Sadly many of our pets may face the challenging diagnosis of heart disease in their life-times, and especially and of us with hairless cats are at an even greater risk of experiencing a heart-breaking, heart disease diagnosis. However, there are actually several wonderful pet-safe supplements which can really make a big difference in reducing your pets risk of heart disease, delaying onset of heart disease, and even helping to delay the progression of heart disease and improving upon symptoms if a pet is diagnosed with heart disease.
It is an unfortunate reality that many veterinarians and veterinary cardiologists alike are also unaware of the amazing benefits of these heart-supportive supplements, and therefore they are rarely recommend their use to pet-parent's, and most people only discover their value through independent research. Thankfully you will learn all you need to know through this article today!
It is very important also to assess your pet's diet to both help prevent heart disease, as well as to help to slow progression if they are diagnosed. Another major factor to consider in pet heart disease is diet, the best diet to help prolong your pet's health-span, and reduce risk of heart disease, and even to help with progression of genetic heart diseases such as HCM is by feeding your pet a whole-food, fresh, species-appropriate cooked or raw food diet. This diet however, MUST be either a "complete and balanced for all life-stages" commercially prepared cooked or raw diet, or a home-made cooked or raw food diet which is properly balanced and designed by a pet nutritionist.
For help in selecting appropriate diets for your pets, or to make a balanced home-made raw or cooked food diet for your pet, simply schedule a personal consult with your PetCoachApril.
1. Liver: Organ meats like Beef liver, are packed full of vital amino acids which greatly support heart health for your pets. Beef liver in particular is known world-wide as a super food and contains a multitude of beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids like taurine which support our pets bodies in many ways.
2. Heart: The heart organ, just like liver is also full of vital amino acids and vitamins and minerals which are very heart-healthy for your pets. The heart organ is especially high in natural sources of CoQ10 the hearts energy maker.
It is recommended to add organ meats to your pet's diet 3 times per week to help boost these important nutrients these can be done in a variety of ways:
- Feeding bits of raw or cooked organ meats directly to your pets.
- Giving your pets treats of dehydrated liver and heart.
- Adding a powdered supplement into your pet's meals.
3. CoQ10: Although the heart organ is a good supplied of Coq10, many people may not be able to find a regular supply of heart to add to their pets diet, or may want their pet to have additional heart health protection through a supplemental CoQ10. CoQ10 is a compound that helps generate energy in the bodies cells, and is of up-most importance to heart cellular energy. CoQ10 has been widely studied and proven multiple times over to improve heart health and even help slow progression of heart disease and reduce symptoms. In the human medicine world, leading cardiologists are taking notice to the compounds importance and now prescribing CoQ10 to heart disease patients around the world, sadly the animal world has not really caught up on this one.
It is recommended to begin supplementation of CoQ10 for all pets by the age of 4 years, and for all pets of any age with current heart disease.
- Supplements of this compound are now made and available for purchase in easy to dispense liquid solutions to add to your pet's meals once daily for maximum support.
Herbal supplements:
There are several herbs which are also not known in conventional medicine, which are very well known in the world of herbal pet medicine which help to give the hear support and strength and are extremely beneficial to pets who are living with heart disease. Again, many studies have been done through the years, and many of these herbs have proven to be as effective, or more so in some cases, when compared to leading conventional cardiac medications.
The top heart support herbs are:
- Hawthorn: Hawthorn dilates blood vessels which helps to increase circulation and transport of nutrients and oxygen. It acts as a free-radical, and to strengthen a weak erratic heartbeat.
- Dandelion leaf: Helps prevent congestive heart failure and mitigate the symptoms of CHF, by its impressive diuretic properties which helps the body to expel excess water.
- Garlic: One of the best all-around cardiovascular tonics, effective at preventing the formation of blood clots in the vascular system, actions are often compared to that of a daily aspirin.
- Ginko Biloba: Helps on various levels of heart health, fights inflammation, improve nitric oxide levels which help to dilate blood vessels, and is also a powerful antioxidant.
Clink HERE to Order your pet's Heart Health Kit!
For personalized help for your pet, simply reach out for a one-on-one consult
April Arguin A.S., C.P.N., P.M.H