Heart Disease in Dogs
You should know: dogs’ hearts are vulnerable too.
Unfortunately, heart disease is not only a human condition. But even if your dog is at risk for heart disease, do not be too dismayed. With early diagnosis and treatment, you can prolong and improve your dog’s life. Explore this section of the website to get a better understanding of heart disease and what you can do to help your dog live a more normal life.
How common is heart disease in dogs?
- About 10% of all dogs have heart disease.1
- Most importantly, the prevalence of heart disease increases in aged dogs by 60%.2,3 This is particularly the case in dogs with valvular heart disease:
- About 10% of dogs between the ages of 5 and 8 years are affected3
- 20–25% of dogs between the ages of 9 and 12 years are affected3
- 30–35% of dogs more than 13 years are affected3
- 75% of dogs over 16 years are affected4
1. Atkins C, Bonagura J, Ettinger S, et al. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of canine chronic valvular heart disease. J Vet Intern Med 2009; 23(6):1142–1150. 2. Rush JE. Chronic valvular heart disease in dogs. Proceedings from: 26th Annual Waltham Diets/OSU Symposium for the treatment of small animal cardiology, October 19–20, 2002. 3. Sisson D. Valvular heart disease in dogs. In: Proceedings from the WSAVA World Congress; October 3–6, 2002; Granada, Spain. Available at: http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2002&PID=2532. Accessed January 21, 2011. 4. Guglielmini C. Cardiovascular diseases in the aging dog: Diagnostic and therapeutic problems. Vet Res Commun 2003; 27(Suppl 1):555–560.
