Heart disease, much like cancer, is primarily a disease of old age and, until recently, it was not a common cause of death in pets. However, veterinary medicine has made great strides in recent times, which has enabled us to provide our pets with longer and healthier lives. These longer lives have resulted in pets increasingly encountering diseases, such as heart disease, that are associated with old age. While advancing age is a main factor for this rise in heart disease, puppies and kittens can also have heart problems due to both birth defects and hereditary factors.
In both cases, heart disease in dogs and cats, whether existing from birth or due to advancing age, can be treated if detected in time. Regular veterinary checkups, especially for puppies and kittens and senior pets, are important not only for your pet’s overall health, but also for early detection of conditions such as heart disease.
At Seven Hills Veterinary Hospital, we have invested in a number of diagnostic tools that enable us to diagnose a variety of animal health problems, including heart disease, in both young and old pets.
In order to provide the best cardiac diagnosis and care possible, we retain the services of a veterinary board-certified cardiac specialist, Dr. Carrie Ginieczki, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM.