Could Your Older Dog or Cat be at Risk for Heart Disease?

In recent years, heart disease has become increasingly common in cats and dogs. A primary reason for this increase is the fact that, thanks to modern veterinary medicine, our pets are living longer and are thus becoming more susceptible to diseases of old age such as heart disease and cancer. This increase in pet life spans is one reason why we encourage our pet owners to take advantage of our senior pet care services as their pets age to ensure any potential problems are caught early when they are still much more easily treated and managed.

While more common in older cats and dogs, heart problems can also occur in puppies and kittens. The good news is that, with early detection, heart problems in both young and old dogs and cats can be treated and controlled, thereby enabling them to live longer and lead more normal lives.

Since visible symptoms are frequently absent, especially in cats, regular veterinary checkups are important. Our veterinarians and veterinary technicians have a variety of tests and tools to assess and diagnose pet heart problems. These tools include blood work, checking your pet’s blood pressure, an electrocardiogram, and ultrasound echocardiograms. Any one or combination of these tools can be used to check your dog or cat’s heart health.

While regular checkups and the observance of healthy habits will not always prevent the onset of heart problems, they will give us a better opportunity to catch symptoms early, so your pet can continue to live a normal life if heart problems should occur.