Heart disease may lead to congestive heart failure.
Chf in dogs medication.
The congestive heart failure life expectancy may vary but typically it is normal in dogs that receive treatment congestive heart failure is a condition that will cause the weakening of the heart muscle and this in turn affects the blood pressure.
This could include regular physical veterinary exams x rays and ultrasounds of the heart.
Rush said one drug being used more by some veterinary cardiologists is sildenafil specifically in dogs with chf that have pulmonary hypertension documented on echocardiography.
If the cause of your dog or cat s heart failure is a damaged valve this will eventually progress to congestive heart failure.
Congestive heart failure in dogs is a relatively slow process with the heart conditions worsening over time.
Congenital means that the dog was born with a heart defect.
Treatment depends on the severity of the disease.
Sometimes an ultrasound is done as well.
Steps toward a diagnosis of congestive heart failure in dogs.
That s when your dog s heart has trouble pumping blood to the rest of its body.
This is due to an accumulation of fluid in the lungs and the.
Heart disease can affect one side of the heart or sometimes both sides.
It can progress slowly and may take years to spot.
When a dog has heart disease certain parts of the heart cease to function properly.
Stage b dogs have structural change to the heart on x ray and ultrasound these dogs are not showing signs of congestive heart failure and therefore do not need treatment.
The treatment plan will typically include a variety of drugs and.
While there is very little you can do to stop congestive heart failure altogether it is possible to slow the process and make your dog more comfortable so you can enjoy a little more time together.
Congestive heart failure is a difficult diagnosis for dogs and their owners.
If this is the case with the proper treatment congestive heart failure life expectancy for dogs and cats can be a number of years after diagnosis with a good quality of life.
As a result other parts of the organ have to work extra hard to compensate for the improper function.
I ve seen many dogs with congestive heart failure chf over the years and until recently the only options i had to treat them were prescription drugs something i don t like to do.
One of the most common symptoms of congestive heart failure in dogs is a persistent cough accompanied by a difficult time breathing.
There remains a great deal of controversy on which drugs should be employed before congestive heart failure is diagnosed rush said.
However if the condition is controlled the dog may live a normal life.
Thankfully that has changed but.
Congestive heart failure in dogs is a terrible thing to have to deal with.
