How to Care for Your Dog Heart Health Naturally

Just like humans, dogs can suffer from heart problems. They may be born with a heart problem, but this is rare. Only about 5% of dog heart disease will be caused by this condition. The main cause of heart disease in dogs is aging, illnesses and poor diets. You may see heart problems start anywhere from middle age to older ages.

A general weakening of the middle part of the heart causes myocardial heart disease. This can make the heart to become enlarged and make pumping blood to the rest of the body more difficult. The heart values may become weak as well. The weakened heart can cause arrhythmia's which slow the heart down or cause it to beat too fast. The heart rhythm and heart rate get out of whack. This can cause problems with circulation, breathing, and overall well-being.  

What to Look For

You need to be aware of some of the following symptoms of heart problems: Coughing Lethargy Weight Loss Hesitation to exercise as normal Not eating well If you start noticing any of these symptoms in your dog, have them checked out by your veterinarian immediately. They will do a physical exam, review their history, and may do more extensive testing to determine the condition of your dog's heart.

 Stages of Heart Disease

 If your dog is diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure, you will need to start treatment immediately. This condition means that your dog has likely had heart disease for a while and it has progressed to CHF. Your vet will give you recommendations on how to proceed. However, if your dog is diagnosed with a heart murmur or is in the early stages of heart disease, your vet may just suggest that you do nothing now, and simply monitor your dog. When this is the case, you can start your dog on natural heart supplements that can slow the progression of heart disease. By doing this, it may be years before you need to consider conventional medicine if you ever do.

Supporting the heart with the proper herbal supplements can help you rebuild the strength of your dog's heart. One of the best supplements to use for supporting the heart is Hawthorn Berry. The herbalist has used it for years to strengthen the entire cardiovascular system. A lot of heart supplements contain not only Hawthorn Berry but other beneficial heart herbs also. You will not have to worry about the side effects that most conventional medications have. Side effects can be include kidney failure and liver disease as both this organ have to work harder to rid the body of the added toxins.  

What to do if your Dog needs Conventional Meds

When you find that your dog needs conventional meds due to the severity of heart disease, don't fret. In order to support your dog's liver and kidneys after they start their medicines, you can use natural supplements. Dandelion Root and Burdock Root have been used not only for animals but for humans as well for kidney support. Milk Thistle is a great supplement for supporting the liver by helping with the elimination of the body's toxins. Many kidney support supplements and liver support supplements contain these herbs along with other beneficial ingredients.

 In conclusion, if your dog is already in CHF, use the meds that your vet prescribes and then support their kidneys and liver with supplements specific to these body parts. However, if your dog is in the beginning stages of heart disease and conventional meds are not needed to save their life immediately, start them on natural heart-healthy supplements to slow the progression of heart disease