If you and/or your veterinarian suspect your dog has a heart problem because for example a heart murmur was detected and/or your pet is experiencing classic cardiac signs such as coughing, weakness and lethargy, diagnostic tests will be required to confirm the presence and severity of your dog’s heart disease.
Diagnostic tests to detect canine heart disease usually include comprehensive blood panels, a urinalysis, chest x-rays and an EKG and/or cardiac ultrasound. This can get quite expensive running into several hundred or more dollars.
For many pet owners who want to be proactive in detecting their dog’s heart health status, the expense of these tests is prohibitive.
It’s literally a heart breaking situation!
Any pet owner, who’s suffered the loss of a dog and/or cat to heart disease, is bound to wonder and worry whether or not it might strike again. So, it’s only natural to try to take proactive steps with your current canine companion to protect his or her heart and avoid this disease from happening again.
What about dog owners that just can’t afford the cost?
Most pet owners feel helpless as though that they have no choice but to sit and wait to find out whether or not heart disease will sneak up to silently to claim another four-legged member of their family.
That is, until now.
A Blood Test for Early Detection of Pet Heart Disease in Dogs & Cats
Great news!
A blood test is now available that can identify which dogs and cats are at greatest risk for heart disease and heart failure.
The test is called a proBNP test. BNP is called B-type Natriuretic Peptide.
The proBNP is a blood test that measures how much of a particular peptide hormone is released by the heart and is circulating in your pet’s body. Note that this peptide hormone is only released when your pet’s heart is pushed beyond its capacity.
In the early stages of heart disease and failure, small amounts of this peptide are released into your pet’s bloodstream, and it’s presence is a this test detects telling you that steps must be taken in order to preserve your pet’s heart health.
As your pet’s heart disease continues to progress, the blood value of this peptide hormone will continue to rise.
How to Proactively Protect Your Pet’s Heart Health
1. Ask your veterinarian for the proBNP blood test if you’re concerned about your pet’s heart for any reason at all.
2. The proBNP blood test offers pet owners peace of mind knowing that their pet has no early detectable signs of heart disease.
It also helps your veterinarian to differentiate between, for example, a respiratory condition like asthma and an underlying heart condition.
The proBNP test is a simple blood test with a fast turn-around time that can provide the information you need to proactively manage your dog’s or cat’s heart health.
Pet owners may also elect to have the test repeated as often as needed to chart progress in meeting your pet’s cardiovascular health needs throughout his or her life time.
3. Meet your Pet’s Co-Enzyme-Q10 Needs
Co-Enzyme Q10 is a naturally occurring enzyme that young dogs and cats have in abundance within their heart. As pets increase in age, their body’s ability to produce CoQ10 naturally decreases.
What Can Pet Owners Do to Ensure Heart Healthy Levels of Vital Canine Nutrients?
Supplement your pet’s diet daily with the amino acids, Taurine and Carnitine along with Coenzyme Q10.
Offering your pet supplemental Co-Enzyme Q10 each day helps to insure your dog or cat has the quantity needed to maintain a healthy heart. It also helps to reduce the risk of heart disease for dogs and cats predisposed to the condition for example, because of breed and genetics.
Co-Enzyme Q10 supplements come in a variety of forms, Ubiquinone and Ubiqunol, being most common. Ubiquinol is a reduced form of Co-Enzyme Q10 and is the supplement recommended for most pets.
What’s the Best Dose of Co-Enzyme Q10 to Prevent Pet Heart Disease?
30 mg per day for cats and small dogs
50 mg per day for medium sized dogs
100 mg twice per day for large dogs
Dr. Carol’s Tip: The recommended dosage of Co-Enzyme Q10 for pets with heart disease and/or heart failure is usually doubled.