Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a relatively painless condition for which pain medications are typically not needed. Most dogs that experience CHF are older; therefore, they have the usual aches and pains associated with age. The average dog with CHF may require medications for the fluid buildup in the body tissues, which may cause painful swelling. Dogs may also require medication to help them breathe as a result of the fluid buildup in the chest cavity.
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Congestive Heart Failure
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CHF is a slow failure of a dog's heart ability to act as a pump, eventually resulting in death. Each year, approximately 3 million dogs are diagnosed with CHF. It is treatable, but not curable. In general, CHF affects overweight, older dogs. According to VetInfo.com, however, this disease can also affect any age dog and may be hereditary.
Symptoms of CHF Associated with Reduced Oxygen
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CHF is characterized by many different symptoms. A dog with CHF might have light-colored gums or blue discoloration of the gums. Extreme tiredness or fainting might occur, even after performing routine tasks or mild exercise. Both tiredness and fainting occur due to reduced lung function, associated with poor blood circulation.
External Symptoms of CHF
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Dogs affected by CHF will retain fluids. A great deal of this fluid volume will be retained in the chest cavity, causing pressure on the heart and lungs that will result in the dog having difficulty breathing. This difficulty is noticeable both visually and aurally, due to the dog's heaving chest and loud breath sounds; however, it is important to note that not all swelling is caused by fluid retention. Although dogs affected by CHF might have swelling in the abdomen caused by retained fluid, a swollen abdomen might also occur because a dog has been gulping air.
Parasites and CHF
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Heartworm treatment may be indicated in CHF. Parasitical infestation might be one cause of the heart muscle being impaired. Flukes (worms) in the lungs may also be a factor in CHF.
Drug Therapy for CHF
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Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) are commonly used in both human and in canine CHF therapy. ACE inhibitors are used to improve the heart's mitral valve function and reduce fluid in the lungs. In addition to ACE inhibitors, vasodilators such as Vetmedin are used to widen the blood vessels and improve blood flow in certain types of canine CHF.
Dogs with CHF are typically prescribed medication to improve their lung function. Diuretics reduce the amount of fluid in a dog's chest cavity by encouraging urination. Lasix is a familiar human-quality diuretic appropriate for use in dogs. In addition, bronchodilators may be prescribed to expand the bronchial tubes in the lungs to improve airflow.
Dietary Restrictions
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CHF can be treated to a limited extent with dietary restrictions. One simple and inexpensive treatment is to avoid high amounts of sodium in the dog's diet, as sodium encourages fluid retention.
Dietary Additions
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In addition to foods that should be removed from a dog's diet, some foods and supplements should be added. Foods rich in taurine, such as meat and fish, may benefit certain breeds with CHF. B-complex vitamins with niacin, trace mineral supplements, and fish oil supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids are all used to improve the general health and heart function.
Natural Treatments for CHF
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Not every dog owner wishes to impose chemical or invasive treatment on their pet, preferring to treat CHF using herbal remedies or vitamins and supplements. According to the Healthier Dogs website, Hawthorne is an herb that fortifies artery walls. This fortification improves the elasticity of blood vessels that have thinned and weakened, improving blood and oxygen flow to the body's cells.
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