Dogs in congestive heart failure typically do not display obvious signs of pain. However, humans in congestive heart failure have described chest pain as a factor, so it's possible dogs also experience some discomfort. Seek veterinary care if you feel your pet is in pain.
Stage 4: CHF is in its final stage. Breathing becomes difficult even when at rest. Fluid can accumulate in various parts of the body, causing swollen legs or belly, making it difficult to walk. It can even cause vomiting.
6 However, once congestive heart failure develops, survival time is expected to be between 6 and 14 months.
A dog with congestive heart failure may cough, have trouble breathing, experience fatigue, loss of appetite, or might die suddenly. Depending on the underlying cause, treatment can help reverse congestive heart failure, and medications are available to help relieve its symptoms.
Weakness, anorexia, and recurrent clinical signs of CHF were the most common contributing factors in the decision for euthanasia. Clinical implications: Anorexia, weight loss, and exercise intolerance are common in dogs euthanatized because of CHF.
Coughing when at rest or sleeping, excessive panting, persistent loss of appetite, a swollen belly, and pale or bluish gums are also signs associated with heart failure. The dog will develop generalized weight loss and muscle wasting due to the effects of CHF on other body systems.
How Long Can Dogs Live with Congestive Heart Failure? In general, dogs that are diagnosed with congestive heart failure can live anywhere from 6 months to 1 1/2 to 2 years.
Veterinarians often refer to the condition of a dog's CHF in four stages, which can be categorized from A to D, Dr.
As heart failure progresses, pets will have more and more difficulty breathing. You may notice your pet's sides heaving in and out more when she breathes, or you may hear her wheezing in her sleep or otherwise at rest. She may also pant or breathe with her mouth open more often.
The most common causes of inappetence and anorexia in dogs with chronic heart-failure include azotemia, pulmonary edema, ascites, medication-related, gastrointestinal ulceration, dietary indiscretion, behavioral or those unrelated to cardiovascular disease.
Pets with heart disease can lose their appetites or become picky eaters. Many owners of pets with heart disease find that their dog or cat's overall intake of food decreases. Your pet's food preferences also may change. This might be the result of worsening heart disease or side effects of certain medications.
Normally, dogs can live a long and happy life provided they receive daily medication. Meanwhile, animals with advanced stages of heart failure can survive for 6-14 months after diagnosis.
Stage D dogs are currently receiving medications as treatment for congestive heart failure, but are not responding to the standard treatment protocols. These dogs will need advanced medical therapy and are best helped by a specialist in cardiology.
What to Expect After the Euthanasia. Once the solution has been administered, your vet will listen to your dog's heart to confirm the death. Your vet will let you know that your dog has passed on. At this time, your vet will probably step out of the room to give you a few moments alone with your dog.
Short walks are tolerated by most dogs with mild to moderate heart disease, but excessive activity can worsen heart failure or trigger irregular heart rhythms.
Symptoms can develop quickly (acute heart failure) or gradually over weeks or months (chronic heart failure).
Dilated cardiomyopathy may have a very sudden onset. Some dogs go into severe heart failure in what appears to be a matter of hours. Rapid, heavy breathing, a blue tongue, excessive drooling, or collapse may be the first signs.
Prognosis. Unfortunately, there is no cure for CHF at this time, and treatment is aimed primarily at improving quality of life. That said, while the prognosis for dogs with congestive heart failure used to be poor, advances in medications used to treat the condition have vastly improved the overall prognosis.
In some dogs, fluid can accumulate in the lungs when the heart isn't pumping efficiently. This backup of blood in the lungs can result in fluid leaking out of blood vessels and accumulating in lung tissue, resulting in cough.
Sodium tends to make the body retain water, and this can be harmful in a heart patient. Most commercial pet foods are well balanced and nutritious for normal dogs, but contain too much sodium for the heart patient.
Some dogs will know their time is approaching and will look to their people for comfort. Saying goodbye to your dog with love and grace means staying with your dog during these final hours, and reassuring them with gentle stroking and a soft voice.
The top five causes of sudden unexpected death among 151 dogs were, in order, heart disease, toxicosis, gastrointestinal disease, trauma, and hemorrhage not associated with trauma.