Have you just came home from the vet and received the sad news that he or she has found heart disease in your dog? When you heard this prognosis, chances are you felt your own heart sink as this is your beloved pet. Did you know that there is a lot you can do in order to change what might appear to be bleak news from your vet? As you read this article, you will find out how to prevent and treat heart disease in dogs.
When it comes to heart disease, prevention is definitely better than cure. Is your dog eating a healthy diet? If not this may be the cause of his deteriorating health. Don’t beat yourself up about this, but it’s time to start learning about healthy foods for dogs and what to feed your dog to improve his health and recovery.
Conventional medications for heart disease in dogs do have known side effects. Make the effort to find a holistic vet who would be qualified to recommend herbal remedies such as dandelion or hawthorn that can help strengthen the heart muscle and prevent a build up of fluid.
Make sure you take your dog to the vet for a yearly check up even though he seems healthy. If you notice your dog coughing, especially during the night time or after exercise, rush him to the vet straight away as this may be a symptom of heart disease.
If your dog lacks energy and can’t seems to keep up while you are walking or if you notice a difference in the way he breathes, then you should take your dog in for a vet visit. Some of the more serious signs of heart disease in dogs include spontaneous weight loss, labored breathing and fainting.
Moderate exercise is also important and is as simple as walking your dog a few times a week. If your dog already has heart disease allow him to set the pace. Stop or slow down if he seems to be struggling to keep up or starts to cough.
Your dog may have been diagnosed with cardiac ischemia, which is a reduced blood supply to the heart. Reperfusion is another possible heart problem which means actual damage to the heart tissue. Both these problems will respond well to CoQ10. CoQ10 will not only help to slow down the progression of heart disease in your dog, but it will also improve your dog’s general health. We all know that a happy dog is a healthy dog.
In order to prevent bad cholesterol (LDL) in your dog and to help maintain the health of his heart, then we recommend some good old Vitamin E. You should give your dog Vitamin E in 200-500 IU each day.
Another great supplement that will help your dog’s heart is L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine prevents further deterioration of the heart muscle. When you combine L-Carnitine with Taurine, it will help to improve your dog’s life expectancy as well. You should give this to your dog in doses of 500-2000 mg each day.
In conclusion there are many ways to improve your dog’s heart health, as long as you keep a watchful eye on his health and remember to take him to his anuual visit to the vet each year or whenever you notice something wrong. Remember, heart disease in dogs could arise at any time, so please be watchful for any of the above symptoms.
Tags: dog health problems, healthy food for dogs, heart disease in dogs, holistic vet