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How To Prevent And Treat Heart Disease In Dogs
By Dog Lover | May 7, 2009
Has your dog just been diagnosed with a heart complaint? Heart disease in dogs is not curable but it can be managed and in some cases a lot of the damage can be reversed. There are natural remedies and herbs for dogs that can help prevent heart disease and improve the health of dogs who already may have some heart damage. Here we’ll have a look at how this may be done.
Prevention is definitely better than cure when it comes to heart disease. Are you feeding your dog a healthy diet? If not this could be the cause of his heart problems. Don’t get too upset about this, but it’s time to get wise about healthy foods for dogs and what to feed your dog to speed his recovery.
Chemical medicines for heart disease in dogs may have unwanted side effects. Make the effort to find a holistic vet who can prescribe herbal remedies such as dandelion or hawthorn which can both help strengthen the heart muscle and prevent a build up of fluid.
Always take your dog to the vet for his annual check-up even though he doesn’t appear to have any health problems. if at any time your dog starts coughing, especially during the night time or after exercise, then you should take your dog to the vet immediately as this could be a symptom of heart disease.
If your dog is lethargic and is not able to keep up with you while you are walking or there seems to be a difference in the way he’s breathing, then you should take your dog in for a vet visit. Some of the more serious signs of heart disease in dogs include weight loss for no apparent reason, difficulty breathing and fainting.
Gentle exercise is also important and is as simple as walking your dog a few times a week. If your dog already has heart disease allow him to set the pace. Stop or slow down if he seems to be struggling to keep up or starts to cough.
your vet has diagnosed your dog with cardiac ischemia, which is a shortage of blood supply going to the heart, or reperfusion, which is damage to the heart tissue, then CoQ10 will help your dog. CoQ10 will not only help to slow down the progression of heart disease in your dog, but it will also improve your dog’s general health. We all know that a happy dog is a healthy dog.
To prevent the formation of LDL cholesterol (bad choleterol) in your dog and to help your dogs heart health, then we recommend some good old Vitamin E. 200-500 IU a day should be enough for heart health.
Another great supplement that will help your dog’s heart is L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine prevents further deterioration of the heart muscle. When you combine L-Carnitine with Taurine, it will increase your dog’s life expectancy. You should give this to your dog in doses of 500-2000 mg each day.
In conclusion there are many ways to improve your dog’s heart health, as long as you keep a watchful eye on his health and remember to take him to his anuual visit to the vet each year or straight away if something seems wrong. Remember, heart disease in dogs may happen without warning, so please be watchful for any of the above symptoms.
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Topics: looking after my dog | No Comments »