And the two prevalent types are either the dog's heart mitral valve fails to close properly or the muscular walls of a dog's heart become thinned and weakened. Both these conditions will cause a dog's to develop and enlarged heart and ultimately heart failure. Most vets will give the dog heart meds which help control the valve and regulate the beating of the heart. However, these meds only work for a short time (usually a month to a year) before the dog's heart fails. In addition, the heart meds are very taxing on the dog's kidneys and may cause kidney failure.
So what can you do to prevent heart disease in your dog? The best advice is to feed your dog properly by eliminating animal fat, sugar and added salt. Sodium is a big factor in heart disease, so you need to feed your dog low sodium diet that will help decrease fluid retention.
Most commercial dog foods contain too much sodium, and sugar along with artificial ingredients and preservatives. Beware of the ingredients like "chicken by-product" or the like. A dog's diet should consist of 40% protein, 30% fiber and 30% starch. Raw dog food like organic chicken, raw vegetables and fruit are good to feed your dog.
In addition, your dog should not drink tap water, but drink distilled water instead. Tap water contains fluoride and other chemicals which is not good for the dog's heart. Two important additives you should get is L-Carnatine And Taurine. These two are amino acids that are vital for a dog's heart. Many dogs who have heart disease are lacking in both Taurine and L-Carnatine. Also, fish oil and coenzyme q10, may have some beneficial effects preventing heart disease.