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What is the Best Dog Food for Congestive Heart Failure?
September 29, 2009
Everybody wants the very best for their canines. Regrettably, occasionally we have to acknowledge that our dearly loved dog has medical disorders that need to be addressed. For this specific article, let us focus on what is canine congestive heart failure and how to make nutritionally sound selections to avoid the decline in your dog’s health due to heart failure.
Heart disease is the result of an abnormality in the dog’s heart structure and performance. Typically, what occurs is that this deficiency causes the dog’s heart to reduce its capacity to pump blood well which leads to ultimate cardiac failure for the already weakened dog. There are often no telltale signs of this disorder until it is too late so we would do well to read and learn about the best dog food for congestive heart failure - it is one of the most effective methods to avoid this from occurring in your pet.
As with people, a low sodium diet will greatly help in keeping the health of the cardiovascular system. Try this, cook ¼ lb of lean beef ground meat with 2 cups of unsalted rice and 2 teaspoons dicalcium phosphate in vegetable oil. You can also use premium commercial pet food but check the nutritional content and consult with your vet before making any alterations in the dog’s diet and lifestyle.
Another essential nutrient that should preferably be compounded in your dog’s daily meal is Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 has proven to not only reduce the risk of congestive heart illnesses for dogs, but with other potentially fatal heart ailments as well. Common and accessible sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are sea food and fish oils.
Vitamin E is also said to increase the antioxidant levels in the dog’s cardiovascular reserves. Studies have constantly shown that this particular vitamin helps animals suffering from heart ailments. When you are using a particular dog food, ensure that it has not been in storage for a very long period of time - especially if it has a high unsaturated fat content. This is one contributing factor in depleting the pet’s vitamin E.
Other nutrients that aid in improved canine cardiovascular function are Taurine and L-Carnitine. L-carnitine enhances your dog’s heart rate, tolerance for activities and protection against many types of heart diseases. L-carnitine in partner with Taurine is recognized as good helpers in maintaining cardiac health for animals. Taurine specifically is thought to prolong the life expectancy of dogs with congestive heart diseases.
When considering the best dog food for congestive heart failure, do not neglect also the value of exercise as a preventive measure for canine congestive heart failure. An indicator of this ailment is the animal’s extreme exhaustion after exercising; so when you notice that the dog is exhibiting signs of labored breathing and excessive fatigue—take him to the vet for prognosis right away.
Hearing news of a beloved pet’s life threatening condition is often heartbreaking. A little effort and learning about the best dog food for dog congestive heart failure will make a difference in keeping your dog’s heart health. Remember this and enjoy your dog’s best years thus far.
