Are you concerned because your dog is abnormally low on energy and suddenly has a swollen abdomen? You might need to rush your pet to an animal hospital to quickly find out what the problem is. Your dog is having symptoms that are possibly associated with congestive heart failure (CHF), which is life-threatening. A veterinarian can run several tests to find out if your pet has CHF so treatment can begin as soon as possible. Take a look at the content below to learn more about CHF and the type of treatment that might be done at the hospital.
An Accumulation of Fluid in the Body
A major symptom of CHF is the accumulation of fluid in the body, which must be treated fast. It is possible that your dogs abdomen is continuously filling with fluid and getting bigger because of it. CHF is the result of a heart becoming weak, and it is a progressive disease. Your dog may have unknowingly had the disease for a long time and is now at a stage in which his or her body struggles to release fluid. A vet at the animal hospital might have to manually remove the fluid if it is an emergency.
An Irregular Heart Rhythm
An irregular heart rhythm is commonly associated with CHF. A vet can perform an EKG test that can provide readings of the electrical signals from your dogs heart. The signals will look abnormal if the heart isn't beating correctly. For instance, an abnormal rhythm might show up on the test as normal with a brief interruption in between. The test can also be used for determining how fast the heart is beating, as immediate treatment might be needed if it beats excessively fast.
The Administration of Helpful Drugs
If your dog has CHF, he or she will be administered drugs in the hospital that can bring the CHF complications under control. For instance, drugs can be administered that prevents fluid from building up in your pets body at a fast pace. Medication might also be administered to put his or her heart back to beating at a normal rhythm, but electrical shock is needed in a severe case of the condition. CHF complications can affect each dog in a different way with complications that can vary. The specific treatment that you dog will need depends on what he or she gets diagnosed with along with CHF, as underlying conditions usually causes the disease.
Contact a service, like Alabama Performance Horse Services, for more help.
