[SOLVED ] Q. My 10 month old beagle had had irregular heartbeat for 4-5 months now. It's generally really fast and skips several beats. Should I worry?

Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :

A. Most irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) in dogs, especially young dogs, are benign. Monitor for fainting, coughing, lack of appetite, or decreased ability to run, play, or exercise. See your veterinarian immediately if you notice these signs.

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

Median survival time for dogs with mean heart rate less than 125 bpm (1037 days) was significantly longer than those with mean heart rate of 125 or higher (105 days). The results of this study show that patients with atrial fibrillation live longer with lower heart rates.

Arrhythmia is relatively common in dogs and is not always a cause for concern. An occasional irregular heart beat may not cause any other health problems. However, because an irregular beat may be an early symptom of a more serious underlying condition, it is wise to have it checked out by your veterinarian.

Arrhythmia in dogs is an abnormality in the heart`s rhythm, which can include the speed, strength, or regularity of heartbeats. It generally is caused by unusual electrical activity in dogs` heart muscles, which can come from congenital issues from birth or from something that has occurred in your dog`s life.

In dogs, cardioversion may be successful in returning the heart to a normal rhythm, but often the rhythm returns to atrial fibrillation in the dog. Consequently, treatment for atrial fibrillation involves the use of drugs to slow the rate. Such drugs include dilitiazem, atenolol and/or digoxin.

Like many other medical conditions in dogs, atrial fibrillation can display a variety of symptoms including, but not limited to: a racing heart, intolerance to exercise, coughing, general weakness, difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, and lethargy. In rare cases, it can lead to a loss of consciousness.

Some arrhythmias are normal variations (such as the respiratory sinus arrhythmia in dogs). Dangerous arrhythmias are those that result in clinical signs and/or put the animal at risk for sudden cardiac death.

Mild rhythm disturbances usually do not require treatment. More severe, rapid rhythm disturbances can be treated with either medications or, in some cases, curative catheter-based procedures. More severe, slow heart rhythms can be treated with pacemaker implantation.

Heart Rate Human Versus Dog

All variables characterizing sinus heart rate were significantly different between dogs and humans. Although the average heart rate in the humans was slower, the spread of heart rate was greater in the dog with lower minimum and higher maximum heart rate.

Can a Heart Arrhythmia ever just go away? Yes. People can have only one episode. This can be caused by pericarditis (membrane or sac around your heart is inflamed), alcohol or other drugs, acute illness, or electrolyte abnormalities.

The condition is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the heart muscles of dogs which can be brought about by hereditary problems that are already present at birth, infections, injuries, stress, and a whole lot of other issues.

Sensations of a fast, fluttering or pounding heartbeat (palpitations) Chest pain. Dizziness. Fatigue.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly diagnosed supraventricular tachyarrhythmia in dogs. It typically develops when atrial enlargement occurs secondary to underlying cardiovascular disease.

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation can come on randomly and suddenly, with symptoms lasting hours or sometimes just minutes. It doesn`t last more than a week and the episodes usually end on their own.

Cardiac dogs are likely to use their strong sense of smell to recognize chemical alterations that occur when the blood pressure or the heart rate changes. They may be able to use their strong hearing skills to recognize whether the heart rate is normal or not.

Dogs with severe heart disease have more trouble breathing when lying down, and will often sit or stand for long periods of time. Fatigue, Inability to Exercise – Dogs with heart disease will tire out more quickly on walks and during exercise. They may sleep or rest more than usual.

Untreated AFib can raise your risk for problems like a heart attack, stroke, and heart failure, which could shorten your life expectancy. But treatments and lifestyle changes can help prevent these problems and manage your risks.

To check your dog`s heart rate, put your hand on the inside of the rear leg at mid-thigh. You should feel the femoral artery pulsing near the surface. It`s easiest to find if your dog is standing. Count the number of beats you feel during a 15-second period and multiply by four to get the beats per minute.

Stress is a major trigger of cardiac arrhythmias; it exerts profound effects on electrophysiology of the cardiomyocytes and the cardiac rhythm. Psychological and physiological stressors impact the cardiovascular system through the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

The size of individual dog breeds affects their normal resting heart rate; small dog breeds generally have higher heart rates than medium-sized or large breeds. These numbers are simply guidelines, as everyone (human or canine) is a unique individual.

Occasional palpitations during periods of emotional or physical stress are normal and are nothing to worry about. However, an irregular heartbeat can be a sign of an abnormal heart rhythm, or another heart condition. Talk to your doctor if you feel your heart beating too fast, too slowly or irregularly.

“It`s common for the heart to skip for single beats, causing an unusual sensation. With rare exceptions, these single-skipped beats are considered normal.”

Non epileptic Seizures

Dogs that have heart disease with an abnormal heart beat (called an arrhythmia), can pass out in a manner that looks just like a seizure. Sometimes syncope can be difficult to differentiate from a seizure.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. My 10 month old beagle had had irregular heartbeat for 4-5 months now. It’s generally really fast and skips several beats. Should I worry?

ANSWER : A. Most irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) in dogs, especially young dogs, are benign. Monitor for fainting, coughing, lack of appetite, or decreased ability to run, play, or exercise. See your veterinarian immediately if you notice these signs.

Read Full Q/A … : Irregular Heart Rhythm – WebMD

Q. We have a 3 yr old Weiner dog, she is having pus in her eyes, I took her to the vet he gave me derma vet ointment, used it as the doctor prescribed

ANSWER : A. If the pus really isn’t all that bad, and it’s just some discharge, your pup may benefit from a diet change. It could be that the food you’re feeding just isn’t right for your dog, and that’s okay! Dogs grow and change over time, and now that your dog is fully matured, a diet change may be in order. Try something like Taste of the Wild, maybe a grain free dog food, Orijen, or Ziwipeak. These are all really great food options.

If the pus is really bad, and continues to get worse, see your vet again and let them know what’s going on. Maybe you could try a diet change, and then see if there are any improvements.

Remember, you should always gradually change a dogs diet. By gradually, I mean you put a tiny bit of new kibble in with a bowl of the old kibble. Reduce the old kibble by just a few bits of kibble. Throughout the course of at least two weeks (or as long as you want depending on whether or not you want to finish off the old food) you slowly add more of the new kibble while removing some of the old kibble. This makes the process gradual, and won’t cause any tummy-upset in your dog.

Read Full Q/A … : An Easy Home Cure Cherry Eye Remedy – Old Town Home

Q. Why does my English bulldog have re occurring urinary tract infection since she’s a 8 weeks and she’s 9 months now? And now they say she may have ki

ANSWER : A. As I’m sure your vet has told you it’s pretty unusual for a dog to have had multiple UTI’s starting at 8 weeks of age. I think it’s likely that she has a congential problem, which means something didn’t develop correctly inside or outside her body and it’s making her prone to the UTI’s.

There are a few bladder abnormalities that can contribute to UTIs, including urachal diverticulum (a little pouch or out-cropping of the bladder) and ectopic ureters (the ureters do not enter the bladder at the appropriate spot). On the outside, she could have a redundant vulvar fold, which is predisposing her to trapping fecal matter at her vulva, and the bacteria is ascending up to her bladder and causing recurrent UTIs.

The other possibility of that she got a UTI initially and it was never treated appropriately, i.e. The appropriate antibiotic wasn’t used and it never really resolved, but it seems like it’s coming back. I think this is less likely, as it’s really uncommon to begin with to see UTI’s in dogs this young. I also once saw a 4 month old dog with bladder cancer, but that’s incredibly rare and I think highly unlikely in your dog.

Your question got cut off at the end but it sounded like you were about to say that she may have kidney problems. If that’s right clearly this is becoming a serious problem for her.

Your dog needs a competent vet to work up this problem. It’s likely that she’s going to need some advanced imaging, including possibly an x-ray procedure called a cystogram and possibly an ultrasound. You might consider taking her to a veterinary internal medicine specialist at this point, if one is available in your area.

Read Full Q/A … : What To Do if Fido Has Accidents in his Crate – The …

Q. My cocker spaniel is 9 years old. He has involuntary bowel movements (little drops) very frequently, especially when he is asleep.

ANSWER : A. Is your dog on a senior dog food? I would get your dog on a high quality high protien dog food. Ask a pet store assosicate or your regular vet for a food recommendation. When you buy a better food the dog will have to eat less to get the same amount of energy from the food. The dog has to eat more of the cheaper foods to get the energy it needs from it. Meaning more poop and buying more food. So the cost really evens out. So the lessen your dogs bowel movements get on a better senior dog food. Next talk to your vet they may have a recommendation. If you switch dogs do it slowly by mixing the foods. Start with 10% new 90% old mixed for at least a week until you have switched to 100% new 0% old. Senior foods have more fiber to help with bowel movements. Take the dog outside to go potty more frequently, right before bed time.

Read Full Q/A … : Symptoms Questions & Answers

Q. I have a 9 week old kitten. At what age do they start spraying? We have a 12 yr old cat that has sprayed a door, I think. Could it be the kitten?

ANSWER : A. It is not unusual for an established house cat to start acting out once there is a change in his environment. In this case, the new kitten could be a stressor for the older cat as he tries to get used to the new change of an added house member. To answer your question, cats generally do not start spraying until the are around 5-6 months old.

Read Full Q/A … : How to Stop a Male Cat from Spraying – How to do anything

Q. My 18 month old cavapoo keeps going for my sons 2 yr old English bull terrier when he comes to our house, we also have a 7 month old border terrier

ANSWER : A. Dog on dog aggression can be a serious and in-depth problem to treat, and it is best to seek a trainer or animal behaviorist in your area that can visit in person and give you tailored advice. Until then, it is best to keep the two dogs separated and be sure to remove any objects that may be grounds for contention such as food, shared water bowls (adding more can help), toys and bones to prevent fighting over these resources. If you need to find a behaviorist in your area, you can follow this link: http://www.animalbehaviorsociety.org/web/applied-behavior-caab-directory.php

Read Full Q/A … : Aggressive Puppy

Q. What should a Papillon weigh that is 11 inches at the shoulder?

ANSWER : A. Per AKC breed standard, there is no set weight for the Papillon. The only guideline given is that weight should be proportionate to height. In general, females may weigh a bit less than males; yet in regard to height both genders will fall between the 8 to 11 inch guideline.

In general, if a Papillon is of standard height, the adult weight will be between 6 pounds (2.72 kg) to 10 pounds (4.53 kg). It is not uncommon for a female to be a bit smaller than a male in regard to weight. Females tend to settle down near the 6 to 8 pound range and males generally are a bit larger and are closer to the 9 or 10 pound range.

We have seen some sources list the weight of the Papillon to be as tiny as 4 pounds (1.81 kg) however this is not common and a Pappy of this size would be considered undersized should he or she be the expected 8 to 11 inches tall (floor to withers).

So, with this information, your dog should weigh about ten pounds if she is 11 inches at the shoulder.

Read Full Q/A … : How Much Should a 4-Month-Old Papillon Weigh? – noahsnet.com

Q. Hi. My 14 yr old beagle was just diagnosed with bladder cancer.How much time do we have? By giving peroxicam how much follow up will he need.

ANSWER : A. Bladder cancer (typically Transitional cell carcinoma) has a median survival:
no therapy – 4-6 months
with therapy (Piroxicam + Chemotherapy)- 6-12 months
Long term prognosis is grave.

There are no statistics for just Piroxicam that I came across.

It is recommended to do an ultrasound every 6-8 weeks to determine the disease status and thoracic radiographs every 2-3 months to monitor for spread of the disease.

Read Full Q/A … : All About Bladder Cancer in Dogs