As a caregiver, try to imagine the heart’s unique function of pumping the blood incessantly (non-stop) throughout the animal’s body. The blood is the great connector to all the body’s tissues, and the heart is the organ which makes the connection possible.
Most dogs will have an average heart rate of approximately 80 (-130) beats per minute while resting. Large dogs have a lower heart (pulse) rate, while smaller dogs have a faster heartbeat. If we use even 80 beats per minute as a low average, then the heart muscles will be in use 115,200 times in a day. Multiply that figure by 365 (days in a year), it amounts to a dog’s heart beating over forty million times a year. 10 years equals more than 400 million times.
Now, you will realize and appreciate the value of this muscular organ, which works non-stop every minute of every hour of every day for the entire animal’s life. If the heart’s function is compromised by any agents (see below), especially as the animal becomes older, then serious trouble is looming.
We are not going into details about the pathophysiology of impaired heart function. What is more important for the caregiver, who has the pet 24/7 at home, are the general symptoms, which include:
1) Congestion and fluid accumulation in the lungs.
2) Ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen
3) Fluid accumulation in the extremities (especially hind legs).
4) Coughing/wheezing.
5) Listlessness – unwillingness to participate in any physical activity.
If any of these symptoms is apparent, the caregiver should seek out specialized help from the veterinarian. Please bear in mind that the symptoms are often exhibited only after the problem is well on the way. The message is therefore obvious: Ensure that your companion animal visits your chosen veterinary clinic as often as is practically possible.
N.B:
1. As a younger Vet, I often sought the advice of a cardiologist – tested and proven in human medicine.
2. The veterinarian, in turn, after listening to murmurs and/or other arrhythmic sounds, would prescribe an X-ray of the thoracic (chest) cavity. An enlarged heart can be ascertained from an X-ray picture.
3. The caregiver must prepare himself/herself to answer the following questions:
I. How long has the cough and signs of respiratory distress been obvious?
II. Do the coughing episodes end with a gag reflex?
III. Does the animal receive medication from yourself and/or veterinarians? Provide names of medication and dosage rates, as well as the condition they are being used to treat.
Of course, many elements can have an influence on the deterioration of the physical activity of the heart. For example: anaemia, fever, blood loss, shock, infection, Heartworm infestation, stressors from a multiplicity of causes (anxiety, fear, aggression, faulty nutrition, maltreatment), and one can go on and on.
Breed disposition has long been known to be associated with heart problems. The Doberman and the St. Bernard are two examples of breeds that are known to develop heart problems. Progressive heart failure (as the dog gets older) is a complex condition that can have its origin in the animal’s genetic history, or it can be acquired (age, too much exercise, excessive sporting activities – racing and hunting etc).
The point I want to make is that, as with any of the body’s muscles, the more the muscles are used over the years, the larger they will get, especially if constant and high stress exertion are factored into the equation (for example, with hunting and racing dogs). Please do not forget that the heart is a very specialised muscle, with its own nervous system and with very specific accessorial support equipment. Also, let’s be clear: Once the heart is enlarged, one cannot bring it back to normal size.
Elderly dogs which have developed enlarged hearts may later – progressively, as they get even older – suffer from inability of the heart to provide adequate circulation to meet the needs of the other organs of their bodies. Need I emphasize that if the heart is failing, then the function of the kidneys, liver, lungs and other physiological systems would also be compromised?
Having delineated the facts associated with the elderly dog’s heart deficiencies, how can we best handle this problem?
Next week, we will focus on the possible medication and diet regimes which can be introduced to alleviate the elderly animal’s discomfort.
