Diets & Supplements Used
To Treat Heart
Disease

Introduction

Something you already know:
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in humans that make it out of their twenty's.

What you may not know:
In older dogs and cats, kidney disease is the number one cause of death but heart disease is a close second killer.

And now that it's becoming common for veterinarians to recommend screening chest radiographs as part of middle aged and senior preventive wellness program we're finding that lots of pets have enlarged hearts; an early indication of heart disease.

Knowing that your pet has heart disease, whether because of the radiographic evidence found during screening radiographs ... or because of symptoms; shortness of breath, coughing, exercise intorerance, lung congestion and so forth ... we can slow the progression of the heart disease, minimize symptoms, and help prevent a cardiovascular accident with medications and diets that are helpful in heart disease

Certain nutrients have been shown to be beneficial in helping to support heart muscle function:

Arginine may help improve blood flow and exercise tolerance in pets with heart disease.

Carnitine deficiency has been linked to heart disease in some dogs (Boxers and possibly Cocker Spaniels) and supplementation may improve heart muscle function.

Taurine Some dogs and cats with cardiomyopathy have low blood levels of taurine. and supplementation through the diet can benefit pets with heart disease.

Sodium should be mildly restricted in early heart disease.

Potassium deficiency is associated with irregular heart beat and muscle weakness.

Magnesium is involved in energy production in heart muscle. It is important to supply the appropriate levels of this essential nutrient.

Protein levels need to be high quality and in high enough levels to prevent muscle wasting and exercise intolerance.

Energy levels or carbohydrates need to be appropriate to maintain ideal body weight.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids like Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docasohexaenoic (DMA) improve blood flow to heart muscles and reduce cardiac inflammation and muscle wasting.

Veterinarians have available several good therapeutic diets disigned to improve life span and quality of life to pets with heart disease.

We have a variety of choices of high quality diets designed especially for pets with heart disease and a few others that while designed for other disease are also suitable for heart disease.  This is good because heart disease patients frequently also have other problems.  Diabetes, weight problems, and kidney disease are common co-diseases

Purina CV (Cardio-vascular) low sodium diet for cats and dogs












Hills G/D, H/D or R/D diets  (Geriatric Diet, Heart Diet, or Reducing Diet)















Royal Canin Early Cardiac EC22 for dogs.

On This Page:

An introduction to the special diets and supplements used to treat heart disease in cats and dogs

On Other Pages; topics related to nutrition and the diets we recommend for the treatment of certain diseases:

Nutrition for pets; Our introductory page about nutrition

Diets used to Treat Urinary Tract Diseases                  
Diets used to Treat Weight Issues
 
Diets used to Treat Skin Allergies
                      
Diets used to Treat Kidney Disease
                         
Diets used to Treat Arthritis and Joint Disease

Diet as a treatment for Stomach and Bowel Disorders 

An interesting page about the companies that make pet foods
Normal Cat Chest X-Ray
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The radiographs above are of 2 different cats with heartworm disease.  The heart on the left is enlarged as is the pulmonary artery that the arrow is indicating. (look closely)  The radiograph on the right shows the fuzzy appearance of fluid around the heart and in the lower lungs. 
I chose this picture for top billing on this page to highlight that heart disease is COMMON in CATS...probably more so than dogs, as well as to point out that heartworm disease ... at least in the SouthEast U.S. is a growing concern in cats.
Our page about heart diseaese

Our page about heartworm disease