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heart disease

6 Reasons Your Senior Dog May Be Slowing Down

As your dog enters their senior years, you may start noticing subtle changes in their everyday routine. Maybe they take a little longer to get up after a nap, hesitate before climbing the stairs, move more slowly on walks, or simply prefer lounging on the couch to chasing their favorite toy. While some decrease in energy is expected with age, significant changes in activity or mobility shouldn’t automatically be dismissed as “just getting older.” There are many reasons a senior … Read more

9 Ways To Keep Your Dog’s Heart Healthy

Heart disease affects dogs differently from humans. For example, coronary artery disease is quite common in humans, but very rare in dogs. However, conditions involving the weakening of the heart muscle, such as congestive heart failure (CHF), are a real concern in aging canines. Avoiding CHF and/or slowing its progression can give your dog many more healthy years by your side. Before making any major changes to your dog’s diet or lifestyle, consult your vet to make sure it is … Read more

Do Grain-Free Diets Cause Heart Disease In Dogs?

Does grain-free food cause DCM

iHeartDogs is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Grain-free dog food grew in popularity when dog parents realized that many corn, wheat, and grain fillers in dog food provided little nutritional value to their pups. Many cheap, unnecessary additives contribute to food sensitivities, allergies, obesity, and digestive problems. While grain-free dog food is best for dogs with allergies or sensitivities to grains, many dog parents … Read more

Senior Bulldog Gets His Own Personal Stairlift

The invention of the stairlift changed the lives of many people. Primarily, elderly people with conditions that make walking or exercising difficult have benefitted from the stairlift, but dogs also suffer many of the same physical issues as they get older. That’s why a senior Bulldog named Hank got a stairlift of his own. Hank’s person Brandon Raper posted a YouTube video of Hank riding his personalized elevator chair down the stairs of their home. At the time, he estimated … Read more

The 6 Most Common Inherited Diseases In Dogs

Whether your dog is purebred or a “Heinz 57” mixed breed, knowing which genetic conditions he or she is predisposed to can empower you to prepare for or even prevent a veterinary crisis. For example, dogs with elongated spines and short limbs, like Dachshunds and Corgis, are more likely to suffer from back injuries and disc problems. Restricting them from jumping can help avert disastrous injuries. The following conditions are the most common inherited diseases veterinarians diagnose in dogs. 1. … Read more

This Heart Condition Is So Common In Boxers, It’s Actually Named For Them

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a life-threatening disease seen almost exclusively in Boxers, and is often referred to as Boxer cardiomyopathy. In ARVC, normal cardiac muscle is replaced by fibrous or fatty tissue, resulting in an irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia. The condition causes fainting, heart failure, and even sudden death. The ventricles are the heart’s main pumping chambers. When the powerful muscle tissue that makes up the ventricle is replaced with less-efficient fatty tissue, the electrical system of the heart … Read more