In previous posts I reviewed various heart conditions, including dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in cats. This week’s post is dedicated to another important cardiac condition called arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy or ARVC. I hope you find the information useful and will share it with other…
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Pulmonary Edema – Water on the Lungs
Lungs are a vital organ essential for delivering oxygen to the lungs and expelling carbon dioxide from the body. In various disease states, the lungs become damaged, and fluid can inappropriately swamp them with fluid. This fluid accumulation in the lungs is called is called pulmonary edema and can dramatically…
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Pericardial Effusion in Dogs – Fluid in the Sac Around the Heart
The heart is a vital organ. It pumps blood throughout the body, delivering oxygen-rich blood to organs and returning oxygen-poor blood back to the lungs to be loaded with oxygen. There are a variety of ailments that cause the heart to function abnormally, impairing its ability to circulate blood. This…
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Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Dogs – When the Heart Becomes Too Big
The heart is unquestionably a vital organ. Without it, life-sustaining oxygen can’t circulate to the tissues of the body. Without a properly functioning heart, animals and humans, alike, develop debilitating conditions and die. This week I share information about one of the most common heart conditions to afflict our canine…
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Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) in Dogs – When the Blood Pump Fails!
The heart is obviously a vital organ. Proper function is essential to deliver oxygen to tissues throughout the body. When not functioning properly, our dogs and cats becoming rapidly debilitated, and indeed, can die. This week I’ve dedicated some time to explaining a type of severe heart dysfunction called congestive…
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Subaortic Stenosis in Dogs & Cats – An Important Congenital Heart Defect
The heart is unquestionably a vital organ. Unfortunately, sometimes it doesn’t develop properly in utero, and these congenital defects can range from minor and inconsequential to life threatening. This week I share information about a relatively common congenital heart defect called subaortic stenosis. Please consider sharing it with other pet…
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Hypothermia in Dogs & Cats – Avoid Pupsicles and Catsicles!
Winter is rapidly approaching – at least here in North America. With the advent of this season comes bone-chilling temperatures in many regions. Dogs and cats – just like humans – are at risk for developing subnormal body temperatures, a condition known as hypothermia. This week I’ve dedicated some blog…
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Heartworm Disease – A Potentially Deadly but Preventable Infection
I think most pet parents are familiar with term heartworm disease. They know veterinarians recommend preventative medications. In my experience, though, families don’t fully appreciate the seriousness of this condition in both dogs and cats. So, this week I wanted to take some time to explain what exactly is heartworm…
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PDA in Pets – There’s Nothing Affectionate About Patent Ductus Arteriosus
People are frequently born with heart defects. They often require intricate and specialized surgeries to help correct them. So too can dogs and cats be affected by congenital heart abnormalities, the most common of which is called patent ductus arteriosus or PDA. This week I share some important information about…
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Pre-Anesthetic Testing – Is It Really Necessary?
Inevitably at some point in a pet’s life, anesthesia and surgery will be necessary. For example, spaying (called an ovariohysterectomy) and neutering (called and orchiectomy) are very common surgical procedures recommended for non-breeding dogs and cats. Both surgeries are performed while a patient is under anesthesia. Prior to anesthesia veterinarians…