Signs to look for
- coughing (dogs)
- breathing has become faster
- tires easily
- (cats) sudden loss of use of the hind legs
Why it happens
Heart failure progresses as the body misreads the situation as "not enough blood" and mounts compensatory responses.
In dogs with chronic heart failure, particularly cases that had progressed to cardiac cachexia, feeding ω3 from fish oil was shown to suppress activation of cytokines such as TNF and IL-1.
A low-sodium diet does not remove the disease; it slows the progression. Cut too far, though, and you risk dehydration — it needs balance.
In cats, taurine deficiency leads to dilated cardiomyopathy. It is rarely an issue if a complete and balanced cat food is the main diet, but worth checking if the cat has been on dog food or a long-running home-cooked diet.
Signs that mean go to the vet
Sudden loss of use of the hind legs is an emergency. Arterial thromboembolism is a possibility
Related ingredients
General nutrition information. It does not replace a diagnosis or a prescription. If your animal has a medical condition or is on medication, talk to your veterinarian first.