There are several warning signs that your dog may have a heart problem, the most telling being sudden collapse and difficulty breathing. If your dog experiences these symptoms and exhibits other symptoms, such as fever or lethargy, they likely have a heart problem. If your dog does not recover within a day or two, please schedule a vet visit for a complete exam.

Common Symptoms of Heart Disease in Dogs

There are several possible symptoms you may notice if your dog has heart problems. Many can be related to other causes, but if a number of these symptoms present together, heart issues are more likely.

Vomiting

A poor appetite often accompanies this.

Swollen belly

Typically from a fluid buildup in his organs — including his lungs.

Fatigue

Your dog is getting tired more quickly than usual or refusing to play.

Fainting

Because not enough blood can get to the brain.

Fever

The normal body temperature of a dog ranges from 99.5 °F to 102.5 °F (37.5 C° to 93.1 C°). A body temperature of at least 103.5 °F (39.7 °C) indicates fever.

Increase in heart rate

In critical cases, you can observe this by simply laying your hand on your dog’s chest.

Excessive coughing

Especially while or right after exercising or an hour or two before bedtime.

Breathing heavily

Showing difficulty breathing or while exercising.

Loss of weight

Weight loss happens with heart disease because your dog loses its ability to store healthy fat.

Discomfort

You may notice your dog pacing more than usual and avoiding laying down due to pain.

Bluish-gray tongue or gums

This is due to the poor flow of oxygen.

Common Causes of Heart Issues in Dogs

Heart issues in dogs can come up for various reasons, some of which are genetic and others that are more lifestyle related. For example, breeds like Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds are predisposed to heart disease because of their size and weight, but smaller species can also get it if they have the wrong diet or suffer from obesity. On the other hand, dogs who lead a sedentary lifestyle with low physical activity levels will be at higher risk for developing heart disease. All of these factors, in addition to the ones below, make it essential to monitor your pet’s weight and activity level so that they can enjoy a long and healthy life. 

Old Age

Just as with people, the hearts of dogs get weaker as they age. Aging can lead to several different health problems.

Injury

If your dog is hurt in specific ways, it can damage her heart or cause added pressure that forces the heart to work harder — for example, a broken rib.

Infection

Various types of infections are known to cause heart damage. These include bacterial infection of the membrane around the heart, parvovirus, Lyme disease, and Chagas’ disease.

Diet

A poor diet high in fat can make it much more likely for your dog to develop heart problems — especially if you allow them to grow obese.

Exercise

Dogs need exercise, but you also have to know their limits. If you put too much strain on a dog’s heart, it can cause problems.

Breed

Some breeds are just more susceptible to heart issues than others. It’s a long list, so consult your veterinarian about your breed or breed mix. The top six dogs on the list, susceptible to three or more likely heart conditions, are the German shepherd, boxer, cocker Spaniel, Great Dane, Labrador retriever, and Rottweiler.

General Tips for Canine Heart Health

Want to keep your dog’s heart healthy for as long as possible? While it’s impossible to prevent heart disease in every case, there are things you can do to decrease your dog’s odds of developing cardiac issues.

Maintain Proper Body Weight

If a dog is overweight, it means that his heart has to work harder, and it will be more likely to develop issues. Ask your vet for dietary help and suggestions to help your pup lose excess weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Engage in Regular Exercise

Consider first your dog’s abilities. Even if you start slowly, work your way up gradually and pay attention to your dog’s specific needs. Regular exercise will make her heart stronger. In addition to a stronger heart, you will notice a decrease in behavioral problems such as chewing, barking, digging, and excessive licking.

Pay Attention

Watch for the signs and symptoms shared in this article. Your vet should always check for signs of a heart murmur or abnormal rhythm. Be sure to ask your vet about it and follow her advice.

Go to the Vet

Regular vet checkups are vital to keeping your dog’s heart healthy. Time is of the essence when it comes to cardiac problems. If you suspect that there is a heart issue, don’t delay! Get to the vet immediately for a proper diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment.

Tips for Caring for a Dog with Heart Disease

The sooner the disease is detected, the better chance your furry friend will have of living with little to no pain. Your pet provider can develop a care plan that enables them to enjoy life.

Be Mindful of Treats

Many dogs with this condition should not be fed human food or a lot of treats. These animals usually have trouble digesting food, and it is best to stick with a set diet. It is also necessary to monitor how much they eat so they do not gain weight which would cause extra stress on their heart.

Monitor Salt Intake

A side effect of heart disease is swollen belly and water in the lungs. A low-salt diet can help lower this symptom so your dog can sleep and exercise comfortably.

Medicine

Treatment for dogs with heart disease usually consists of medication to regulate their heartbeat and reduce fluid buildup in the lungs. Your veterinarian may also prescribe additional treatment that could lengthen your dog’s life expectancy, providing them with a healthier lifestyle day-to-day.

Pacemaker

Some veterinarians may feel comfortable implanting a pacemaker inside your pet’s body to regulate its irregular heartbeat. Pacemakers are most often used for young pets born with congenital heart conditions requiring medication or surgical solutions at an early age. Older pets are not recommended for this procedure because it would be too traumatic for their aging bodies.

Supplements

Some dogs who suffer from heart disease do exceptionally well with vitamin B supplements. Amino acid supplementation and Vitamin E help them to digest food properly, as well as provide enough energy so they can sleep better. Simple supplements such as these are often available for an affordable price and offer relief for many symptoms of the disorder at any stage of it.

Does your dog suffer from a heart problem? How do you help keep them healthy?

The post Warning Signs that Your Dog Has a Heart Problem appeared first on Cesar's Way.

While it may be tempting to try to look (and smell) the other way while taking care of a dog’s business, there’s actually quite a lot you can learn by paying attention to what’s coming out the other end, because various attributes of dog poop can tell you a lot about the health of your dog and alert you to problems that might need attention.

Here are the big five things to look out for.

Content
Normally, the only thing we should expect in poop is, well, poop, although we’re probably all familiar with those exceptions that happen after some good old-fashioned corn — or if our dog has ever eaten something she shouldn’t have, like Barney, the stray who passed three pairs of panties to the startled bemusement of Battersea shelter workers.

Things to watch out for in particular include what look like small grains of white rice, which could indicate worms; excessive mucus, which could indicate various problems (small amounts of mucus are normal, however); or excessive grass, which could be a sign of stress or colitis.

Consistency
Like ripe fruit, healthy dog poop should be firm rather than too hard or too squishy. One common comparison is that it should feel like Play-Doh. Making this diagnosis is a hands-on endeavor, of course — which is why having poop bags and picking up on the walk is extra important. Not only does it keep the neighborhood clean, but it gives you that chance to do a subtle squeeze test to make sure everything is coming out okay.

If your dog’s poop is too hard, it can indicate a few things, such as insufficient hydration, or that he ate something he shouldn’t have, like bone, gravel, or rocks. Certain medications can also affect the moisture balance in your dog’s intestines and cause harder than normal stools.

On the other end of the spectrum, soft or runny stool can have a wide range of causes, some benign and some not. Things to watch for are persistence — diarrhea lasting more than a day; or other symptoms, such as lethargy, vomiting, lack of appetite, fever, or dark and bloody stools.

Consistency isn’t just important for dog training. When it comes to your dog’s poop it’s its consistency — and the consistency of that consistency — that counts.

Size
When it comes to stool size, there are two considerations: Is the size appropriate to the size of your dog, and does it approximate how much your dog has eaten? If the volume of your dog’s waste suddenly increases, it could be that they’re getting too much fiber in their diet, which translates into everything moving through the system without being absorbed, leading to more coming out the other end. If you haven’t changed your dog’s diet and this happens, keep an eye on it to see whether the issue continues. If it resolves itself, then it may just have been your dog getting over a bit of constipation. If it continues and diet won’t account for it, then it’s time to consult with your vet to find out if there’s some underlying issue.

Likewise, if the volume or size of your dog’s stools suddenly decreases, it can indicate constipation, which itself can have various causes. As with diarrhea, persistence is key. A day of constipation is probably not a problem, while several days may be. Initially, you can try to treat the problem yourself with canned dog food — the higher moisture content can get things going again — or canned pumpkin, which actually works for either diarrhea or constipation.

Shape
There’s another way the reference to Play-Doh above is appropriate. Like a Play-Doh Fun Factory, there are certain shapes that should come out of your dog and others that should cause you some concern. If you put the star-shaped cutter on the Fun Factory, you shouldn’t expect cylindrical Play-Doh to come out. Likewise, if your dog is producing anything that isn’t shaped like an appropriately-sized log, it might indicate an issue, especially when taken in comparison with the other attributes above.

Cannonballs or Milk Duds? These could be signs of dehydration or constipation. Pencils? In a male dog, this could be a sign of an enlarged prostate. Mushy, fluffy stool, or watery stool, if they last more than a day or two, could be a sign of a more serious problem that needs your vet’s attention.

Color
Above all of the other indicators, color can be the best sign of your dog’s health, with the ideal poop being a nice, rich chocolate brown. Any other colors can be a cause for concern, especially if they persist. Green can indicate that your dog has eaten too much grass, or that she may have a gall bladder problem. Orange or yellow can indicate problems with the liver — as can persistent lightening of color. Gray and greasy is a sign of pancreas or liver issues, while black and tarry can indicate bleeding in the digestive tract.

Two major alarm bells are feces with white, rice-like flecks, which indicate worms; and red streaks, which may mean that your dog has cuts on his anus or could be something more serious requiring veterinary attention.

To paraphrase the children’s book title, “Every Dog Poops.” Fortunately for us humans, when our dogs do, it can tell us a lot about the state of their health. So be sure not to turn your noses up at the concept and take a good look at what your dog’s behind leaves behind. It can help you get to the bottom of a lot of potential problems.

The post The Scoop In The Poop: Your Dog’s Health Secrets Revealed appeared first on Cesar's Way.

There are many early warning signs of cancer in dogs and cats. Some of them can be very vague such as vomiting and diarrhea, and others can be self-explanatory, such as large lumps on the body that are easily observed and felt.

Cancer is more common in older dogs and cats, but we must remember that even young dogs and cats can develop cancer.

As I mentioned above, any noticeable lumps or bumps on the body, head, or legs could potentially be a cancerous tumor. Hard nodes that are well-attached to underlying tissues are more likely to be cancerous. Also, very small skin lesions can turn out to be cancerous.

Lymph nodes are those small bean-shaped organs found throughout the body and are typically difficult to find. If you ever find a swollen lump by either side of the jaw near the neck, in the armpits, in the groin area, or on the rear legs behind the knee, they could be swollen lymph nodes. Cancer of the lymph nodes is the most common cancer in young dogs and cats.

Physical Symptoms of Cancer in Dogs

• Abdominal distension can mean many things, but in older dogs, it can often indicate a large cancerous mass on one of the abdominal organs.
• Coughing, sneezing, vomiting, and diarrhea are common signs that often indicate minor issues such as infections, allergies, and stomach upset. Still, they can sometimes be an indication of cancer as well. Coughing with blood can indicate that cancer may grow in the throat or chest. Sneezing blood (especially from only one nostril) can suggest that cancer may develop in the nose.
• A bulging of one eye can indicate glaucoma due to eye cancer which is relatively common in dogs and cats.
• Seizures in an elderly dog or cat with no prior history of seizures could indicate that they may have a brain tumor.
• If your pet has not been spayed or neutered, some forms of cancer are common in these dogs and cats. A female dog that has not been spayed or was spayed after her fourth heat cycle (around the 3rd birthday) has an increased risk of developing mammary tumors. Dogs that have not been spayed also risk developing cancer of the uterus or the ovaries.
• Male dogs that have not been neutered (castrated) can develop testicular cancer. Any intact male dog that has testicles that are uneven in size, with the larger ones hard and irregular, is a strong suspect for testicular cancer.
• Finally, weight loss without any other signs of illness is a significant finding and can indicate cancer. If your pet is happy, eating and drinking but is losing weight, something abnormal is going on, and your pet needs to be examined.

The Ten Primary Cancer Warnings to Lookout For

When it comes to our beloved furry friends, we want nothing more than for them to enjoy long and healthy lives by our side. As pet parents, it’s important to be aware of the warning signs that may indicate your animal is sick or in pain. Though every pet is different, and therefore may exhibit different symptoms when something is wrong, there are a few primary tell-tale signs that warrant a trip to the vet.

• Lumps and Bumps
• Skin Lesions
• Coughing, Sneezing, Vomiting, or Diarrhea (with or without blood)
• Seizures 
• Unexplained Weight Loss
• Abdominal Distention
• Enlarged Lymph Nodes
• Mammary Tumors
• Vaginal Discharge
• Testicular Irregularities

One Last Thing to Keep in Mind

All of these signs can be an indication of cancer, but they can also be an indication of much simpler problems. When you first observe a problem with your pet, the initial step is to call your veterinarian and schedule an exam. Don’t wait!

Cancer is, unfortunately, fairly common in dogs, but the good news is that there are treatments available that can improve your dog’s quality of life. The key is to catch cancer early. Keep an eye out for these early signs of dog cancer and if you notice any changes in your pup’s health, make an appointment with your veterinarian immediately.

Commonly Asked Questions About Dog Cancer 

Are There Ways To Prevent My Dog From Getting Cancer? 

Early detection is critical. Like humans, the earlier doctors diagnose, the better the chance a treatment plan can begin working. Also, data suggests that the earlier you spay/neuter, you can delay or reduce a cancer diagnosis. Keeping your home smoke-free reduces environmental toxins known to cause cancer. 

What Cancer Treatments Are Available for My Dog? 

The first FDA-approved cancer drug for dogs was released in 2009. But we still use some human medicines, and more are becoming available to treat our furry friends too!

Are There Certain Breeds That Tend to Have Cancer More Than Others? 

Absolutely, particular dog breeds are known to have a specific type of cancer, and certain breeds are prone to receive a cancer diagnosis. Westies, beagles, golden retrievers, boxers, Burmese mountain dogs, Scotties, and rottweilers are some breeds affected by cancer. 

How Does a Vet Diagnose Cancer in Dogs? 

There are several ways a doctor can see if your dog has cancer. Imaging is a great way to get an accurate picture of what’s happening inside the body. MRIs are especially helpful for our furry friends with brain tumors; blood tests can also reveal cancer. 

How Much Can I Plan to Spend on Cancer Treatment for my Dog? 

The cost of treatment can vary across the country. We recommend meeting with a veterinarian oncologist (usually a few hundred dollars) to formulate a plan of action for your dog’s cancer diagnosis. Certain types of treatment can cost a few hundred dollars, and others can cost upwards of $15,000 or more. Remember, you can explore all the options available to you and make an informed decision based on your pet’s needs. 

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Vet visits are an essential part of every dog’s life, if only for routine check-ups and yearly vaccinations. With a little careful preparation they needn’t be traumatic — for your dog or you! If you can make your puppy’s first vet visit relaxed, she won’t develop anxiety about future appointments.

Your puppy should be comfortable with being touched. Dogs aren’t naturally comfortable with having their tail lifted or their belly, feet, and nails touched. Find a time when your puppy is relaxed and calm and get him used to these actions. If it’s something that he becomes accustomed to with you, he’ll feel more at ease at the vet’s office. Here are some steps you can take to make it easier for both of you.

1. Check Your Own Anxiety

On the day of the visit, it’s really important that you remain calm because your dog will pick up on any tension. Even if you have to fake it, put on a happy face and try to keep everything cheerful. As much as possible stick to your regular routine.

2. Calming Scents

Remember: dogs think through their noses. Lavender and some other natural scents are known to have a calming effect. Spray some in the back of the car or on a cushion or towel to take with you. It doesn’t hurt to have some on your hands too.

3. Take Some Car Rides

Don’t use a carrier that you only bring out for trips to the vet! Instead, leave it out somewhere in the house so your dog will become familiar with it and won’t hide the moment he sees it. If your dog isn’t used to being in the car, take several short trips beforehand — preferably ones that end with a fun event, like a walk in the park.

4. Use Treats

Have your pet’s favorite treats on hand to encourage him. These will be more effective still if your pup is a little hungry. If possible, hold off on his regular feeding before you go.

5. Resist Petting

If your dog gets nervous during any part of the vet visit, resist the urge to pet him and tell him everything is okay. This will only reinforce his nervousness because he’ll think you’re rewarding his behavior.

6. Have An Early Visit

If possible it’s a good idea to take your pup to the vet’s office before the day of the appointment to let him become familiar with the waiting room. Remember, a veterinarian’s office is full of strange scents. An early visit will give him a chance to get used to them without any negative association.

7. Stay Aware of Symptoms

Do your part. Remember, dogs can’t talk to the doctor. Make a list of any symptoms you may have noticed — from loss of appetite to difficulty walking, a change in his bark, or anything else that seems out of the ordinary.

8. Ask Questions!

Think of any questions you have for the vet before you go to the appointment — and be sure to ask them. Keep your own record of vaccinations so you can be sure they’re all up to date.

Lastly, don’t be shy! If your vet prescribes medication or a course of treatment, ask her to demonstrate the correct way to administer it.

Have tips of your own? Tell us your secrets for a peaceful vet visit.

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