Do dogs get heart problems like humans? How to keep my dog's heart healthy?

I do not recommend using a treadmill for exercise. It is easy for a dog to step off of the path and Bruno could seriously harm himself. Any new exercise needs to slowly worked up to, I would not expect Bruno to be able to start running for an hour straight! Going for walks is a great form of exercise, but if he needs more and you are not able to run with him, you can train him to fetch or have a friend or dogwalker take him out for additional exercise. There is only one blood test that relates to the heart that I am aware of. It is called proBNP and helps vets differentiate primary heart disease from primary lung disease, this is often used in cases of dogs in Congestive Heart Failure. It would not be an appropriate screening test for Bruno. Other ways of monitoring for heart disease would include listening for a murmur, checking pulse and blood pressure, ECG, thoracic x-rays, and echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart).

It's very important to make sure that Bruno has yearly health checks with the vet, that he is kept up to date on his vaccines, and he is regularly treated with flea medication, heartworm prevention, and deworming treatments. He should also be exercised for at least 45 minutes twice a day, and be fed a high quality dog food. I would not recommend giving him human food, as too much of it leads to obesity and certain human foods are toxic to dogs. Finally, give him lots of love and attention, and take him to the vet if there are any health concerns.

Omega 3 fatty acids for pets can help with heart health. Royal Canin makes a diet for dogs with heart disease. Lastly, it is not fully understood, but there appears to be a link between grain free dog food and heart enlargement. If you are feeding a grain free diet, you may talk with your veterinarian about a diet change. I hope this helps.

A good, balanced diet, keeping Oscar at a healthy weight, and routine checkups with your vet (every 6-12 months for a senior pet) are a great way to keep him healthy. Your vet may also recommend a baseline of tests such as bloodwork so that you know what "normal" is in case he gets ill and his values change. Your vet can also recommend any supplements or medications as needed to help treat any underlying conditions.

It depends on the type of heart condition, as there are many. Tests to evaluate heart disease can include x-rays, ultrasound, or electrocardiogram to check his heart rhythm and electrical activity. Depending on the condition it may be beneficial to avoid strenuous exercise. I'd recommend discussing it with your veterinarian.

Great question! Most diets that are formulated for heart conditions are low in sodium, and thus prescription based. Lower sodium diets are not typically recommended for the "average" dog. Talk to your vet about the Science Diet H/D or Royal Canin Early Cardiac diets for Lulu.

It will make little difference in the long run. Dogs rarely develop heart disease due to a high fat diet like humans do. The heart disease a Cavalier is predisposed to stems from a failure or weakening of the heart valves that control blood flow through the heart. As long as Chloe is active and not overweight, the diet change is fine. Switch food gradually to avoid GI upset.