Congenital heart disease is present at birth and is rare. Acquired heart disease develops over time, usually beginning during middle-age and affective many older dogs. In CVD, the heart valves gradually lose the ability to close effectively, which causes abnormalities in blood flow. Both CVD and DCM result in the same serious condition which is called heart failure . Return to menu.
Heart failure occurs when the heart cannon pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
Because the heart is not pumping effectively, blood may back up in the heart, lungs, or other organs. Blood vessels constrict and blood pressure increases. As a result, fluid may leak out of the vessels especially of the lungs and liver and cause congestion of the lungs, or fluid accumulation in the abdomen and other tissues, or both. Return to menu. The early signs of heart failure are hard to detect.