the main condition for keeping "giants" is moderation. And in exercise, and in food.

Unlike large dogs, dwarf breeds (miniature poodles, pinschers) are more likely to suffer from emotional overload. Everyone who keeps such dogs knows that these creatures are rather nervous, and sometimes even hysterical. Most likely, this is the reason for their frequent heart troubles. They are fearful (strive to bark at everyone), sensual and terribly jealous. Their element is not sport, not endless fields and not even a sofa. They spend their whole lives in their arms. A more suitable place for these cute creatures is hard to imagine. When you first pick up your Charlik, know that this is for life. This is your joy, your happiness, this is your cross.

For these little ones, it is important to be aware of their exclusivity and even uniqueness. Do not try to praise another dog in their presence, much less pet it. This will be a fatal mistake on your part. And although dogs are better at forgiving than we are, you shouldn't tempt fate. Remember that love is the best medicine for these little monsters. And, of course, ask your veterinarians to listen to your dog's heart more often.

All dogs, without exception, are well versed in our mood. They empathize with all our joys and sorrows with us. Therefore, if you want to see your pet always healthy, try to keep you in a good mood more often.

Dr. Liping

Last edited by a moderator: Feb 16, 2016

Heart disease in dogs and cats

The circulation of blood in the body of vertebrates occurs in a closed system, represented by the vessels and the heart and called the circulatory system. In this case, the heart is the center of this system, ensuring the movement of blood through the bloodstream.

The main functions of the cardiovascular system are the supply of organs and tissues of the body with oxygen, nutrients, fluid, as well as the removal of metabolic products from the tissues. Thus, due to the movement of blood, metabolism, nutrition and respiration of cells, temperature regulation, excretion and other functions of the body are carried out. The movement of blood stops - life stops.

Unfortunately, pets often suffer from various heart conditions. The reason for the development of one or another cardiac pathology may be the transfer of an acute infectious disease by a dog or cat, heavy physical exertion in sports dogs, colds, injuries, blood loss, as well as congenital heart defects and genetically inherited diseases. Diseases of the respiratory system and other body systems to varying degrees can cause the development of cardiovascular pathology.

All heart diseases can be divided into several groups:
1) diseases of the pericardium, or heart bag (pericarditis, hemorrhage in the pericardial cavity);
2) myocardial disease (myocarditis, myocardiofibrosis, various myocardiopathies);
3) endocardial disease (endocarditis, heart defects);
4) rhythm disturbance, or arrhythmias (change in the normal heart rate, violation of the synchronization of the contraction of the heart chambers, heart block, etc., more than 300 arrhythmias in total);
5) neoplasms in the region of the heart.

Most cardiac pathologies, with the exception of acute diseases and injuries, develop over a long period of time, sometimes over several months, therefore, by the time the animal develops clinical signs of heart disease, the body already has serious hemodynamic disturbances. The most common symptoms of heart failure are heart rhythm disturbances, shortness of breath, cyanosis of the mucous membranes and skin, swelling in the abdomen, chest, neck, ascites. Of the clinical manifestations of cardiovascular insufficiency, animal owners often note the appearance of weakness, unwillingness to move, rapid fatigability of the animal while walking, heavy or rapid breathing. Symptoms such as coughing (especially in the morning or after sleep), fainting, epileptiform seizures, poor coordination of movements, painful movement, and limp in the forelimbs can also be signs of heart failure.

The methods of modern veterinary medicine make it possible to identify and carry out differential diagnostics of practically all disorders of the heart. The veterinarian, taking into account the clinical symptoms, performing auscultation (listening) of the heart, assessing the state of the peripheral vessels, can suggest or reveal cardiac pathology. Special research methods such as X-ray, electrocardiography, echocardiography (ultrasound examination of the heart) allow accurate diagnosis of cardiac abnormalities.

For effective treatment, not only the correct diagnosis of heart disease is of great importance, but also the early diagnosis. Therefore, when the first signs or suspicions of cardiovascular insufficiency appear, pet owners should immediately show their pet to a doctor.

It should be remembered about the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system: avoid stress, hypothermia, overheating of animals, excessive physical exertion, especially in untrained animals, prevent poisoning and injuries, carry out timely prevention of infectious diseases, feed the animal in a balanced way to exclude the development of metabolic disorders, obesity , exhaustion.

Natalia Lagunova, veterinarian, newspaper "Between a cat and a dog" 1998 - 20

Matters of the heart
The day promised to be interesting - the cardiologist of the University of Tartu Dr. Paul F. Mõtsküla (Estonia) came to Latvia specifically to tell our audience about possible heart problems in dogs, diseases, diagnostics, causes and connections with heredity. Those present were not disappointed - the seminar on March 29, 2008 turned out to be extremely informative. I would like to note that the remarkable lightness and fascination of the narration did not leave the speaker throughout the entire course of the seminar, so the time flew by quickly and imperceptibly.

We go through life, often not knowing what surprises it can give us. The same happened with our lecturer: his specialization - cardiologist - was acquired unintentionally. “Most veterinarians think cardiology is difficult. In 1998, I was also no exception. And in 2000 he began his career as a cardiologist - to obtain the highest degree in sonography (ultrasound). I had to study in Finland, ”says Paul F. Mõtsküla. Today, not only Estonian owners of dogs and cats turn to him, but also many responsible Latvian and Lithuanian breeders - they do not have their own specialists and the appropriate equipment yet. Not only owners of animals with heart and respiratory problems do not spare money and time on the road, but also those who have breeds that are at risk for heart problems and want to make sure that the animal is healthy at the moment.

The introduction to the seminar began with the words: “The heart is just a pump with tubes: two in and two out, and that's all there is in it. So what could go wrong? " As it turned out - quite a lot, but before that you need to understand the functions and structure of the heart.

So, in function this vital organ includes:
- circulation - the main function of the heart is to ensure a continuous flow of blood in the vessels of the systemic and pulmonary circulation.
- transportation - like a pump, the heart drives blood, which carries nutrients and decay products from one organs and tissues of the body to others. For example, the heart pumps blood to the lungs, where it is enriched with oxygen, and then flows to all other organs and tissues; and the blood entering the digestive tract is enriched with nutrients.
- thermoregulation: in our tetrapods, most of the thermoregulation depends on the respiration rate. If people sweat in conditions of high temperatures, then dogs, which have few sweat glands, are forced to cool themselves in a different way: by lowering their body temperature mainly due to the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract.
- the heart is also involved in the process of diuresis, that is, the processing of blood into urine. The blood passing through the kidneys leaves waste products there, which are then excreted in the urine. Accordingly, if the heart is not functioning well enough, then an insufficient amount of blood will pass through the kidneys and toxic products will remain in the body.

If speak about the structure of the heart, then it has two sides - left and right, and four chambers: the upper ones are called the atria, the lower ones are called the ventricles. The left section (in the pictures - on the right) receives blood enriched with oxygen from the lungs. Blood through the blood vessels - the pulmonary veins - enters the left atrium, then passes through the valve into the left ventricle. From here, blood is pushed during the contraction of the ventricle through the aortic valve into the aorta, the main artery of the body, from where it is carried throughout the body. Returning, oxygen-depleted blood through the great vena cava enters through the venous valve into the right atrium, and then into the right ventricle. From the right ventricle, a pulmonary artery leaves the heart, from where blood, not enriched with oxygen, is pushed back into the lungs.

The activity of the heart is expressed in successive contractions and relaxation of the atria and ventricles. In this case, the right and left atria, right and left ventricles contract simultaneously. At the time of atrial contraction, the ventricles relax. Conversely, when the ventricles contract, the atria relax. Then there is a pause, i.e. general relaxation of the heart. At this time, the heart muscles seem to be resting.

The valves have already been mentioned above - they are located at the entrance to each chamber of the heart. They are present in each half of it - between the atrium and the ventricle; the valves lead to both the aorta and the pulmonary artery. The function of the valve is to allow blood to flow in the cardiovascular system in only one direction. There are no muscles in the valves that would open and close them, this only happens under the influence of pressure. The upper part of the heart contracts, the pressure in it rises and valves open into the lower part of the heart, that is, the ventricles. After contraction, the valve flaps are closed by back pressure. A tendon-like mechanism connects the valves to the heart wall and keeps the valve leaflets in position.

All this from a mechanical point of view, but any mechanics requires electronics. Heart beats are rhythmic contractions of the heart muscle. This muscle is controlled by a group of cells called the sinus node of the heart. The sinus node generates electrical signals that stimulate the contraction of the heart muscle. The muscle contracts as a result of the impulse, the valves open and blood flows into the ventricles. Violation of synchronicity of contraction is the cause of arrhythmia.

Concerning heart disease , then they are conventionally divided into congenital and acquired. Conditionally - because not all hereditary diseases are manifested at an early age, in many cases there are abnormalities already at birth, but clinical symptoms appear later, respectively, the diagnosis is delayed. Roughly speaking, congenital heart diseases are those that can be diagnosed before the first vaccination. The reason for the development of a particular cardiac pathology can be the transfer of an acute infectious disease by the dog, excessive physical exertion, colds, trauma, blood loss, as well as congenital heart defects and genetically inherited diseases.

According to Paul F. Mõtsküla, the diagnosis will be 80-85% correct using the “two-hand diagnosis”. This means that dogs of small breeds, which can be lifted and placed on the table with one hand, have some characteristic diseases, and large breeds - others. For example, toy and miniature poodles, Yorkshire terriers, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, miniature schnauzers, Chihuahuas and Lhasa apso are most likely to have chronic valvular disease, while large dogs have delational cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart muscle contracts less violently.

In the case of a chronic disease of the valves, the leaflets of the latter thicken and deform, as a result of which they are not able to close completely. As the valve defect increases, so does the reverse blood flow. Chronic heart valve disease is an important cause of poor heart function when it is unable to handle stress. In this case, there is an increase in the size of the heart. As heart failure progresses, the dog develops loss of appetite, weight loss, accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites), and shortness of breath.

The second most common heart disease is the already mentioned delational cardiomyopathy. It is most common in medium to large breed dogs such as the Boxer, Doberman (these breeds can die suddenly without showing any clinical signs of heart disease), Great Dane, Newfoundland, St. Bernard, Irish Wolfhound, Dalmatian and Cocker Spaniel. With delational cardiomyopathy, the heart enlarges, its wall becomes thinner, contractility worsens, which leads to coughing and fluid accumulation in the chest and abdominal cavities. Genetic predisposition is at the heart of the development of delational cardiomyopathy in dogs. The risk of disease can be reduced when used in breeding dogs free from this disease.

In general, the signs of cardiovascular disease in dogs are nonspecific. The most common are: increased fatigue and exercise intolerance, apathy, loss of appetite, weight loss, shortness of breath, an enlarged abdomen. Fainting or coughing are the most common companions of heart ailments. A dog begins to cough for two reasons: pulmonary edema or when the atrium expands and the trachea contracts, which causes coughing in small breed dogs. Cardiac abnormalities are often discovered unexpectedly during an annual check-up.

Dogs with heart disease, but without signs of heart failure, do not limit physical activity, but do not allow fatigue, shortness of breath. When the first symptoms appear, drugs are used to lower blood pressure and enrich the heart's workload by dilating the blood vessels, and drugs that increase the contractility of the heart. Diuretics are also used to increase diuresis, resulting in the removal of stagnant fluid from the lungs and veins. Of course, you cannot prescribe treatment to your dog without the knowledge of the veterinarian, it can cause irreparable harm to your pet.

Treating heart failure with dietary nutrition remains controversial, however, large amounts of salt in your dog's diet should be avoided. Also, food additives containing unsaturated fatty acids, antioxidants (such as selenium and vitamin E) should be added to the feed.

It is difficult to get rid of heart ailments, because you cannot select dogs for only one criterion - liberation from one problem will entail a million others. Nevertheless, it is undoubted that it will be much better for the breed if the breeders want to find out the truth and admit the presence of the disease, because the use of sick animals in breeding work is unacceptable.

Finally, let us say that in order for "matters of the heart" not to catch you unawares, it is necessary to check the animal at least annually, and every dog ​​with existing problems must be examined every six months or more often. It should also be borne in mind that if during one examination the disease was not found, then it may manifest itself over time. And the veterinarian is bad who does not listen to the dog at every opportunity, and before the annual vaccination - without fail, at least for a few minutes.

A heart - reference
As you know, the cardiovascular system consists of the heart and blood vessels, which include the arteries that carry blood from the heart, and the veins through which the blood returns. The heart is a two-way motor made up of muscles. Located in the chest cavity almost horizontally between 3 and 7 ribs, mostly in the left half; between the 4th and 5th ribs, adjacent to the chest wall. The base of the heart is at the level of the shoulder joint, and the apex almost reaches the sternum. Outside, the heart is surrounded by a serous membrane called the pericardium. A slot-like space is formed between them, filled with a small amount of liquid, which prevents friction. The pericardial fluid ensures the sliding of the heart moving during contractions. A dog's heart works remarkably effectively by increasing blood flow to the lungs and other parts of the body during exercise and decreasing it at rest. Unlike the human heart, which works rhythmically, the dog may have some respiratory arrhythmia, which is not a pathology.

Diagnostics - reference
Your veterinarian will use the following medical devices to diagnose heart disease:
The phonendoscope (stethoscope) in cardiology is the simplest, but still the most valuable diagnostic tool. It is a flexible rubber tube with a sound-detecting device at one end and a pair of headphones at the other. Using a phonendoscope, the veterinarian determines the heart rate and rhythm, listens to the sounds produced when the heart valves open and close. Electronic phonendoscopes amplify or clarify heart sounds.
Electrocardiography (ECG) is an effective method for diagnosing heart disease, which detects changes in electrical impulses in the heart. The height, length in time, shape and frequency of each tooth are taken into account. Analysis of the electrocardiogram gives specialists a wealth of information about the state of the cardiovascular system: an integral picture of the state of the sinus node, valves, heart muscles and changes in them.
With the help of an X-ray, you can determine the size of the heart, the presence of fluid in the chest cavity.
Recently, the ultrasound method (ultrasound) has become widely used for examinations. Ultrasound examination of the heart helps to analyze the structure of the heart at a higher level, for example, to observe the work of the valves, to determine the thickness of the walls of the heart chambers, and the contractility of the heart muscle.

Heart disease is now being diagnosed with increasing frequency in dogs as a result of the increasing prevalence of certain heart disease in dogs, but mainly due to the technological advances made in modern diagnostics.

Cynologist, Irish Terrier breeder Ksenia Sizova.
http://www.irish-terriers.lv/kinologiya/2009-06-13-18-23-12.html

Diseases of the cardiovascular system
http://www.dog-beauty.ru/Nezaraznye_bolezni_sobak.html
Myocarditis
Myocardosis
Endocarditis
Heart defects
Pericarditis
Arteriosclerosis

Myocarditis

Myocarditis - inflammation of the heart muscle, is acute and chronic; occurs as a primary disease or secondary to other (sepsis, uremia, pancreatitis), more often infectious and invasive (plague, parvovirus enteritis, piroplasmidosis, etc.) diseases, poisoning, allergies. Myocarditis can be focal or diffuse.

Symptoms diseases depend on the severity of the underlying disease and the degree of changes in the myocardium.

Body temperature, arterial blood pressure (ACP) rise; appetite decreases, general depression is characteristic. First, the heart beat increases, tachysystole occurs, the P, R, T waves increase on the ECG, the PQ and QT intervals accelerate. In the second period of the disease, the pulse of weak filling, the cardiac impulse weakens, the signs of heart failure increase (tachysystole against the background of weakening of the strength of heart contractions; cyanosis, shortness of breath, arrhythmia, splitting and bifurcation of the first tone).

Heart sounds are muffled, weak, endocardial murmurs appear. The area of ​​cardiac dullness increases, the cardiac impulse is weak, diffuse. Characterized by neutrophilic leukocytosis, eosinophilia. The course of the disease depends on its nature and severity and lasts from several days to several weeks after the primary disease. In severe cases, animals die from cardiac arrest.

In chronic cases, myocardiofibrosis and myocardiosclerosis occur.

Diagnosis put on a set of symptoms, and ECG data are of great importance. Differential diagnosis should bear in mind pericarditis, endocarditis, myocardosis.

Treatment. Sick animals are provided with rest. In the first period of the disease, they refrain from using cardiotonic drugs (in order to avoid heart paralysis). In severe cases, oxygen inhalation. Intravenous - glucose with caffeine, subcutaneously - a solution of camphor in oil, inside - captopril, kapoten, ramipril, corazole, cordiamine, korvaton, sidnopharm. Digitalis preparations are contraindicated; calcium chloride, diphenhydramine, amidopyrine, fenkarol, suprastin are used as antiallergic agents. The use of curantil, cocarboxylase, intercordin, obzidan, fenocaberan is also shown.

Prophylaxis consists in the prevention of primary diseases, toxicosis; desensitization.

Myocardosis

Myocardosis occurs in the form of myocardial dystrophy without pronounced destructive lesions of the symplast and myocardial degeneration.

The etiology of the disease is varied (infectious, metabolic diseases, poor animal hygiene). Often the trophism of the myocardium, its material and energy metabolism is disturbed, leading to destructive changes, a decrease in hemodynamic strength, circulatory failure, rhythm disturbances, cyanosis, edema, functional, and then morphological changes in the parenchymal organs.

Symptoms depend on the form and stage of the disease, as well as on the duration of the process. In sick animals, there is general weakness, decreased appetite, myotonus, peripheral circulation disorder, decreased ACP and increased EVP (venous blood pressure), edema, arrhythmia, decreased heart rate and strength, on the ECG - deformation of the T wave, decreased ST segment; lengthening of PQ and QT intervals, reduction of the QRS segment in case of unfavorable development of the disease.

Diagnosis set on the basis of an analysis of the totality of symptoms, taking into account the ECG and other functional methods. In differential diagnosis, the second stage of myocarditis should be excluded.

Treatment. It is more effective to carry out treatment at the onset of the disease. Eliminate the causes, prescribe a carbohydrate diet, trace elements, walks. Especially shown are glucose, caffeine, cardiac glucosides, camphor in oil, cordiamine, korvaton, sydnopharm, corazol, prazosin, pratenol, adversuten, nipruton, gitalene, digalenneo, lantoside, celanide, isolanide, lily of the valley tincture, 0.06% corganic , adoniside, erizimine, anabolic agents (vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine and other B vitamins, potassium orotate, cocarboxylase). Symptomatic treatment is also prescribed.

Prophylaxis comes down to the prevention of intoxication, hygienic measures.

Endocarditis

Endocarditis - inflammation of the inner lining of the heart: it can be acute and chronic; valve and parietal; warty (verrucous) and ulcerative. It is usually noted as a result of infectious toxic lesions and complications of myocarditis.

Often, endocarditis is complicated by degenerative and necrotic changes in the valves facing the blood flow, and passes to the papillary ligaments and muscles. With verrucous lesions, grayish and reddish-gray growths appear on the valves, and with ulcerative lesions, ulcerous lesions are visible, covered with a loose fibrous mass; valve perforation, embolism, septic-pyemic syndrome may occur.

Symptoms depend on the form, duration and nature of the primary disease. There is a sharp oppression of a sick animal, anorexia, fever (often remitting), heart failure, muffling, noises; petechiae and ecchymosis occur. On the ECG, there are high P, R, T waves; the PQ and QT intervals are shortened, the ST segment is deformed. Extrasystole, ACD rises. Neutrophilia, with sepsis - with a shift of the nucleus to the left.

The course of acute endocarditis - from several days to several weeks, a transition to a chronic form with the occurrence of heart defects is possible. Often complicated by myocarditis.

Diagnosis put on a set of clinical and specific studies. In differential diagnosis, myocarditis and dry pericarditis should be excluded.

Treatment. Aimed at eliminating the primary disease. Shown are antibiotics, sulfonamides, salicylates, antiallergic drugs, oxygen inhalation, cold to the heart area, rest. In the future, camphor solutions in oil, glucose, isotonic electrolyte solutions, cardiac glycosides, ramipril, captopril, capoten, prazosin, sydnopharm, hydrolysin, miretilan, endralazine, etc. are used.

Prophylaxis consists in the prevention of infectious diseases, intoxication, hygiene measures, increasing the resistance of the animal's body.

Heart defects (Vitia cordis)

Heart defects usually occur as a result of endocarditis, and less often as a congenital anomaly.

Symptoms The main feature is persistent endocardial murmurs at the optimum points of the corresponding valves.

Stenosis of the left atrioventricular foramen is manifested by a presystolic murmur at the optimum point of the bicuspid atrioventricular valve. On palpation - the phenomenon of "cat's purr".

Expansion, hypertrophy of the left atrium and right ventricle; I flapping tone. The vice is poorly compensated. There is cyanosis, shortness of breath, bronchitis, tachysystole, pulse of a small wave, weak filling, in severe cases, extrasystole, atrial fibrillation (the R wave on the ECG disappears or looks like multiple small waves), a right electrocardiogram occurs.

Stenosis of the right atrioventricular foramen forms a presystolic murmur at the optimum point of the tricuspid valve in the fourth intercostal space on the right. There is stagnation of blood in the systemic circulation, expansion and hypertrophy of the right atrium and left ventricle, I tone flapping. The vice is poorly compensated. Overflow of veins, edema, cyanosis, liver edema, blood clots in the pulmonary vessels and heart attacks in the lungs occur.

Insufficiency of the bicuspid valve at the optimum point forms a systolic murmur. On palpation, tremor of the chest wall can be detected. There is expansion and hypertrophy of the left atrium and left ventricle, as well as stagnation of blood in the small circle, leading to expansion of the right ventricle. This defect is noted more often than others. Against the background of decompensation, there is an expansion of the left atrium, stagnation of blood in the lungs, shortness of breath, cyanosis, bronchitis, pulmonary edema. Pulse of a small wave, weak filling, subsequently - threadlike. Edema of the parenchymal organs leads to impairment of their functions.

Insufficiency of the tricuspid valve gives a systolic murmur at its optimum point on the right in the IV intercostal space. The right atria and ventricle are hypertrophied. The defect is poorly compensated, congestion occurs in the venous system of the great circle; edema of the parenchymal organs. The venous pulse is positive, pulmonary infarctions are not uncommon. This is one of the most common vices.

Stenosis of the aortic opening forms a systolic murmur at the optimum point of the aorta in the fourth intercostal space on the left, where palpation can detect chest tremor during systole. There is left ventricular hypertrophy, which compensates for the defect for a long time. The noise is sonorous, prolonged, heard along the aortic arch. The pulse is hard, small, slowly decreasing, sometimes delayed by a heart beat.

Stenosis of the opening of the pulmonary artery is manifested by a loud systolic murmur at the optimum point of the pulmonary artery in the third intercostal space on the left, leading to hypertrophy of the right ventricle. The cardiac impulse on the right is enhanced. Stagnation occurs in the systemic circulation. When the animal moves, shortness of breath, cyanosis is noticeable. The defect occurs relatively rarely, poorly compensated.

Insufficiency of the semilunar aortic valves causes a diastolic murmur at the optimum point in the IV intercostal space on the left, below the horizontal line from the shoulder joint. The left ventricle is hypertrophied, the left cardiac impulse intensifies. Pulse jumping, large, there is an undulation of the jugular veins. Characterized by stagnation in the pulmonary circulation, cyanosis, shortness of breath. The defect is usually compensated for a long time.

Insufficiency of the semilunar valves of the pulmonary artery forms a diastolic murmur at the optimum point of the pulmonary artery in the third intercostal space on the left. The defect is compensated by right ventricular hypertrophy. The heart beat on the right increases, the II tone weakens. Dyspnea cyanosis is characteristic. The defect is poorly compensated. It is relatively rare.

Concomitant defects are more common than simple ones. Until the defects are compensated, signs of heart failure are usually not found. The appearance of tachysystole, shortness of breath, cyanosis after the usual previously physical exertion, the appearance of endocardial murmurs, intensifying after exercise, differentiate true defects from functional murmurs that disappear after exercise or injection of atropine. The process of decompensation intensifies and accelerates under the influence of physical exertion, nervous overexcitation, stress, intoxication, as well as after infectious and invasive diseases.

Treatment. They create conditions for long-term compensation of defects. An easily digestible carbohydrate diet is prescribed. Restrict the movement of the animal. When indicated, symptomatic treatment is carried out (laxatives, diuretics). Cardiac glycosides are used.

Prophylaxis consists in the prevention of diseases complicated by endocarditis.

Pericarditis

Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium, usually secondary to infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis. Weakening of resistance, hypothermia, exhaustion, overwork, stress predispose to the disease. Inflammation can come from nearby tissues (pleura, myocardium).

Pericarditis can be acute and chronic, focal and diffuse; serous, fibrinous, hemorrhagic, purulent and putrid; dry and exudative; traumatic.

The disease begins with the onset of dry pericarditis, deposition of fibrin in the pericardial cavity and the formation of adhesions. Dry pericarditis becomes exudative, exudate accumulates, which can cause cardiac tamponade; there is edema of the parenchymal organs. Pericarditis can be complicated by myocarditis. There is a prolonged intoxication of the body with products of inflammation, exhaustion.

Symptoms diseases depend on the degree and stage of development, as well as on the origin and nature of the pathological process. Dry pericarditis occurs against the background of fever, tachysystole, soreness in the region of the heart, oppression of the sick animal. With the development of the disease, friction noises appear, coinciding with the phases of the heart rhythm, and with the transition to the exudative form, there are noises of splashing, gurgling, clicking, hissing foam. Tachysystole, deafness of heart sounds, an increase in the zone of cardiac dullness, threadlike pulse, diffuse cardiac impulse, dyspnea, cyanosis, edema, arrhythmia, a decrease in ACP and an increase in EVP are the main symptoms of the disease.

The course depends on the cause and nature of the pericarditis. Dry can quickly end with recovery, and exudative takes longer and more difficult.

Diagnosis is put on the basis of the analysis of clinical symptoms, metalloindication and fluoroscopic examination. Sometimes a puncture of the cardiac shirt is performed. In differential diagnosis, it is necessary to exclude dropsy of pericarditis, dry and effusion pleurisy, myocarditis and endocarditis.

Treatment focused primarily on the elimination of the primary disease. In the initial stages, it is recommended to cold on the heart area, restriction of water and feed. Prescribe diuretics and laxatives, iodine preparations, cardiotonic drugs (corvaton, praxiol, adversuten, hydralizin, methylene), glucose, antibiotics, cephalosporins, aminoglucosides, sulfonamides, prednisolone, acetylsalicylic acid, rheopyrin, isibuprofen, nifediphedines. The sick animal is provided with rest. If indicated, puncture and suction of the contents of the pericardium are performed.

Arteriosclerosis (Arteriosclerosis)

Arteriosclerosis is a complication of atherosclerosis (deposition of cholesterol in the intima of blood vessels with subsequent compaction and degeneration of their walls), when the proliferation of connective tissue occurs in the walls of the vessels.

In old animals, the disease occurs with insufficient physical activity and due to obesity. Secondary atherosclerosis can occur as a complication of infectious, invasive and non-infectious, especially metabolic diseases, accompanied by prolonged intoxication.

The disease develops for a long time. First, fatty, hyaline degeneration occurs, then necrosis (atheromatosis) of the intima, proliferation of connective tissue in the vessel wall (arteriosclerosis). The process is complicated by the deposition of lime in the walls of the vessels. The elasticity of the vessels is lost, the AKD increases. Vascular rupture and sudden death (myocardial infarction, stroke) or paresis, paralysis may occur.

Symptoms The disease develops slowly and is characterized by a decrease in attention in the animal, a weakening of the neuromuscular tone, the extinction of conditioned reflexes, an increase in ACD, and graying of the coat, especially on the head. The zone of cardiac dullness increases. On the ECG, an increase in the R and S waves is noted.

Treatment. Ineffective. Shows walks, multivitamins, nifedipines, miretilan, irazosin, angioprine; easily digestible diet, restriction of training. Iodine preparations are used. Symptomatic therapy. To reduce cholesterolemia, diosponin, clofibright, litenol, arachidene, parmidin, betasitosterol, polisponin, cetamifen are prescribed.

SELF-CHECK YOUR DOG FOR CHF

Veterinary cardiologists today unambiguously agree that if a dog of the CKCS breed has mitral valve disease (MVD), it is necessary to prescribe medication starting from the moment when the so-called "congestive heart failure" (CHF) appears. Doctors insist that MVD cavaliers undergo regular examinations - every 6 months, or even better - every three months. This is necessary in order to prescribe treatment on time to a dog who has heart failure (you need to start taking medications as soon as possible). Diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and pimobendan (Vetmedin) are commonly prescribed.

But if it is so important to establish the moment when the gentlemen have symptoms of CHF in order to urgently begin treatment, then the question of a timely diagnosis arises. Can only a doctor establish CHF? What if this condition develops between regular check-ups with your veterinarian?
We know that a veterinary clinic, especially a cardiologist, has expensive equipment to diagnose heart problems. This is an ultrasound machine and an electrocardiograph. In addition, in the arsenal of doctors there are quite expensive blood tests (cardiological biomarkers), which also allow detecting CHF. But all this equipment will not help us if our dog's heart failure occurs between examinations. However, there is a solution here. It is enough to measure the respiration rate of your dog; every gentleman owner can do this. Despite the complexity of the equipment and diagnostics available to cardiologists, the best way to establish CHF is to measure the dog's respiration rate, it should not be much more than 30 breaths per minute. The best cardiologists in the US and UK have come to the conclusion that respiratory rate counting is the most accurate way to determine CHF status. In 2011, at Ohio State University, a study was conducted in which 45 dogs with MVD participated, among them there were 13 CCCS, from which cardiac biomarkers were taken and a Doppler examination was performed. Respiratory rate counting has been found to detect CHF with a high degree of accuracy. In 2012, a study by an international team of cardiologists found that healthy adult dogs typically have a resting respiration rate of less than 30 per minute. As a result of all of these studies, cardiologists recommend that owners of dogs with MVD know their dogs' breathing rate and see a doctor when this number rises to 30-40 breaths per minute.

Here is an excerpt from a booklet from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine: “When your dog is resting, watch the ribs rise and fall with normal breathing. One lift plus one lowering is one breath. Count the number of breaths in 15 seconds and multiply by four. A normal dog should have a respiration rate of no more than 40. If you notice that the respiration rate is increasing progressively or notice that the dog is breathing hard, contact your veterinarian.

Why do people like to compare the heart with a motor? Yes, because it is clear: any of us can imagine what happens to a car when this engine stalls. Improved diagnostics have brought cardiovascular diseases to the top of the rankings among non-communicable diseases in dogs. The list of heart diseases discovered in them is growing, but the number of important symptoms that can tell the owner that the dog needs a cardiologist remains more or less constant.

Anatomical educational program

You will entrust the repair of the engine to an auto mechanic, however, as a rule, you will be able to notice interruptions in its work on your own. And even the most heroic hybrid of a "teapot" and a "blonde", passing on the license, must show basic knowledge of the design of the car. What for? Yes, at least so that you can understand each other with a car service worker. Well, so as not to receive bills for changing the oil in the spark plugs.

We learned the construction of the heart in school, so all that remains is to refresh our knowledge. They are enough to understand how the system works and how its problems are reflected in certain symptoms. For starters, the heart looks more like a pump than an internal combustion engine. Take a look at the picture. The sections through which the venous blood flows are painted in blue, the arterial blood is red. There are four chambers: right atrium + right ventricle and left atrium + left ventricle. Unlike the atria with the ventricles, the right and left halves of the heart do not normally communicate with each other! The right sections pump venous blood into the pulmonary circulation, where it passes through the lungs and turns into arterial. Then the left departments send her on a journey throughout her body. Through the vessels endlessly branching to the smallest capillaries, it brings oxygen and other substances to all tissues and organs, takes carbon dioxide from them (and much more) and already through the venous system is collected to the right atrium. The cycle repeats itself. The movement of blood in the right direction is provided by valves between the ventricles and atria, as well as in the largest blood trunks extending from the heart.

What in principle can break here?

First, during intrauterine development, there are extra "holes" in the partitions separating the chambers of the heart. If one of them does not have time to overgrow in time, the cub will be born with a certain heart defect. Secondly, valve defects may - congenital or acquired - appear. If the opening is narrowed (stenosis has occurred), it does not allow blood to pass through in the same volume. In case of insufficiency (incomplete closure of the valve leaflets), blood begins to seep in the opposite direction, forming vortices (turbulent currents). Thirdly, the heart muscle itself may be affected, as a result of which it will contract, for example, with less force.

In addition to the force of contractions, the pump characterizes the frequency and rhythm of work. The heart is equipped with an autonomic nervous system with a high degree of automatism, but, of course, it is not fenced off from humoral regulation and the influence of external factors. But regardless of the frequency of contractions, the rhythm of the heart - the sequence of excitation and contraction of its muscle fibers - must remain constant (this is very clearly seen on the ECG). If, so to speak, you take a close-up, first both atria contract, then both ventricles. When the automation begins to malfunction, this is manifested by one type or another of arrhythmias.

Let's check the pulse?

Check it out. Fortunately, the femoral artery is easily felt in the groin area. With occasional monitoring, you can only estimate the heart rate. In a calm state, it fluctuates on average from 70 to 120 beats per minute (in puppies - up to 160). It is believed that a slow heart rate is more typical for large breed dogs, and small dogs in heart rate almost catch up with puppies. Excitement, overheating, fever increase the pulse rate. You can check its rhythm. But let your doctor teach you how to evaluate the height and elasticity of the pulse wave. The same is true for listening to heart sounds and murmurs: either take a short course, and then regularly use the skills learned, or do not shake your nerves. Of course, you will not miss a rough noise reaching vibration, as well as a galloping heartbeat (a three-part rhythm instead of a two-part one), but this is clearly not an early stage ...

What's the main catch?

The fact that nature has laid down good compensatory mechanisms, and while the heart copes with the same mitral valve insufficiency or work against high pressure, outwardly, under normal load, the pathology may not manifest itself in any way. But the changes in the heart continue to increase, and when the symptoms finally appear, we may find that these changes have become irreversible and generally gone too far - sometimes to the development of chronic heart failure.

Decreased exercise tolerance (endurance) is a universal symptom of chronic heart failure. The owner must know his dog well and be careful not to miss the moment when it has taken too long to "recover" from an intense exercise or get tired earlier than usual. In addition to fatigue, chronic cough is a common symptom (in about 50% of animals, it is generally the only thing that the owner noticed, and the only sign identified during examination). But edema caused by heart failure (right ventricular), in dogs, appears less often and in the later stages of the disease.

A. Komolov, President of the Veterinary Cardiological Society, a member of the British Cardiological Society, recommends regularly checking the heart in giant and large dog breeds after the age of three years, and in dwarf dogs after six years. Approximately one third of elderly animals that have reached the age of 6–8 years, regardless of breed / outbred affiliation, show symptoms of CHF during examination. In the early stages, this ailment, unfortunately, is rarely diagnosed. Many owners are sure that heart disease is a "privilege" of man, and in animals, only congenital defects are possible. And, by the way, they overlook that CHF can be a complication not only of arterial hypertension, cardiomyopathy, congenital or acquired defects, heartworms and other heart diseases, but also diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases, obesity, lung, liver and kidney diseases. In dogs, renal and heart failure often accompany each other. That is, there are plenty of reasons why the heart becomes unable to provide organs and tissues with blood in the amount necessary for their normal metabolism. This does not mean that you have to spend the night with the dog under the door of the cardiologist's office. Just draw up a schedule of medical examination with the doctor, taking into account the age, breed and previous diseases of your pet.

Almost Olympic control

When differential diagnosis is required, the doctor prescribes a cardiac examination, including special research methods. Echocardiographic scanning of the heart (EchoCG) is currently considered a priority study: determining the size of the heart, the thickness of the myocardium, assessing the nature of its movement, valve function, and intracardiac hemodynamics. Echocardiography can be used to assess the severity of valve defects, septal defects, intracardiac formations, cardiomyopathy, pericardial disease, aortic disease, etc. X-ray examination of the chest cavity organs is performed for the differential diagnosis of heart failure from noncardiogenic diseases.

According to the changes in the voltage and duration of the teeth during the recording of the ECG recording, the frequency and rhythm of heart contractions, the state of the heart muscle, the nature and localization of changes in the heart - possible hypertrophy of the heart chambers, the presence of exudate in the pericardial cavity, electrolyte disorders, arrhythmias and much more are assessed. It is recommended to do several studies at regular intervals to assess changes in dynamics. Nowadays, daily Holter monitoring has become possible for dogs.

When the defense hits its own

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is the result of any heart disease (myocardial ischemia, arterial hypertension, heart defects, etc.), lesions of the cardiovascular system as a result of past infections, infection with heartworms. In addition, diseases of other organs and systems can lead to it. However, according to veterinarians, most often dogs with CHF suffer from severe lesions of the heart valves, or dilating cardiomyopathy. Dogs of large and giant breeds can be attributed to the risk group: their heart works with a greater load, and in case of illness, compensation mechanisms fail faster. If we talk about a hereditary predisposition to any congenital heart disease or large vessels, then some of these ailments collect lists of twenty to thirty breeds (and for others, sometimes there is simply no data). This suggests that these anomalies are gradually accumulating in any cultivated breed, and vigilance should be shown to all breeders.

Adapted functional classification of CHF by NYHA (New York Heart Association):
Class 1. Signs of heart failure only in cardiological examination. There are no clinical symptoms of HF. Normal well-being during normal exertion.
Class 2. Symptoms are absent at rest, but appear after moderate exercise and with excitement. Cough with great excitement. X-ray examination may reveal an increase in the size of the heart (but not necessarily).
Class 3. Normal state of health at rest, but exacerbation of HF symptoms with minimal exertion. Radiographic signs of an increase in the size of the heart.
Class 4. Symptoms of HF are often present at rest, or HF is present continuously (prolonged dyspnea, ascites).

Whatever part of the heart suffers, there is a universal moment in the development of CHF: the fatal activity of the adrenergic (AC) and renin-angiotensin (RAS) systems. In theory, they should save and protect the body. They mobilize reserves, "whip up" the body, and it works great - if the situation is temporary, and the body has something to whip up. If the body is driven away, then ... "the driven horses are shot." Here, trying to establish the normal work of a sick heart, "rescuers" and drive it completely. Trying to increase the volume of ejected blood, they increase the heart beat, but peripheral resistance also increases, the load on the diseased heart increases, which ultimately contributes to the development of insufficiency.

Right-left where the side is ...

Heart failure is manifested by symptoms that mainly indicate a decrease in cardiac output (fatigue, decreased exercise tolerance, fainting, weakness) or fluid accumulation (in the lungs - coughing, shortness of breath, fluid in the abdominal cavity - ascites). If only the left or only the right parts of the heart are affected, circulatory insufficiency will manifest itself, respectively, in the small or large circle of blood circulation, if the lesion is bilateral, circulatory insufficiency also covers both circles.

Left-sided failure. In dogs, mitral regurgitation and aortic stenosis are the main causes. It is accompanied by an increase in blood pressure in the left atrium (in extremely rare cases, it can even be equal to the pressure in the ventricle). This leads to a sharp increase in pressure in the pulmonary veins, the vessels that penetrate the lung tissue, there is a risk of pulmonary edema - at first only with very heavy physical exertion, and as the weakness of the heart muscle grows - with less and less significant efforts. In addition, the defense mechanism constricts the pulmonary arterioles, which leads to a proportional increase in blood pressure in the lungs. Now the right ventricle also works with an increased load, that is, the right parts of the heart are already affected.

Symptoms of left ventricular CHF and stagnation in the pulmonary circulation: fatigue, cough (it is the only symptom to be detected in about 50% of animals with cardiovascular disorders), shortness of breath, fainting, tachycardia, cyanosis, pulmonary edema.

Right-sided insufficiency. The most common causes of primary right-sided circulatory failure in dogs are pulmonary artery stenosis and cardiac helminthiasis. Plus, it can occur as a consequence of left-sided circulatory failure.

The inability of the right ventricle to pump blood in a normal volume leads to an increase in pressure in the right atrium and vena cava, and blood flow in a large circle slows down. Well, and, of course, someday the left heart will begin to feel the overload.

Symptoms of right ventricular CHF and stagnation in the systemic circulation: fatigue, arrhythmia, fainting, epileptiform seizures, ascites, hydrothorax, peripheral edema (in dogs, they are rare and only in very severe right ventricular failure).

General circulatory failure. Primary is rare - if it is caused by damage to the entire myocardium, obstruction of the arterial ducts, or some tumors of the heart. It usually develops several months or years after the first symptoms of left- or right-sided circulatory failure appear, for the reasons mentioned above.

Repair activities

It is clear that in the case of an anatomical defect, the cause can be eliminated only by surgery (and this is not always possible). In addition, regardless of the cause, by the time CHF begins to manifest itself clearly, changes in the heart have already become irreversible. Is it realistic to ease the suffering of a patient? What does modern cardiology generally mean by "successful therapy of chronic heart failure"?

Let us give the floor to the President of the Veterinary Cardiological Society A. Komolov. According to him, in order for CHF therapy to be considered effective, it must solve the following tasks: prolong the patient's life; protect “target organs” (heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, brain) from further changes; slow down, as far as possible, the development of decompensation; eliminate or relieve symptoms (shortness of breath, palpitations, cough, swelling).

Oddly enough, for this it is required to rein in those very protective mechanisms, that is, to block the hyperactivity of the AS and RAS. In "human" cardiology, treatment regimens have been worked out taking into account this very mechanism, and the number of effective drugs is growing. However, veterinary medicine must take into account the species characteristics of the patients. For example, if ramipril (an active substance from the latest generation of ACE inhibitors) causes an antihypertrophic and anti-ischemic effect in dogs, rats, and humans, then antiarrhythmic - only in rats, but it will lower myocardial oxygen demand only in a dog.

According to the criteria of evidence-based medicine, drugs used for the treatment of CHF in veterinary medicine can today be divided into the following groups:
I. The main drugs, the effectiveness and safety of which have been proven. These are primarily angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE inhibitors) inhibitors. Secondary roles are played by selective ß-blockers. For strict indications (for example, for some types of arrhythmias) and equally strict dose control, cardiac glycosides are used, and for symptoms associated with sodium and water retention, diuretics are used.
II. Additional drugs, the effectiveness and safety of which require clarification: angiotensin II antagonists (for intolerance to ACE inhibitors), aldosterone antagonists, slow calcium channel blockers, drugs that improve myocardial metabolism, drugs that affect electrolyte balance.
III. Ancillary drugs, the effectiveness and safety of which is questionable, but the use is justified by the clinical situation (administration of corticosteroids, for example, with persistent hypotension),
IV. Drugs that are often used in veterinary medicine, but have no indications for CHF, the pharmacological effects of which can worsen the prognosis (cordiamine, caffeine, sulfocamphocaine).

The latest generation of ACE inhibitors does not belong to cheap drugs, especially in the veterinary hypostasis, but it cannot be called expensive either, therefore it is possible to prolong the life of four-legged patients with CHF and improve its quality. Of course, the earlier adequate therapy is started, the more benefits we will get from it. Therefore, if you suspect that there is some trouble with a dog's heart, go for a consultation with a veterinary cardiologist.

For example, impaired blood circulation leads to stagnation of blood in the vessels and, as a result, to hypoxia - a lack of oxygen to the tissue cells. As a result, the stomach, liver, kidneys and lungs work worse, metabolism can deteriorate and water-salt metabolism can be disrupted. Excess sodium and water accumulate in the body and edema appears.
The most susceptible to diseases associated with impaired cardiovascular activity are elderly animals. During aging, global and sometimes irreversible processes take place in the body. Metabolic intensity decreases, which leads to impaired thermoregulation, deterioration of smell, vision, hearing and taste. The activity of the intestines is also disrupted, due to which the occurrence of constipation and inflammatory diseases is possible. The endocrine glands also begin to "work at low speed": the thyroid, pancreas and adrenal glands cease to cope with their tasks. Development of renal failure is possible. And, of course, the main sign of aging in dogs is heart problems. It should be remembered that heart diseases do not appear suddenly - they develop for a long time and eventually become chronic. If your pet is over 5 years old, you should especially carefully monitor the condition of his heart.
When composing a diet for an elderly dog, it should also be borne in mind that its teeth are more worn out, and its jaws are weakened. Diet therapy as a treatment for heart disease in dogs is aimed at restoring the level of proteins, minerals and vitamins. With a properly balanced diet, the electrolyte balance is also maintained, and the pet's weight comes to the optimal indicators for him. Also, the diet helps relieve unnecessary stress on the liver, kidneys and digestive system.

Diet for heart disease

Firstly The main focus of dietary therapy for heart disease in dogs is to reduce sodium intake to prevent sodium build-up. Heart disease in dogs results in decreased excretion rates long before owners can notice symptoms of heart failure. For each animal, it is necessary to select an individual rate of sodium intake, depending on the complexity of the disease and the state of the heart. It should be remembered that sodium is deposited in the kidneys much more strongly in dogs and cats than in humans. In doing so, you need to adhere to a gentle pace of transition to a lower sodium intake. Even if the rate needs to be reduced several times, it will have to be done gradually so that the body has time to adapt to the new type of diet. Excess sodium is excreted from the body with water.
Secondly, it is necessary to prevent or compensate for the resulting potassium deficiency, which invariably occurs with the appointment of diuretics. Animals with cirrhosis suffer from hypokalemia (potassium deficiency) most often. The body needs potassium, as it restores the concentration of insulin in the blood and helps to normalize the metabolic processes occurring in the heart muscle.
Thirdly, it is necessary to compensate for the lack of magnesium, which, like potassium, is washed out of the body with diuretics. The low content of magnesium in the body provokes arrhythmia and weakness of the heart tissues, becomes the reason for insufficient contraction of the heart muscle.
Fourth, you need to limit protein intake, since heart failure is an almost constant companion of liver dysfunction. Reducing protein intake prevents azotemia and relieves some of the load from the liver.
Fifth, the diet should be aimed at stimulating the gastrointestinal tract, since it also suffers in violation of cardiovascular activity: intestinal absorption decreases, edema and constipation occur. To avoid this, you should prepare food for your pet that is easy to digest. The portions during feeding should be reduced, but the number of feedings should be increased.
At sixth, you need to count calories. There should be just enough to provide the dog with a tendency to acquire a normal weight first, and then - to maintain it. At the same time, the content of vitamin B can be increased.
Seventh: replenish the amount of L-carnitine that is collected in the myocardium and muscles associated with the skeleton. This element accelerates fat burning and thus prevents obesity - the main problem of dogs suffering from heart disease.
Eighth: another element that is extremely important for the state of the myocardium is the taurine amino acid. The body of healthy dogs is able to synthesize this element itself, but during illness, the production of taurine decreases. Cats are completely devoid of the ability to produce taurine. Therefore, its content in food must be taken into account when drawing up a diet.
The path to a healthy pet heart

Many dog ​​owners report that as heart disease develops, their pets' appetite decreases, making it difficult to implement the nutritionist's instructions. The second problem of dog breeders is the well-established gustatory habits and preferences of their pets. That is why a dog's diet must have one more essential property - good taste characteristics. The period required for the body to adapt when switching from a regular diet to a dietary one is 10-12 days.
Most importantly, remember that heart disease is difficult to detect early. When the first symptoms appear, the disease may already be in full swing. Therefore, arrange for your pet regular check-ups, and at the first warning signs - immediately contact your veterinarian.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and King Charles Spaniel breeds are particularly prone to inheriting the problem.
Characterized by the development of mitral regurgitation at a much earlier age, compared with other breeds
(for example, from 1 year old).

In 75% of all dogs suffering from decompensated heart failure, degenerative damage to the leaflets and chords of the mitral valve is found.

As the problem progresses, mitral valve failure, located between the left atrium and the ventricle, is characteristic. Loose closure of the valve leaflets at the time of systolic contraction of the ventricle leads to the appearance of a reverse blood flow (regurgitation) directed to the left atrium.
A further increase in pressure in the left atrium leads to impaired blood flow from the pulmonary veins, and, consequently, to the formation of congestion in the lungs. The extreme degree of pathology is the development of pulmonary edema with subsequent death.

The etiology of the process has not yet been finally clarified, however, a change in the structure of the connective tissue is typical. The genetic heritability of the pathology is obvious.

It is believed that chondrodystrophic breeds are most prone to the problem.
So, quite often veterinarians observe several pathologies in one patient: prolapse of the intervertebral disc, collapse of the trachea, rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, etc.

The typical age for the onset of this disease is 8-12 years.
In 10% of dogs, the problem begins to progress from the age of 5.
In Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and King Charles Spaniels, the problem may progress from 1 year of age.

Symptoms

At an early stage - a systolic murmur in the projection of the mitral valve, detected by a veterinarian during a routine examination of the patient.

In the later stages:

Cough
Decreased physical activity
Fainting
Decreased appetite
Dyspnea

Diagnostic methods.

Standard diagnostic methods include:

Chest x-ray. Revealed a change in the contours of the shape of the heart, the presence of congestion in the lungs.

Electrocardiography of the heart. Identification of various rhythm disturbances associated with pathology.

Echocardiography of the heart. Determination of the severity of the process, detection of possible changes in the structure of the heart muscle, valve apparatus.

Possible complications of mitral valve endocardiosis include:

Development of arrhythmias
Decompensation in the pulmonary circulation
Left atrial rupture

Forecast.

Many animals with mild / moderate mitral valve insufficiency remain asymptomatic throughout life.
With severe MV failure and the use of adequate therapy, life expectancy is less than one year.
With the decompensation of moderate insufficiency and the selection of adequate therapy, the prognosis is good.

Scientists have found a way to extend the life of pets
___________________
Scientists from the University of Washington shared the results of successful trials of an immunosuppressive drug in dogs: it turned out that a common drug can restore heart health in animals and thus prolong their life.

A drug called rapamycin is widely used in transplantation to help prevent organ donation from being rejected. It is known that with its help it is possible to extend the life of laboratory mice by 25 percent. Now a similar effect has been proven in dogs: on average, the life expectancy of the subjects increased by 4 years.

The first experiments were carried out on 24 Golden Retrievers, Labradors and German Shepherds. Scientists have suggested that small doses of rapamycin added to food for dogs can improve their health. Their theory was confirmed: cardiac function in experimental animals showed significant improvement.

You need to understand that this is a small study, the success needs to be consolidated in order to be sure of the result. It's also worth noting that improved heart function doesn't necessarily mean better overall health or slower aging, ”says study author Dr. Matt Kaberlein. At the same time, scientists are encouraged by the results obtained and are preparing for new experiments that will take 3-5 years. Ultimately, they hope these trials will help solve the problem of aging in humans.

Heart failure is a complex pathology in which the heart cannot provide tissues and organs with a sufficient volume of blood. All work disorders can be congenital or acquired. Heart failure in a dog, symptoms and treatment will be covered in this article.

The reasons

Diagnosis and treatment of heart failure in dogs should be done urgently if any of the following signs are observed.

• fatigue, lethargy, weakness;
• dyspnea;
• cyanosis of the mucous membranes;
• gurgling wheezing and breathing sounds;
• a cough that resembles vomiting;
• excess and lack of weight;
• an increase in the volume of the abdomen;
• and pulse;
• when the animal is sitting, its legs are wide apart and the chest is straightened forward;
• chills and occasional fainting;
• high blood pressure.

If at least one of these signs is present, an urgent need to consult a veterinarian. He prescribes appropriate treatment, as well as a special diet and possible physical activity.

Breed predisposition

Some species have a predisposition to this disease. Of course, this does not mean that all these animals will die from a heart attack. This suggests that such breeds show characteristic symptoms much more often and more strongly.

Dogs of giant breeds (Newfoundland, Great Dane, St. Bernard) require special attention. Heart failure can most often manifest itself against the background of poor-quality nutrition, excessive exertion and poor animal maintenance.

In dwarf breeds, pathology arises from emotional overload, since they are more prone to stress. All heart troubles lie in their lifestyle, they are jealous, fearful and terribly sensitive.

In general, such weakness in dogs manifests itself as a pathological condition in which the heart muscle is unable to provide proper blood circulation.

Diagnostics

A cynologist who detects changes in the pet's behavior will certainly warn the owners that they need to contact a veterinary clinic. The owner will be sure to clarify information about loads, vaccines and nutrition. If the dog does not eat well, a specialist consultation is necessary. Of no small importance is information about surgical operations and previous illnesses. The doctor will not only determine the symptoms of heart failure, but also prescribe the treatment.

The main methods for diagnosing heart failure in dogs include the following activities:

1. Auscultation of the chest cavity using a stethophonendoscope to detect the presence of cardinal murmurs and arrhythmias.
2. Radiograph. When performing it, attention is paid to the change in the size of the organ and the presence of congestion in the lungs.
3. Ultrasound (ultrasound examination).
4. ECG (electrocardiogram) - to detect violations of the rhythm of heart contractions.
5. Blood tests to diagnose comorbid conditions.

Treatment

At the first signs of heart failure, dogs are prescribed a certain therapy, which consists of several stages.

1. Special diet and food quality greatly influence the course of the disease. An unbalanced diet leading to overweight, a lack of vitamins greatly increases the load on the organs, which can be fatal in case of heart failure. In this case, it is necessary to select only special diets, the action of which is aimed at maintaining the work of the heart.

2. Drug therapy. If the dog has begun to eat poorly, this is the first sign of the presence of a disease, you must definitely consult a doctor. Only he prescribes the drugs that are necessary for the treatment. It is assigned individually, depending on the age and health of the animal. In the presence of symptoms of heart failure, the non-steroidal cardiological drugs "Pimopet" and Gi Gi are especially popular, as they perfectly reduce the load on the heart and increase the force of contractions. Thanks to the use of such funds, the health of the animal improves after the first week of treatment.

3. Continuous monitoring of health. If the dog has been diagnosed with heart failure, then the owner should carefully monitor his condition and visit the veterinarian regularly. At home, you will need to control the pulse and respiratory rate. If the animal makes more than 27 respiratory movements per minute, then you should immediately consult a specialist. If suddenly the dog eats poorly for no apparent reason, then this is also considered an alarming sign.

4. Physical activity is the optimal aid in therapy. Correctly organized loads have a very beneficial effect on the dog's health at the first stage of the development of the disease. But you should be careful: with the wrong training program, you can only exacerbate the problem. When compiling loads, you need to consult with a specialist, only he will prescribe the time for classes and the correct exercises, as well as the regularity of their repetitions.

Groups of drugs

All medicines can be roughly divided into two types.

1. Specific, they directly affect blood vessels, heart and blood:

• ACE inhibitors perfectly reduce blood pressure and facilitate the movement of blood through the vessels (Captopril, Enalapril).
• Diuretics. They remove excess fluid from the body, thereby reducing the load on the organ ("Veroshpiron", "Furosemide").
• Cardiac glycosides. The names of the drugs are known to everyone, Digoxin most often belongs to this category, it normalizes metabolic processes in the myocardium and its contractility.
• Potassium preparations - they help to improve the conduction of nerve impulses in the myocardium and lower blood viscosity.
• Components for thinning blood and preventing the formation of blood clots ("Aspirin", "Heparin", "Curantil").

2. Nonspecific - are fortifying drugs, which include:

• adaptogens;
• vitamin and mineral complexes;
• immunostimulants.

"Digoxin"

As noted above, cardiac glycosides (see your doctor for drug names) are used to treat symptoms of heart failure in dogs and other animals. They are also often used in preparing patients for operations. This drug serves to increase the strength of the heart, but it also slows down the heart rate. Has a slight diuretic effect. Often used in conjunction with Vetimedicon. In order for the treatment to become effective, it is necessary to control the breathing rate while in deep sleep. The drug was invented for humans, but it is safely used for animals.

There is no one way to treat it, because every dog ​​is different. When symptoms of heart failure are detected, treatment should be prescribed individually. At the moment, several dosage regimens for Digoxin have been developed for dogs. But still, a two-time reception at regular intervals is recommended. The dose of the drug is individual and is prescribed directly by the attending physician. After 3-10 days, an examination for toxicity and the content of components in the blood is mandatory. Based on these results, the amount of medication used can be adjusted. The weight of the animal is taken as a calculation. If everything is in order, then such a drug is prescribed for life.

Prophylaxis

General strengthening agents for the prevention of heart failure include dosed physical activity, regular medical check-ups, balanced nutrition and just a good attitude towards the animal, reducing stress.

For owners of especially large breeds, it is recommended to carefully monitor their pet, since it is they who are most often diagnosed with such a disease.

It must be remembered that careful attention to the health of your pet can guarantee a good quality of life and long years of the dog.

Compliance with these simple rules will have a beneficial effect on the health of the dog. So, she needs:

1. Strictly dosed duration of walks.
2. Excellent nutrition and quality care, taking into account the characteristics of the breed.
4. Properly organized leisure time, especially for older dogs.
5. Timely identification and treatment of ailments.
6. Conscious choice of dog breed depending on the degree of family activity.
7. The use of drugs strictly prescribed by the doctor. Self-medication must be excluded. If alarming symptoms are detected, you should immediately contact a veterinary clinic. The health and life of the dog depends on it.

Veterinary clinic "Zoostatus"

This institution works around the clock. If necessary, you can contact at any time. The high level of knowledge and professionalism of the clinic's specialists should be noted. And most importantly, they just love animals!

The clinic is equipped with new high-tech equipment, which guarantees quality service, accurate diagnosis and treatment of many diseases.

After all, when a pet is sick, it is extremely important to identify the symptoms in time and prescribe the correct treatment. Complex studies are used to diagnose diseases in the Zoostatus veterinary clinic. The doctor can refer to:

• Ultrasound of the heart;
• digital x-ray;
• tonometry;
• laboratory diagnostics.

Such equipment allows us to provide the necessary services in Moscow at the proper level.

Patients are offered the services of a therapist, resuscitation specialist, intensive therapy is available if necessary. Surgical operations of any complexity are also performed.

You can find out about the full range of services by phone or contact the address: Moscow, Varshavskoe shosse, 125/1.