How to Treat Congestive Heart Failure in Dogs
Congestive heart failure is a common ailment in many elderly dogs but it can strike any dog at any stage of his life. Congestive heart failure refers to a condition where the heart and lungs of the dog retain fluids, which exert pressure on both organ systems making it difficult to pump blood and perform respiration. Congestive heart failure in dogs is incurable; however with the right drugs and treatment protocols, dogs with this disease can live longer, healthier lives.
Things You'll Need
- Low-sodium kibble
- Diuretic such as furosemide
- Vasodilator
- ACE inhibitor such as enalapril
- Potassium supplements
- Vitamin supplements
Instructions
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Recognize the symptoms as early as possible. Symptoms of congestive heart disease are usually absent until the disease is advanced unfortunately. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing, exercise intolerance, weight loss and lethargy. Many of these symptoms are mistaken for the normal slowing down of an aging dog. This is why regular veterinary visits are important.
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Modify the diet. Just as in people with heart failure, one of the most important steps to treating this disease is to reduce salt intake. Consuming salt triggers the body to retain fluids. Diets low in sodium encourage the body to excrete excessive fluids, which aid the heart and lungs.
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Administer a diuretic. In addition to reducing salt intake, many veterinarians prescribe a diuretic to draw out additional fluids. A diuretic is simply a medication that encourages the body to release additional fluids.
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Give your dog a vasodilator. A vasodilator is a drug that increases the diameter of the blood vessels, allowing the blood to flow more easily through the blood vessels with less effort from the heart.
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Administer an ACE inhibitor. ACE stands for angiotensin-converting enzyme. Dogs with heart failure create too much angiotensin-converting enzymes. The administration of this drug will reduce these enzymes from the system and improve heart function.
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Provide adequate vitamin and mineral supplementation. Many veterinarians agree that dogs in congestive heart failure experience drops in potassium levels that affect the heart’s ability to function properly. Potassium is usually supplemented in these dogs as well as the giving vitamin B complex, taurine and carnitine. Coenzyme Q10 is also sometimes supplemented.
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References
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