Another common health problem that strikes both humans and dogs is congestive heart failure. The disease can be caused by a number of factors, including genetics, heredity, and environment. The result is a weakening of the heart that can lead to a drop in blood pressure and the ability to safely pump blood through the body.

Warning Signs

Most often, there will be no immediate symptoms of congestive heart failure. A heart murmur or weakened heart beat may accompany your dog’s annual physical, leading to additional testing to rule out possible disease. Your vet will likely do heartworm testing to rule out the possibility of infection. They will also check the lungs and abdomen for excess fluid, and see how blood flow is maintained in their gums.

If the dog suffers from more advanced heart failure before diagnosis, it may have a dry cough that gets worse when they are resting, a lack of energy to play, and general lethargy with increased breathing while at rest.

Who Gets Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure in a dog is more common as they age. While some younger dogs can get the disease due to things like heart worm, the majority of naturally occurring CHF is due to a gradual breakdown of the heart muscle leading to failure.

Avoiding Heart Failure

As your dog ages, make sure to keep him as active as is comfortable and keep a close eye on his food. Avoid anything that might lead to obesity in your dog and make sure he is only fed two or three times a day with the recommended daily allotment of food. Excess pressure on his body from too much food or too little exercise can be a major contributing factor.

Additionally, if you live in an area with heartworm carrying mosquitos, make sure to have your dog tested annually and treated with monthly heartworm medication.