CHF is the condition during which a dog's heart is unable to pump enough blood to all the body's tissues.
In dogs, the two most common causes of CHF are:
Other conditions, such as arrhythmias (as in the case of boxer cardiomyopathy), narrowing of the major arteries, and high blood pressure can also cause CHF.
Signs of CHF in dogs are different depending on whether the dog is in left-sided or right-sided heart failure.
Left-sided heart failure occurs when some of the blood in the heart's lower left chamber (the left ventricle) leaks back up into the upper chamber (the left atrium) when the heart tries to pump it out to the body. It's the most common type of CHF. Fluid begins to seep into the lung tissue, which causes pulmonary edema. Signs of left-sided CHF include:
Right-sided heart failure occurs when the lower right side of the heart (the right ventricle) tries to pump blood to the lungs to oxygenate it, but some leaks back into the upper chamber (the right atrium). The blood backs up into the circulatory system and results in fluid building up in the abdomen (ascites) or legs. Heartworm disease is a significant cause of right-sided CHF in dogs. Signs of right-sided CHF include:
CHF is diagnosed through physical examination and a history of signs related to heart disease, such as coughing, weakness, and syncope. Some dogs will have high kidney values on blood work but normal urine concentrating ability. On chest x-rays, the heart may look enlarged (either the right or left side depending on the type of CHF). Pulmonary edema or abdominal ascites may be visible on x-rays.
An echocardiogram can show many different changes in the heart and blood flow and is most helpful in diagnosing CHF.
The treatment for CHF in dogs depends on the type of heart failure and the secondary conditions occurring because of it. Treatments may include:
Monitoring is required to determine how the dog is responding to treatment and whether medications need to be altered. Prognosis depends on the individual condition.
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