Common signs of heart disease in dogs

Dogs can suffer from numerous forms of heart disease.

Heart disease is a common problem in dogs but actually includes many different diseases that affect the heart and often produce symptoms that are similar.

Acquired versus congenital heart disease

Heart disease may be acquired any time after birth or may congenital in nature and present when the puppy is born.

Heart disease, both congenital and acquired, can range from mild and possibly asymptomatic to quite severe and life-threatening.

Symptoms of heart disease

Heart disease can produce symptoms that are quite subtle, especially in the early stages of disease. As the disease progresses and the changes in the heart become severe, the symptoms may also escalate.

The most common symptoms seen in dogs with heart disease are:

• loss of appetite
• lethargy
• pale gums
• increased heart rate
• coughing
• difficulty breathing
• rapid breathing
• shortness of breath
• weight loss
• exercise intolerance
• periods of weakness
• fainting
  

One of the most valuable things a dog owner can do at home is to monitor the dog closely for changes in behavior or activity. If a dog has been diagnosed with heart disease, monitoring the respiratory rate can be helpful. Do this by counting the number of times the chest moves in and out in 15 seconds and multiply by 4. This is the number of breaths per minute. Normal dogs breath 20-30 times per minute. If the respiratory rate increases, it is possible the dog is having heart problems and veterinary attention should be sought.

We will be discussing heart disease on DogTalk on Twitter on Monday evening, May 24, at 9:15 PM EST. Please join us.

Not sure what DogTalk on Twitter is? DogTalk is a one-hour chat that occurs on Twitter every Monday at 9:15PM EST. Each week, a different topic relating to dogs is discussed. Guest speakers are invited each week to answer questions related to their area of expertise. For more information, see the DogTalk FAQs page.

Subscribe to email alerts and be notified when a new "National Pet Health Examiner" article is published.

The Voice of Pet Care on Facebook is discussing this article and many other pet related topics. Come on over and tell us what you think. And please don't forget to "Become a Fan" of the Voice of Pet Care on Facebook.

If you enjoyed this article you might also enjoy:

• Pet Health 101: Is early socialization necessary and safe for a puppy?
• Helping homeless pets
• Preventing animal cruelty, abuse and neglect: How you can help
• Cesar Millan – Dog whisperer or danger
  

The copyright of the article Common signs of heart disease in dogs is owned by Lorie Huston. Permission to republish Common signs of heart disease in dogs in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.