Health Problems and Treatments for Dogs

Many people with dogs consider them as their "best friends" and Members of the family". Over 50 percent of the people in the United States share their space with their pets. Dogs sleep with us, ride in the car with us, eat with us and travel with us. Children play with pets and encourage us to take them for a walk and exercise. Dogs place a paw, or a chin, on our laps when we are having a bad day and they want to comfort us.

Dogs can be a big part of our lives. Most dog owners would agree that it is important to guard the health of our four legged "Best friend" so that they can lead a long and healthy life and be with us as long as possible.

Sadly, dogs have short life spans compared to human beings. The is just a sad fact of life. Safeguarding the health of your precious pet can prolong their life and your happy companionship with the.

Following are health concerns to watch for in dogs.

Heart Disease.

Heart disease can develop in dogs, just as it does in people. Heart disease may be present at birth or acquired. There are two types of canine heart disease, In one type of heart disease the dog's heart valves lose their ability to close properly, causing abnormal blood flow. In the other type of heart disease, the muscular walls of the heart become thinned and weakened.

Heart Failure is a major threat to your dog's health. Heart failure is when the heart is unable to pump blood at the rate the body needs. The heart works harder to pump blood and the heart is damaged further.

There may not be any signs of heart failure in the early stages of heart disease.In mild heart failure the heart starts to enlarge and the dog may start coughing , seem tired and lethargic and have trouble breathing. As the heart failure progress the dog may have trouble breathing, may faint, may not be able to exercise and may lose their appetite and lose weight.

The veterinarian is the best source to learn if your dog has heart disease. The veterinarian knows what to look for and what questions to ask. The vet may do diagnostic tests, such as X-Rays, EKG, Ultrasound, and blood and urine test to diagnose the problem.