Heart Disease Awareness Month - Canine Heart Disease and Our Experience

Did you know that February is Heart Disease Awareness Month?

While many people are aware of how heart disease affects our human friends, heart disease can also affect our canine friends! My dog Toby and I wanted to take a few minutes to share our story about canine heart disease and give you some ideas of what to look for and the importance of seeking help from a vet if your dog should ever have symptoms of or be diagnosed with heart disease.

We recommend having regular check-ups with your pet's veterinarian, so if the signs of heart disease do start to develop, you can start to work with your own vet team to develop the best plan for treatment for your pup. For us, our big hint was a worsening heart murmur and excessive coughing when Toby was laying down in the evenings. While there is no cure for canine heart disease, there are many treatment options that can help improve your dog's quality of life and slow the progression of the disease.

If your dog is showing any of the following symptoms, please be sure to schedule a visit with your veterinarian for a checkup.

Signs of Heart Disease per the ASPCA:
1- Dry cough that follows physical activity or intensifies at night
2- Shortness of breath or elevated breathing
3- Restlessness when sleeping
4- Rapid weight loss (over just a few weeks)
5- Fainting
6- Potbelly caused by fluid build up
7- Rapid tiring or fatigue

(Source: https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/resources/everything-you-need-to-know-about-heart-disease-in-dogs/)

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