Heart Disease in a Basset Hound Dog

Basset Hounds are not commonly affected by any specific type of heart disease. However, this breed of dog is not immune to the types of heart disease that affect all dogs including cardiomyopathy, mitral valve insufficiency and pulmonic stenosis; so it is important for owners to be aware of any potential health issue that may affect their Basset Hound.

  1. Causes

    • In Basset Hounds, heart disease can occur for several reasons including congenital or genetic defects such as an enlarged heart, parasites such as heartworms, dietary deficiencies such as low intake of taurine or L-carnitine, obesity or simply due to the natural aging process.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of heart disease will vary based on the individual Basset Hound depending on the type of heart disease affecting the dog. Symptoms include fainting spells, a heart murmur or arrhythmia, weight loss, coughing and behavioral changes such as becoming lethargic.

    Diagnosis

    • Diagnostic tools include blood tests to check for certain abnormalities such as parasites traveling in the blood stream or to determine the levels of red and white blood cell counts; tissue biopsies for potential cancers or other tissue abnormalities; an electrocardiogram to check the heart's rhythm and chest x-rays or ultrasounds for visible abnormalities such as an enlarged heart.

    Treatment

    • Depending on the type of heart disease affecting the Basset Hound, treatment options will vary. Some courses of treatment may include surgical correction of defects and medications to control specific issues, such as an arrhythmia.

    Prognosis

    • The prognosis for a Basset Hound will vary based on his age, weight, overall health and the type of heart disease occurring. If heart failure is occurring, it is inevitable that death with occur. However, other types of heart disease such as an arrhythmia or heartworms may have a better prognosis with successful treatment.