Here is Bella, patiently waiting to go home after spending a night in the oxygen cage.
She came to our clinic late at night with tachypnea, and her guardian had also noticed marked fatigue earlier during a walk.
Main symptoms of heart disease (depending on the specific pathology and severity) include: easy fatigue during walks, coughing, tachypnea, dyspnea, and fainting episodes.
Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are one of the most characteristic breeds prone to heart disease. Cardiac disease can secondarily lead to pulmonary edema or ascites (free fluid accumulation in the abdomen).
Diagnostic method of choice: Cardiac ultrasound (echocardiography).
Depending on the echocardiography findings, a patient with heart disease is managed with appropriate lifelong medication. In emergency situations and complications (such as pulmonary edema), immediate support is required — including oxygen therapy, diuretics, and opioids.
