Although cardiac arrest is usually the final consequence of a diseased heart, there are still ways you can extend your dog's life and make it as comfortable as possible, particularly if his heart failure has been diagnosed early. These treatments include taking care of your dog at home by organizing his activities, giving him diuretics, and using other forms of medical treatment and medications.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Taking Care of Your Dog with Heart Problems
Step 1. Decrease the amount of exercise your dog does each day
When a dog has a weak heart, exercise can add extra pressure to his condition. Cardiac arrest can lead to difficulties in blood circulation, which means your dog's vital organs will not get enough oxygen. If your dog has heart problems, he shouldn't be allowed to exert too much effort, even if he can still move around the garden. Replace the walks with many quiet hours in which you caress or rest. To help your dog rest:
- Eliminate activities that can cause further strain on his heart. Move the bowls of water and food closer to where he spends most of his time. Avoid going up and down stairs unless absolutely necessary.
- Small changes like carrying him up the stairs rather than walking him can help make his life more comfortable.
Step 2. Monitor how much salt you eat
Sodium chloride, more commonly known as salt, causes water retention. A very salty diet can slow blood circulation and cause fluid to accumulate in "sacs" of your dog's body.
Look for salt-free or low-sodium dog foods
Step 3. Count your dog's heart rate at home
Some dogs fidget in the vet's office, which leads to the vet taking an inaccurate reading of their heart rate. For this reason, it is best to measure your dog's heartbeat at home while he sleeps. To do it:
Place your fingers on your dog's heart and count how many times it beats in one minute. Likewise, measuring his resting respiration rate can provide your vet with useful information
Step 4. Schedule regular check-ups for your dog if his condition seems stable
As the heart deteriorates over time, it is important that your dog has regular visits to do everything possible to make his life long and peaceful.
- If your dog's symptoms seem stable (that is, if they don't get worse), you can make an appointment with your vet once every three months.
- If your dog's condition appears to be worsening, you should contact your vet right away to make an appointment.
Step 5. Look for symptoms of cardiac arrest
This event in dogs is usually associated with fluid accumulation in the lungs or abdomen. When this buildup occurs, it can lead to symptoms that you should always keep an eye out for if you are concerned that your dog is going into cardiac arrest. These symptoms can include:
- Accelerated breathing.
- Excessive cough.
- Collapse following physical exertion.
- Lack of energy.
- Fiatone at the end of any activity, even very mild.
- Weight loss and lack of interest in food.
- Rapid heartbeat.
Step 6. Start giving your dog medicine if his symptoms seem to be getting worse
When your dog starts showing symptoms like the ones listed above, your vet is likely to prescribe medications for your dog that include diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and a positive inotropic.
The diuretics you can give your dog will be analyzed in Method 2, while ACE inhibitors and positive inotropes will be discussed in Method 3
Part 2 of 3: Giving Diuretics to Your Dog
Step 1. Understand how a diuretic works
A diuretic is a medicine that helps move accumulated fluids in the body. During cardiac arrest, fluids escape from the circulatory system and accumulate either in the lungs (pulmonary edema), or in the chest cavity (pleural effusion) or in the abdomen (ascites). Each of these scenarios implies that the heart has to work even harder to push blood through the tissues and carry out an effective oxygen exchange.
Getting rid of or reducing the amount of fluid accumulated helps reduce the load on your dog's heart. It reduces the effort the heart has to make for blood circulation
Step 2. Get furosemide to give to your dog
Furosemide is a loop diuretic, which means it works by preventing sodium and chloride (which form the salt) from being reabsorbed by your dog's kidneys. This will prompt your dog to urinate more, which helps reduce salt buildup.
- Furosemide is usually given twice daily at a dose of 2 mg for every kg of body weight. For example, a 10-pound Cavalier King Charles should start with a dose of 20 mg twice a day. This drug is available in both tablets and injections.
- Feed your dog bananas while giving him furosemide. Prolonged use of furosemide can cause your dog's potassium levels to drop. To restore potassium, you can feed your dog a banana a day.
Step 3. Talk to your vet about giving your dog spironolactone
Spironolactone is generally prescribed when you can no longer increase the furosemide dose for your dog. This substance tries to bind to mineralocorticoid receptors found in your dog's kidneys, heart and blood vessels. Mineralocorticoid receptors help regulate water transport and maintain normal salt levels.
Spironolactone is usually prescribed in an amount of 2 mg per kg once daily by mouth, along with food. It is available in capsules of various weights. For example, a 10 kg classic Cavalier should be given a dose of 20 mg once a day along with food
Part 3 of 3: Seeking other Forms of Medical Aid and Medicine
Step 1. Have the body drained from your dog's chest for immediate relief
If a lot of fluid has built up in your dog's abdomen, your vet may recommend that you have him drained. This way your dog will enjoy temporary relief as once the fluids are drained, his diaphragm will be able to expand more and the pressure on his vital organs will release. Unfortunately, the fluid will most likely return, although the time it takes for this to happen depends on how seriously ill your dog is. To drain the fluid, your vet:
- It will thread a special sterilized needle or catheter through your dog's skin, shorn and sterilized. Sucking is done via a closed collection system, such as a three-ring syringe, until all fluid has been removed.
- Many good-natured dogs do not need to be sedated for this procedure, and will only need a local anesthetic.
Step 2. Try an ACE inhibitor
These are drugs that, like diuretics, decrease the workload on the heart. They work by increasing the blood flow pumped by the heart. Angiotensin plays a role in blood vessel contraction and salt retention.
As the blood vessels contract, it becomes more difficult for blood to circulate in your dog's body. An ACE inhibitor prevents this action and helps the blood vessels to open
Step 3. Give your dog the ACE inhibitor enalapril
One such drug is enalapril. The recommended dose is 0.25-1 mg for each kg given once a day, although in very ill patients it can be given twice a day. A 10 kg Cavalier will need 10 mg of enalapril once a day.
Step 4. Talk to your vet about giving your dog a positive inotropic
A positive inotropic is a substance that makes the heart muscle pump faster. Some inotropes also help regulate the heart rate, and slow it down slightly. This is useful because a fast-beating heart does not give itself enough time to completely fill before contracting, which means that the volume of blood emitted with each beat is not optimal. It is more efficient to slow the heart slightly, let it fill completely, and then pump.
Step 5. Consider giving your dog the positive inotropic pimobendan
Pimobendan encourages the heart muscles to respond more efficiently to calcium, which in turn helps the heart muscle to contract with greater force. It also decreases the stickiness of platelets, which means it will be more difficult for them to get stuck in the circulation and cause a heart attack.
