Living Long and Strong: Caring for Your Pet with Heart Disease
At Coast to Coast Cardiology, our team has the experience and skill required to understand the challenges you face if a pet is diagnosed with heart disease. We’re here to support you every step of the way, not just at the moment critical intervention is required. That’s why this blog post is all about what you can do yourself to keep your pet’s heart healthy, including everything from exercise advice to at-home monitoring and more.
First, however, we should break down some of the most common threats to watch for.
Know What You’re Up Against
Below are some varieties of heart disease we treat most often. Note that this is by no means an exhaustive list. Instead, it sums up a few conditions we think owners need to know about most, like:
- Aortic Stenosis, a congenital defect in dogs that narrows the aortic valve.
- Pulmonary hypertension, a condition marked by elevated blood pressure inside the arteries that lead to a dog’s lungs.
- Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), an inherited condition afflicting both dogs and cats that’s caused by mutations disrupting the heart’s electrical system.
Living an Active Life, Adjusted
Exercise is crucial for the overall health of pets, just as it is for people. However, pets with heart disease may need adjustments to their activity level.
- Don’t stop exercise altogether – consult your veterinary cardiologist to create a safe and appropriate exercise plan.
- This might involve shorter walks, avoiding strenuous activities, or switching to swimming, which is gentle on the heart.
Fueling Their Hearts
Ongoing analyses by the FDA suggest there is still more to learn about the link between diet and heart health in pets, so it’s crucial not to overlook the possibilities here.
- Your veterinary cardiologist may recommend a special diet formulated for cardiac health.
- These diets are typically low in sodium and fat while containing essential nutrients to support heart function.
Medication Made Easy
Veterinary cardiologists often prescribe medications to manage heart disease.
- Developing a routine for administering medication is critical. Consider using pill pockets or hiding medications in your pet’s favorite food to make the process easier.
- Always consult your veterinarian before making any changes to your pet’s medication schedule or dosage.
Your Veterinary Cardiology Team: Partners in Care
At Coast to Coast, we work closely with patients and owners to develop a personalized treatment plan, which may involve:
- Regular checkups: Monitoring your pet’s heart health through routine examinations and diagnostics like echocardiograms (ultrasound of the heart) is crucial.
- Advanced diagnostics: Depending on your pet’s condition, additional diagnostics like X-rays, blood tests, or blood pressure measurements might be used to assess their overall health and heart function.
- Lifestyle modifications: Your veterinary cardiology team will guide you on adjustments to your pet’s exercise routine, diet, and medications to optimize their well-being.
- At home monitoring Assistance: We will help you monitor your pet’s heart health at home, teaching you the basics of how to asses important factors like SRR (sleeping respiratory rate). We can also help you learn how to use practical at-home tools like the Cardialis Respiratory Rate Monitor App, or the AliveCor Mobile Electrocardiogram.
If you have any concerns about the cardiovascular health of your pet, the best thing you can do is come see us! At Coast to Coast Cardiology, we have ten different locations, but we deliver on one goal no matter what: treating the patient, not just the signs. To make an appointment, contact us online or call 844-582-3827 today.
