The Furry Critter Network

Congestive Heart Failure - Issue Description

Issue Name

Congestive Heart Failure

Other Names
CHF

Issue Description

Heart failure is a clinical syndrome that describes the end result of severe heart disease. Heart disease is always present when heart failure is present; however, heart disease can be present and never lead to CHF.

CHF (CHF) occurs when high diastolic pressures in the heart "back up" into the veins and capillaries causing fluid to leak out of these vessels (edema).

Heart failure is the end-result of many different cardiac and pericardial (the sac that surrounds the heart) diseases.

These include, but are not limited to:

Decreased myocardial contractility (a weak heart muscle) which is commonly seen with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Valvular regurgitation (leak in one of the four heart valves) as seen with mitral and tricuspid regurgitation.

Increased myocardial stiffness impairing the heart's ability to fill with blood as seen in feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Symptoms

Although some of the early stages of heart failure in dogs have no visible signs, heart failure can be diagnosed through a clinical evaluation by a veterinarian. Dogs with mild to moderate heart failure typically experience heart enlargement, coughing, lethargy and difficulty breathing. Severe heart failure is characterized by difficulty breathing (even at rest), fainting, profound intolerance to exercise, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Diagnosis

Veterinarians diagnose canine CHF with electrocardiograms to detect heart abnormalities. An ultrasound may also be useful to show the enlarged size of the heart. A chest x-ray will also be useful in diagnosis.

Causes

There are many causes of heart failure in dogs, including:

Birth (congenital) defects of the heart

Degeneration of the heart valves

Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy)

Heartworm disease

Diseases of the pericardium (the lining around the heart)

Irregular electrical rhythms of the heart (arrhythmia)

Dogs of any age and any breed can develop heart failure. There is certainly a predisposition for heart failure caused by cardiomyopathy in giant canine breeds.

Treatment

The primary goal of treating CHF is to manage the clinical signs by reducing the formation of edema and effusion and to increase cardiac output (delivery of blood to the tissues). A variety of therapies are available and will be tailored to meet your pet's current needs.

The most commonly prescribed medications include digitalis glycosides, diuretics, and ACE inhibitors. Different medications may also be prescribed depending on your pet's underlying heart disease and severity of the heart failure. A sodium restricted diet may also be recommended along with restricted exercise. Please keep in mind that heart failure therapy is dynamic and will necessitate regular checkups with your veterinarian to ensure your pet's needs are being met.

Prognosis

As stated earlier, dogs in the early stages of canine CHF will show no symptoms. By the time the dog starts to show symptoms, the condition will be in the later stages. Dogs in the later stages of canine CHF rarely live longer than a year. Many dogs will pass away within six months of diagnosis.

Back to Canine Health Issues Menu

Featured Rescues

"Don't Shop ... Please Adopt"

ASPCA

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest in the world.

Our organization was founded on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA maintains a strong local presence, and with programs that extend our anti-cruelty mission across the country, we are recognized as a national animal welfare organization. We are a privately funded 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, and are proud to boast more than 2 million supporters across the country.

The ASPCA’s mission, as stated by founder Henry Bergh in 1866, is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.”

Petfinder

If you can’t find the pet you’re looking for on Petfinder, don’t give up. Some shelters maintain waiting lists for specific breeds, so don’t be afraid to ask! There are also breed-specific rescues for just about every breed, and most of them post their pets on Petfinder. (Petfinder can even e-mail you when a pet that fits your criteria is posted — just click “Save this Search” at the top of your search results page.)

Rescue Me

Jeff Gold, Founder, Rescue Me! Animal Rescue Network

Jeff Gold lives in Watkinsville, Georgia on the same property as Rescue Me's Animal Rehabilitation Center, with 18 rescue animals. Shown with him in the photo to the left are Maggie, Izzie and Cortez. In 2003, after learning there was nobody doing boxer rescue work in Georgia, Gold founded Boxertown, an organization which helped find homes for over 500 boxers during its first two years. Based upon this success, Gold came up with the vision for Rescue Me! ― a network which helps all breeds of dogs, cats and other animals find good homes, anywhere in the world. RescueShelter.com is also a free service of Rescue Me! and provides the world's largest and most up-to-date directory of animal rescue organizations for all breeds of dogs, cats and other animals, including a comprehensive directory of wildlife rehabilitators in over 150 countries.

Top

Home » Contact » Service Terms » Privacy

Site Map

thanks for browsing!

Birds/Avian

Cats/Feline

Guinea Pigs/Cavy

Dogs/Canine

Dogs/Canine/Hybrid

Horses/Equine