Congestive Heart Failure or Heart Attack in you Dogs & Cats- How to Prevent them

Congestive heart failure or heart attack in dogs is an abnormal increase in blood pressure. It is caused by the failure of the heart to pump blood to all parts of the body. The most common cause of congestive heart failure in dogs is obesity.

At least 1/3rd of dogs over 5 years and 2/3rds of those over 10 years are overweight or obese and this contributes to congestive heart failure.

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is also known as cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, coronary artery disease, angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation and hemodynamic instability. Low blood pressure can lead to edema (swelling) within the chest wall, arteries and veins resulting in increased pressure within the heart chambers. This results in damage to myocardium (heart muscle), especially within the walls of the left ventricle (liver) where it is called cardiomyopathy. Cardiopulmonary diseases may be accompanied by congestive cardiac failure (CFC) which can be due to other conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes mellitus.

Pets are like children. When they get sick they need to be taken care of as quickly and efficiently as possible, but we can’t take action until we know the cause of their condition. There is a very good chance that their illness is caused by something in the environment (or lack thereof) that we can influence — but first, what are these environmental factors?

We have previously covered some of the common environmental triggers for pets, such as contaminated water, high levels of ammonia and excessive heat. But what about food? There are a few things you should watch out for:

• Too much protein and/or carbohydrates (both of which are good for keeping our pets’ bodies healthy)

• Too much fat (the opposite of protein)

• Too much sugar (which will not only create excess calories, but also put your pet at risk for obesity)

These risks can be mitigated with the right foods. For example, a diet rich in vegetables will help prevent excess fat development. A diet rich in lean meats will help preserve muscle mass and protect against heart disease. A diet low in carbohydrates won’t make your pet gain weight quickly and will help keep their blood sugar levels healthy. And reducing salt intake will help prevent fluid retention, which can also be one of the causes of congestive heart failure in dogs and cats.

Another thing to watch out for is dietary supplements: several drug companies have come up with products that claim to treat diseases caused by “overdosing” on various supplements, including fish oils and omega-3 fatty acids. These products aren’t worth taking anyway because they don’t contain any actual vitamins or essential nutrients; they’re just made with cheap fillers or chemicals — so there’s no reason to feed them to your dog!