{"id":5803,"date":"2021-02-24T16:58:36","date_gmt":"2021-02-24T16:58:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aercmn.com\/?p=5803"},"modified":"2021-02-24T16:58:36","modified_gmt":"2021-02-24T16:58:36","slug":"my-pets-heart-health-five-most-common-questions-and-answers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aercmn.com\/blog\/my-pets-heart-health-five-most-common-questions-and-answers\/","title":{"rendered":"My Pet\u2019s Heart Health: 5 Most Common Questions & Answers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"heart,<\/p>\n

At Animal Emergency & Referral Center of Minnesota, our Cardiology Service<\/a> is dedicated to diagnosing, managing, and treating disorders of the heart and cardiovascular system. Regardless of whether a family veterinarian has confirmed heart disease in your pet, pet owners often have a lot of questions regarding heart health \u2013 and understandably so! We all want our pets to be healthy! And while the answers to many questions can be pet-specific, we wanted to share our general answers to the five most common cat and dog heart health questions we receive!<\/p>\n

\"cat,<\/p>\n

1. How common is heart disease in pets? <\/span><\/span>What kinds of heart disease do dogs and cats acquire?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
Dogs:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n

It is estimated that 7.8 million dogs in the United States have heart disease, which is equivalent to 10% of all dogs in the United States. The risk of heart disease increases with age<\/span>;\u00a0<\/span>up to 75% of senior dogs have some type of heart condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

For dogs, there\u2019s no single cause of heart disease. Aging, breed\/genetics, and nutrition can all play a role in developing heart disease. Heart valve problems<\/span>, however,<\/span>\u00a0are the most common issue that we see in dogs. The second most common is\u00a0<\/span>dilated cardiomyopathy<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>–\u00a0<\/span>a heart muscle disorder in which the heart becomes weak and cannot pump blood well.\u00a0<\/span>Both<\/span>\u00a0conditions can lead to congestive heart failure.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cats:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n

Heart disease affects 15% of all cats and is difficult to detect, even on a thorough physical exam. Affected cats most commonly develop\u00a0<\/span>hypertrophic cardiomyopathy<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span>–\u00a0<\/span>a heart muscle disorder which causes the heart muscle to become too thick. Feline hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure can also negatively affect the heart.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"dog,<\/p>\n

2. What breeds of <\/span><\/b>dogs<\/span><\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><\/b>cat<\/span><\/b>s are most commonly diagnosed with heart disease?<\/span><\/b>\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Dog breeds that are\u00a0<\/span>more likely<\/span>\u00a0to\u00a0<\/span>be diagnosed with\u00a0<\/span>heart disease include Cavalier King Charles\u00a0<\/span>Spaniels, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Poodles, Schnauzers, Dobermans, Boxers, and Great Danes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

C<\/span>ats that are more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease include Ragdolls, Maine Coons, Sphynx, and Norwegian Forest Cats.\u00a0<\/span>\u202f<\/span>\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"cat,<\/p>\n

3. What are<\/span><\/b>\u00a0the common signs of heart disease in my pet?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Signs that your pet might have heart disease include:\u00a0<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n