We are joined by Veterinary Cardiologist Dr. Mark Harmon.
Genetics and nutrition are two main factors that can lead to heart disease in pets, and so screening breeding animals for heart disease (so that it is not passed on to the puppies/kittens) and providing proper nutrition (giving the pet all of the nutrients required for a healthy heart) are two ways that we can prevent heart disease in pets as much as possible.
By being proactive and screening high risk breeds for heart disease BEFORE breeding them, we can do our best to produce puppies and kittens with the lowest possible chance of having heart disease. There are now genetic screening tests to help identify pets that are at higher risk for certain genetic types of heart disease. Before breeding a pet, a cardiologist can evaluate the heart with tests such as an echocardiogram and EKG to look for evidence of congenital or acquired heart disease.
Prospective owners of high-risk breeds must be properly educated on this ahead of time so that they can be prepared for the medical challenges that may lie ahead. The OFA website (below) is a great place for a breeder or prospective owner to search all of the inherited diseases that are common within that breed, so that they know what diseases should be screened for prior to breeding and what diseases to watch out for throughout the life of the pet. Having good medical insurance in place for a high-risk pet from Day 1 can help to ensure that the pets owners will be prepared for cost of medical care should heart disease arise.
Nutrition also plays a very important role in heart health. Taurine is an essential amino acid for cats; taurine deficiency is a known cause of dilated cardiomyopathy in cats. In dogs, a diet-associated cardiomyopathy associated with certain ingredients (peas, lentils, chickpeas, dried beans- all ingredients commonly found in "boutique," grain-free and vegan diets) has recently been documented, but veterinary nutrition researchers are still learning more about how this happens. For people formulating pet food at home, it is recommended to meet with a Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist (that is a veterinarian who has gone on to do a clinical residency and specialize in nutrition- this is different from "pet nutritionists" advertised on the internet!) to ensure the diet has all the important nutrients for that individual pet's needs.
We hope you enjoy this episode! Please leave your questions and comments below!
FULL BLOG POST: https://twintreesvet.com/blogs/vet-talk/preventing-heart-disease-in-dogs-and-cats
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
-IT'S NOT OVER! Grain Free Dog Food & Heart Disease: https://twintreesvet.com/blogs/vet-talk/its-not-over-grain-free-dog-food-heart-disease
-Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals: https://www.ofa.org/
-AKC Guide to Responsible Pet Breeding:
https://www.akc.org/breeder-programs/breeder-education/akcs-guide-responsible-dog-breeding/
-American College of Veterinary Nutrition- Specialist Directory: https://acvn.org/directory/
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Teaser
0:42 Intro, Q) Is there a way to prevent heart disease?
0:56 avoiding nutritional causes (taurine deficiency, certain ingredients)
1:24 genetic tests for heart disease
1:59 cardiologists work with breeders to screen high risk breeds
3:08 tips: before getting a of high risk breed
3:21 search the OFA website for more info
3:44 be proactive
WELCOME TO TWIN TREES VET TALK! An informal chat with Dr. Lopez (Emergency Veterinarian) and friends to share our perspective on pet predicaments, being a veterinarian, our shared love for animals and more! Each week we select a handful of questions to answer.
DISCLAIMER
The medical information on this site is provided as an educational resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes.
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