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Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs and Cats: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a heart-muscle disorder in which the ventricular chambers enlarge and weaken, leading to poor pumping, congestive heart failure, and arrhythmias. Large and middle-sized breeds are most at risk, and signs include weakness, coughing, abdominal swelling, and fainting.
Tetralogy of Fallot in Dogs and Cats
Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect combining four abnormalities that lower blood oxygen. Affected pets are stunted, blue-tinged, and prone to breathless spells. Care focuses on oxygen, limited activity, and surgical repair.
Pulmonary Valve Stenosis in Dogs
Pulmonary valve stenosis is a common congenital narrowing of the heart's right-side outflow valve, causing exercise intolerance, breathlessness, and fluid buildup in severe cases. Surgical repair is the definitive treatment, with supportive care for heart failure.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Dogs
Patent ductus arteriosus is a congenital vessel that stays open after birth, letting blood short-circuit in the heart. It is common in several dog breeds and can cause poor growth, fluid buildup, and breathlessness. Surgical ligation is the definitive cure.
Ventricular Septal Defect in Dogs and Cats
Ventricular septal defect is a congenital hole in the wall between the heart's lower chambers, with a clear hereditary tendency. Signs include slow growth, easy fatigue, cough, and breathlessness, and severe cases shorten life. Treatment improves heart function and prevents secondary infection.
Atrial Septal Defect in Dogs and Cats
Atrial septal defect is a congenital hole in the wall between the heart's upper chambers, often inherited, causing poor exercise tolerance, weakness, and breathlessness. Severe cases progress to right-sided heart failure. Surgical repair is the definitive treatment.
Premature Beats (Extra Systoles) in Dogs and Cats
Premature beats are early, out-of-place heart contractions arising from the atria, junction, or ventricles, often harmless but sometimes signaling heart disease or heartworm infection. Treatment targets the underlying cause and, when needed, rhythm control.
Sinus Tachycardia and Bradycardia in Dogs and Cats
Sinus tachycardia is a faster-than-normal but regular heart rhythm, common in newborn puppies and kittens and usually harmless on its own. Sinus bradycardia is a slow rhythm from hypothyroidism, toxicity, or low potassium. Both are managed by treating the underlying cause.
Heart Failure in Dogs and Cats
Heart failure is the syndrome in which a weakened heart cannot pump enough blood, causing congestion and poor tissue supply. It may follow severe infection, toxicity, kidney disease, or sudden exertion, and shows as breathlessness, weakness, and fluid buildup. Treatment eases the heart's workload and supports circulation.
Uremia in Dogs and Cats
Uremia is the severe, body-wide poisoning that results when advanced kidney failure lets metabolic wastes build up in the blood. It affects the nervous, circulatory, digestive, respiratory, and blood systems, and is treated by managing the underlying kidney disease and the individual symptoms.