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Treatments
It's important to distinguish between heart disease and heart failure. Heart disease is the underlying condition. It can rarely be cured per se. Heart failure is the consequence of heart disease.
Heart failure is rarely a sudden cessation of the heart's function, but a slow complex process in which its decline affects the performance of almost every part of the body. Unlike the underlying disease, heart failure can often be managed with drugs that improve and extend the dog's life.
Chief amongst these are ACE inhibitors. First used in man, ACE inhibitors reduce blood volume and pressure, thereby relieving stress on the heart. They are also thought to slow the deterioration of the heart muscles.
There are many other drugs, diets and surgical techniques used to treat heart disease or manage heart failure. A special exercise regime for your dog will also be very important. You can learn about these by clicking on the links below.
Bear in mind, though, that every case of heart disease is unique, and it is not possible for this website to make any recommendation as to which treatment, or combination of treatments is appropriate for your dog. We do hope, though, that the information we provide will give you a better understanding of any treatment that may have been recommended, and why.
Diet & Exercise
Diets
One of the effects of heart failure is fluid retention, which in turn causes increased pressure on the heart, and symptoms such as coughing and abdominal swelling.
One of the priorities in the management of heart failure is to reduce fluid retention. The most important thing is that you do NOT feed your pet any food with a high salt content. Especially snack foods prepared for human consumption, such as pork pies.
Exercise
By the time heart failure is diagnosed, the body's compensation system may have kicked in already, with the effect of placing added stress on the heart. Until the compensation system can be controlled with drug therapy, your veterinarian may recommend a period of complete rest for your dog.
Once drug therapy has started to work, it's likely that your veterinarian will recommend a return to normal or near-normal exercise, as it remains important to promote good circulation and exercise the heart.
Your veterinarian will recommend an appropriate exercise regime in each case.
Get more from life
It's great to do things together, but heart failure in dogs can affect their quality of life and lifespan.
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Fortekor® (Benazepril)
Used for the treatment of heart failure in dogs and chronic renal insufficiency in cats.
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