Heart Disease Symptoms

Each animal is an individual and their heart disease can present in unique ways. Some animals may not show any symptoms, while others may exhibit nearly all the common symptoms. Recognizing and understanding the symptoms of heart disease will help you provide optimal care for your pet.

Dogs and cats with early heart disease may show no symptoms. Often, the earliest clue of heart disease is a heart murmur. Not all heart diseases in dogs have heart murmurs, and many cats with marked heart disease do not have a heart murmur. Your veterinarian may not find a problem such as a heart murmur or arrhythmia, even in animals with advanced heart disease.

Symptoms

Abdominal Swelling
Behavior Changes
Coughing
Difficulty Breathing
Difficulty Sleeping
Fainting
Rear Limb Weakness
Reduced Ability to Exercise
Reduced or Altered Appetite
Quality of Life
Weight Loss or Poor Growth