Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a serious heart disease that affects dogs, cats, and humans and occurs in some cases of advanced heart disease. Like other types of heart failure, congestive heart failure can cause symptoms such as dyspnea, coughin...
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a serious heart disease that affects dogs, cats, and humans and occurs in some cases of advanced heart disease.
Like other types of heart failure, congestive heart failure can cause symptoms such as dyspnea, coughing, panting of appetite, swelling of the abdomen, and pale or blue gums. This is because the heart incorrectly pumps blood to the body, causing blood to become congested and swelled in the organs; usually affecting the lungs. Approximately 80% of cases of congestive heart failure in
dogs are caused by mitral valve insufficiency (MVI), which is most common in small breeds. Timely treatment is necessary to relieve discomfort, relieve breathing and prevent death.
Congestive heart failure (CHF) occurs in certain advanced stages of heart disease. When the heart cannot pump blood normally, it causes blood to accumulate in other parts of the body, including major organs such as the lungs. Congestive heart failure is not a disease in itself, but a syndrome characterized by effusion in cases of heart disease. The specific signs vary depending on which side of the heart, but if there are problems with the left and right ventricles, congestive heart failure may affect both sides of the heart. To understand the differences in cases of congestive heart failure, it can be helpful to first understand how the heart works.
The heart consists of four chambers: the right atrium, the right ventricle, the left atrium and the left ventricle. Between these chambers are valves that regulate blood flow through the heart. In a normally functioning heart, the body's veins deliver deoxygenated blood through the right atrium to the right ventricle. The blood flows through the pulmonary artery and becomes oxygen-rich. Blood is then pumped into the left ventricle and through the artery to reach the body through the left atrium. When the disease is present in one or more areas of the heart, the blood cannot flow normally. Fluids can accumulate in the heart and surrounding areas, resulting in congestive heart failure.
While dogs with left or right congestive heart failure may experience dyspnea, right cases may also involve symptoms such as abdominal distension and swelling of the limbs. Owners of dogs with heart disease or heart murmur should be aware of the following signs of congestive heart failure:
Symptoms
·Difficult breathing or panting
·Cough
·Loss of appetite
·Abdominal swelling
·Pale or blue gums
Difficult breathing in dogs with congestive heart failure is usually accompanied by asthma and persistent cough. Exercise intolerance, loss of appetite, and pale or blue gums are also common symptoms.
Dogs with left congestive heart failure may even collapse due to blocked blood flow, as this can lead to hypotension, a slower heart rate and a reduced supply of oxygen to the brain. Diseases such as dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, mitral valve disease and several congenital defects can affect the left side of the heart and may lead to congestive heart failure on the left.
In the case of right congestive heart failure, the dog often experiences abdominal distension and swelling or swelling in the abdominal area. Belly pressure can affect breathing, digestion and organ function. Swelling of the limbs (peripheral edema) can also be seen from venous blood congestion. Since congestive heart failure on the right side can also cause fluid accumulation around the lungs, dogs with this disease will also experience respiratory problems.
