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Symptoms & Treatment for Dogs with Pulmonary Heart Dise

20. December 2024
Clinical Symptoms: In the early stages, dogs may exhibit persistent coughing, difficulty expectorati

Clinical Symptoms: In the early stages, dogs may exhibit persistent coughing, difficulty expectorating, and varying degrees of respiratory distress, which tends to worsen after walks or during sudden changes in weather. Initially, the heart and lungs can compensate for the condition by increasing their rate, which may mean the dog shows no obvious symptoms, such as difficulty eating or drinking, making it easy for pet owners to overlook the issue.

As the symptoms progress, dogs may suffer from chronic, recurrent coughing with a phlegmy sound, producing thick, yellowish sputum. Even mild activities like climbing stairs or running can lead to rapid breathing and a sensation of difficulty in breathing. Postexercise, dogs may appear exhausted and weak, but these symptoms can improve with rest. If left untreated, the dog's appetite may decline severely, leading to anorexia, and the dog's nails, tongue, and gums may turn blue. The heart rate may increase irregularly, and the dog may cough up frothy sputum or even blood, indicating a poor prognosis.

Diagnosis: A preliminary diagnosis can be made based on the dog's age, lack of energy, decreased appetite, weakness, labored breathing, coughing, bloodtinged sputum, difficulty eating, and rapid breathing in response to stimuli. To aid in treatment, blood tests and chest Xrays are typically required.

Blood Test: An automated blood cell counter is used to check blood counts. A decrease in red blood cell count and hemoglobin levels may be observed with a decline in food intake over time. If there's a secondary infection with bacteria or mycoplasma, white blood cell counts and lymphocyte ratios may increase, while other indicators are usually normal or show minimal changes.

Chest Xray: The Xray may show an enlarged heart area with a spherical shape, indicating an increase in heart size or myocardial hypertrophy due to compensatory function of the atria and ventricles.

Treatment: A comprehensive treatment plan involving strengthening the heart, diuretics, and bronchodilation is necessary.

Increasing Cardiac Output and Improving Heart Function: Medications like Pimobendan can be administered orally to treat heart failure. These drugs can effectively prevent acute symptoms in the early stages but may lead to a strong dependence in dogs, with severe acute heart failure upon discontinuation. Alternatively, oral Danshen pills or intravenous injections of Astragalus Injection can be used to tonify the body, strengthen the heart, and improve circulation, which can be beneficial for myocarditis and heart failure caused by qi deficiency and blood stasis.

Eliminating Excess Body Fluids and Reducing Pulmonary Edema: Furosemide can be administered intravenously to remove excess fluid from the lungs and reduce edema. Dogs with this condition often experience an imbalance between water intake and output, leading to increased fluid volume and excessive fluid accumulation in the lungs, causing pulmonary edema and affecting gas exchange. If the dog's urinary system is functioning properly, the medication can be repeated 23 times based on the case, but potassium should be supplemented during the diuretic process to prevent kidney failure.

Expanding the Bronchi and Increasing Oxygen Intake: Aminophylline can be administered intravenously to quickly dilate the bronchi, clear the airways, and increase oxygen supply. In cases of severe respiratory distress, with symptoms like a dog raising its head, staring blankly, and having severe shortness of breath with sputum coming from the mouth and nose, the dose can be doubled. This medication also has antiinflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, improving the dog's constitution.

Prevention:

Weight Management: Due to a high proportion of snacks in their diet, small dogs can become overweight as adults, which can加重 the heart and lung burden and eventually lead to pulmonary heart disease. Therefore, after dogs reach adulthood, weight should be controlled, and feeding should be done in a balanced manner. Feeding should be limited to one meal a day when no intense exercise is performed.

Preventing Canine Respiratory Infections: Canine respiratory diseases can be caused by viruses, mycoplasma, chlamydia, and bacteria. As dogs age, their resistance decreases, and the integrity of the respiratory mucosal epithelium is compromised, making it easier for pathogens to侵入. Therefore, older dogs over 10 years should be protected from the cold and prevented from catching a cold; regular vaccination can significantly reduce the risk of respiratory infections in dogs.

Reasonable Exercise to Enhance Constitution: Pet exercise is closely related to their constitution. Many pets are kept indoors and lack exercise, which is a common issue. It is recommended that pet owners take their dogs for a walk or allow them to play freely for 3050 minutes in the morning and evening, or for an hour. For dogs over 10 years old, the intensity of exercise should not be too high, and they should not drink water or eat immediately after exercising.

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