It is common to hear about heart disease in people, it is true that a loved one has already had some type of heart disease, whether family or not, but what about animals, they also develop this type of disease?The answer is yes.
Every animal has in its chest this famous organ, responsible for everyone’s attention: the heart.The main function of this organ is to pump blood throughout the body, as it is through the blood that all substances such as nutrients, metabolic wastes, substances in general and mainly gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide are found through the blood.It is not difficult to point out that it is a vital organ, of fundamental importance for the proper functioning of the whole organism.However, as in humans, it can also present diseases in our pet friends.
- Veterinary cardiology is strengthened every day.
- Technological advances.
- As well as the availability of new diagnostic and treatment methods.
- Are responsible for a breakthrough in the cardiology of small animals.
- More and more specialized centers.
- As well as an increase in the number of professionals trained to do so.
- Without a doubt.
- This is an area with a bright future in our country.
Animal Expert prepared this article on major heart disease in dogs and cats.
What are heart disease?
Also known as heart disease, these diseases are pathological changes that occur in the heart, they can have different causes, as well as various forms of manifestations in animals, can also be categorized in different ways, such as severity, evolution and anatomical location.Another important point is that they can occur in the heart muscle itself (cardiomyopathies), heart valves (valvulopathies), or arteries that supply the heart (coronary arteries).
Heart disease is a condition that requires special attention from the guardian and veterinarian; as a vital organ, any change can lead to serious complications, including death; complications of these diseases are often reflected in various parts of the body, leading to various disorders, both mild and severe.Whenever there is a problem with this pump, the blood circulates with difficulty and this involves a series of incidents, which become reality in “snowball”.
Among the major heart disease in small animals, congestive heart failure (CCD) is one of the most severe and occurs most frequently in pets; is a condition in which the heart is insufficient to perform its function, which is to pump blood., blood tends to build up in blood vessels where it should have a normal flow, this buildup of blood leads to the formation of edema, which is a buildup of fluid in areas of the body. When this condition occurs in the lungs, animals have symptoms such as coughing and easy fatigue, another very common sign of this disease is the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites or popularly “water belly”) and swelling in the hind legs (legs).
Valvulopathies, also known as? The murmurs are, along with BCI, very common diseases in dogs and cats, it is an anatomical failure of the valves, which causes a lack of control of blood flow through them, which causes reflexes in the heart itself and in other organs.can also be one of the causes of heart failure.
Small dogs such as Yorkshire, Poodle, Pinscher and Maltese have a natural predisposition to develop endocardiosis, which is a syndrome that reflects major complications in the heart, while larger breeds such as Boxer, Labrador, Dobermam, Rottweiler, and German Mastiff can be seen most easily affected by dilated cardiomyopathy, which is another condition with major negative effects on the heart.
Dogs that live near the sea can be affected by heartworm disease, which is a worm transmitted by a mosquito bite and is concentrated in the heart making it difficult to circulate and function the blood.
Our friends also have a great tendency to develop heart disease throughout their lives.An important observation about felines is that heart disease occurs in these animals silently, usually being detected in an already very advanced state.
The main signs of cardiovascular disease in dogs and cats are
Read our full article on the symptoms of heart disease in dogs.
Periodic assessment by a veterinarian is essential for diagnosis and treatment in the early onset of the disease, it should be noted that regardless of whether or not there are signs of heart disease, routine monitoring of your pet is essential, especially in older animals.who have a greater tendency to develop these types of diseases.
Another important point of prevention is food and exercise, animals that consume human food, with excess salt and fats or overeating, are good candidates for some type of heart disease throughout their lives.Sedentary lifestyles that have become common in pets due to the routine of its owners, is also one of the main causes of heart disease, so avoiding it is a simple and effective form of prevention.
Prevention is always the best remedy for your best friend
This article is for informational purposes only, in Animal Expert.com.br we cannot prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis, we suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any condition or discomfort.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Cardiovascular Diseases section.