Protect Your Dog from Heartworm Disease
Heartworm disease is a serious and potentially fatal condition caused by parasitic worms living in a dog´s heart and pulmonary arteries. It´s spread from animal to animal by mosquitoes. Heartworm infection can cause irreversible damage to the heart, blood vessels, kidneys and liver. An advanced infection can cause congestive heart failure.

Cardiovascular Disorders in Dogs - Ask Dr. Mike [offsite link]
Read Dr. Mike´s answers to subscriber´s questions about heart disease and disorders.

Congestive Heart Failure [offsite link]
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a complex and serious condition defined as the heart´s inability to function normally, leading to excessive retention of water and salt causing fluid uild-up in the lungs.

Endocarditis [offsite link]
Endocarditis is a serious infection involving the valves of the heart. It is usually a bacterial infection, although on rare occasions fungal infections can occur.

Heart Attack [offsite link]
It is very unusual to identify a myocardial infarction in a dog, most likely because of the differences in the way fats are processed. Even on a fatty diet, dogs are very resistant to coronary artery disease. The term "heart attack" in dogs is often misunderstood and is typically used to either define a collapsing episode or sudden death, neither of which are really heart attacks.

Heart Disease in Dogs [offsite link]
Heart disease in dogs, as in people, can be either present at birth or acquired, often developing during middle age. Acquired heart disease is more common, affecting many older dogs. Get answers to - What are the signs of heart disease in dogs? How can I find out if my dog has heart disease? Can dogs with heart disease be treated?

Heart Murmurs [offsite link]
A heart murmur indicates abnormal blood flow within the heart, usually due to a change in the function of the heart valves, but also may be caused by abnormal communications between the right and left sides of the heart. These problems may be congenital or acquired. Murmurs may be benign (of no concern to your pet’s health) or they may be more serious and progressive, resulting in heart failure over time.

Heartworm Disease [offsite link]
Read about the clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of canine heartworm disease.

Mitral Valve Disease [offsite link]
Mitral valve insuffiency is the most common of the acquired cardiac disesase in older dogs, affecting over 1/3 of dogs older than 10 years. However, in certain breeds, mitral valve insufficiency develops at a younger age, due to an inherited predisposition for the disorder.

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