Congenital Heart Failure in Dogs

Heart failure can occur in any dog at any age, no matter what their breed or gender may be. If you hear your veterinarian use the word "congenital" when describing your dog's defect, that means that the defect has been in existence since the birth of your dog. Heart failure is a serious condition and can be a difficult time for both dog and owner, so understanding different types of heart conditions or defects can help you spot problems right away.

  1. Heart Failure

    • Heart failure usually occurs in younger dogs due to malformation of the heart or the area surrounding the heart. In dogs, heart failure indicates that the muscles in and around the heart are becoming overworked and will simply fail after a certain period of time. This does not always mean that the dog must be put down and in some cases, the dog can undergo surgery or treatment in order to resolve the issue. For dogs, heart failure takes several months or even years to occur, whereas in humans it can be as instant as a heart attack.

    Symptoms of Heart Failure

    • A heart murmur is one of the most common signs of an issue within the heart. However, most owners will not notice a heart murmur until the dog is brought to a veterinarian for a routine physical exam. Additional signs of heart failure can vary from dog to dog and include weight loss and fatigue, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. In some cases, such as a heartworm infestation, dogs may exhibit mild to severe coughing.

    Pulmonic Stenosis

    • When pulmonic stenosis occurs, a congenital defect to the pulmonary artery may be to blame. In this case, the pulmonary artery is too narrow, which restricts blood flow and causes the right side of the heart to work harder. Dogs who have pulmonic stenosis will not show any initial symptoms. As heart failure progresses, the right side of the heart becomes overworked and pulmonic stenosis will cause an accumulation of fluids in the abdomen and in some cases, the limbs. Usually dogs can live with this defect; however, in severe cases surgery can be used to improve the blood flow of the heart.

    Aorta Stenosis

    • Aorta stenosis occurs when the opening between the aorta and the left ventricle is abnormally small. This causes the left side of the heart to overwork itself, and many dogs who suffer from aorta stenosis show symptoms such as fainting spells, weakness, and lethargy---all of which occur because the body is not being supplied with ideal amounts of nutrients through the blood stream. Unfortunately, many dogs who have aorta stenosis will live a short life, often due to failure of the left side of the heart. However, for dogs who are quickly diagnosed, surgery can be used to enlarge the opening and provide the dog with a long and healthy life.

    Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

    • VSD occurs during the developing stages of the embryo. Ventricular septal defect is a condition in which the chambers of the heart did not properly form into their four separate chambers. This can be referred to as a "hole in the heart," although there is no actual "hole" in your dog's heart. VSD causes blood to flow backward because of the lack of dividers that would normally have prevented backward flows. Fortunately, puppies who are born with VSD can go on to live a normal life, and some dogs will even go on to eventually develop full chamber walls. However, not all dogs are as lucky and some will pass away due to heart failure. In some cases, surgery can be performed to correct the defects.