Valve problems are the most common type of heart issue in dogs. In many cases, you could alleviate the problems with the best dog food for heart murmur.
They are congenital, which means your pup was most likely born with the conditions, and they are characterized by heart murmurs.
There are many kinds of heart murmurs that range from mild to fatal. For a definitive diagnosis, have a vet do the checkup.
You can positively improve your dog’s heart health with a vet-prescription diet and using dog food for heart murmur.
Several brands produce dog food for heart murmur. But you can’t know for sure which diet is best for your pup until you do a little research.
In our top five selections, we considered all the essential nutrients that a heart murmurs diet must have.
Our Top Pick
The Iams ProActive Health Adult MiniChunks Dry Dog Food is our best overall dog food for heart murmur and the most recommended choice by most dog parents.
This diet has proven to be very effective at promoting a healthy heart and optimal blood pressure.
The Best Dog Foods for Heart Murmur Are:
1. Iams ProActive Health Adult MiniChunks Dry Dog Food – Best Overall
Iams ProActive contains a variety of quality ingredients with nutrients that are tailored to suit the needs of your best pal, including a healthy immune system and strong cardiac health.
Key Ingredients:
- Chicken
- Dried beet pulp
- Chicken by-product meal
- Ground whole grain corn
- Ground whole grain sorghum
The mini chunks are formulated to nourish your active pooch with prebiotics and essential nutrients for a healthy body and heart function.
This diet contains the L-carnitine amino acid, which helps your pup’s body generate energy for supporting healthy heart function, brain development, and muscle movement.
The #1 ingredient in this diet is chicken, which is a source of lean meat that provides lots of energy without a big calorie count.
Another important aspect of this food is the low sodium content, which helps to maintain optimal blood pressure to maintain normal heart, liver, and kidney function.
But the thing is, the chicken by-product meal in the diet might trigger some allergic reactions in sensitive dogs.
Pros:
- L-carnitine boosts healthy heart and brain function
- Diet provides lots of energy without too many calories
- Low sodium content maintains optimal blood pressure
- Probiotics help keep your gut in good working order
Cons:
- Chicken by-product meal may be allergic for some pooches
This amazing dog food for heart murmur from Iams will not just boost your dog’s energy levels, but it will also improve her heart and brain function as well as muscle movement.
2. Purina ONE SmartBlend Chicken & Rice Adult Formula Dry Dog Food – Best Natural Ingredients
Help your best furry friend avoid heart murmur with the Purina One SmartBlend.
It has the perfect combination of natural ingredients with chicken being the first ingredient.
Key Ingredients:
- Chicken (first ingredient)
- Corn gluten meal
- Rice flour
- Chicken by-product meal
- Whole grain corn
This tasty meal comes with chicken as the first ingredient, which is great because it supplies your pup with lots of nutrients and energy for heart, skin, and coat care.
Chicken and chicken by-product meals are great sources of glucosamine, a great natural supplement that improves joint mobility by reducing joint pain and inflammation.
This dog food for heart murmur has a dual-defense antioxidant blend that plays a big role in protecting your dog from the damage that is caused by free radicals.
The formula is also packed with vitamin E, which is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps with the formation of red blood cells and supports overall immune function.
But the thing is, the quality control of the food is questionable. The nutrient content of the first bag may differ from the next one.
Pros:
- This dog food for heart murmur Contains energy-rich chicken as the first ingredient
- Vitamin E helps boost the overall immune function
- Glucosamine does a great job of improving joint mobility
- Omega 6 ensures the dog has healthy skin and coat
- A great choice for heart, kidney, liver, skin, and coat care
Cons:
- Lacks consistent quality control
- The chicken by-product may not be ideal for allergic pooches
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a commercial dog food that can do more than alleviate and prevent heart murmur, then the Purina ONE SmartBlend Chicken & Rice Adult Formula Dry Dog Food is the real deal.
3. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Early Cardiac Dry Dog Food – Best Vet Recommended Diet
This vet-recommended diet from Royal Canin is highly palatable, digestible, balanced, and complete with nutrients that improve cardiovascular function.
Key Ingredients:
- Brewer’s rice (first ingredient)
- Chicken meal
- Chicken fat
- Fish meal
- Soy protein isolate
- Natural flavors
The formula features brewer’s rice, which is an excellent source of proteins and minerals for boosting your dog’s energy levels.
The food has chicken fat that provides a more concentrated source of energy than carbohydrates or protein and also contributes to the food’s palatability and texture.
The formula contains important long-chain omega 3 fatty acids (docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic) for supporting healthy heart function.
This diet also contains good amounts of taurine, carnitine, and arginine amino acids, which support neurological development and optimal cardiac health.
According to the guaranteed analysis, this food contains a moderate amount of sodium (0.33%), but it could be better with a lower amount.
Pros:
- Complete, balanced, and highly digestible
- Chicken fat improves texture and palatability
- Long-chain omega 3 fatty acids support a healthy heart
- Taurine, carnitine, and arginine amino acids boost cardiac health
- The vet recommended dog food for heart murmur
Cons:
- Could be better with a much lower amount of sodium
Conclusion
This diet is great for building the immune system of your young dogs against heart murmur and great for helping your senior pup overcome the condition.
4. Taste of the Wild w/ Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food – Best #1 Ingredient
Do you want to give your dog a meal that does not only support heart health, but also a meal that stands the test of time? Try Taste of the Wild with Ancient Grains.
Key Ingredients:
- Lamb and lamb meal
- Cracked pearled barley
- Dried yeast
- Millet
- Grain sorghum
Taste of the Wild provides real meat (lamb) as the first ingredient, which is a great protein option for canines because it offers plenty of energy.
Lamb is packed with essential amino acids and is a good source of dietary fats, which helps sustain energy.
This diet also features a lamb meal, a rendered version of the meat that contains less water. It is higher in protein and a better choice for pups with food sensitivities.
With omega 3 fatty acids, taurine, and L-carnitine, this Taste of the Wild diet with Ancient Grains is suitable for supporting heart health in dogs that are prone to a heart murmur.
But the thing is, some ingredients in the food may be sensitive to allergic dogs, especially those with sensitive stomachs.
Pros:
- Lamb meat offers plenty of energy
- Supports cardiac health to prevent a heart murmur
- Amino acids in the diet are sustainable sources of dietary fats
- Proprietary probiotics support overall health
Cons:
- Some ingredients may be sensitive to allergic dogs
Conclusion
If you have a picky dog, this diet from Taste of the Wild will please her. It is packed with nutrients for energy, a healthy heart, and a healthy immune system.
5. Hill’s Prescription Diet h/d Heart Care with Chicken Canned Dog Food – Best Wet Diet
If you are looking for a food that supports cardiac health and helps alleviate heart murmur, the Hill’s Prescription Diet h/d with chicken is a great option.
Key Ingredients:
- Water
- Chicken
- Pork liver
- Whole grain corn
- Rice
Is your pup suffering from poor heart health, such as heart murmur? Hill’s Prescription Diet h/d is formulated to help.
This canned formula is low in sodium, which is great because this helps to maintain normal blood pressure, while high levels of L-carnitine support healthy heart function.
This diet contains clinically proven antioxidants, including vitamin E and vitamin C for boosting the immune system and protecting vital kidney function.
Another good thing about this diet that your dog will admire is the protein-rich chicken and hypoallergenic chicken flavor.
But here is the thing, you can’t just buy this diet from the store or online without a prescription from the vet.
Pros:
- Low sodium levels help maintain optimal blood pressure
- Contains antioxidants that are clinically proven
- Has optimum levels of phosphorus and protein
- It’s L-carnitine and taurine packed for healthy heart function
- Does a great job of minimizing fluid retention
Cons:
- Must have a vet’s prescription to order
Conclusion
You can guarantee your senior dog a heart murmur free life with this diet. But you must have a prescription to make an order.
6. Taste of the Wild High Protein Dry Dog Food with Real Roasted Lamb
Taste Of The Wild High Protein is pet food that is a combination of real roasted lamb and ancient grains. It is available in two flavors of Roasted Lamb with Ancient Grains and Roasted Lamb Grain Free.
This dog food for heart murmur contains ingredients from trusted and reliable sources to maintain the highest quality. It does not contain wheat and corn fillers, or artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
Taste of the Wild High Protein is a highly digestible best dog food for heart murmur since it contains proprietary probiotics that are specifically made for canines.
Made in the USA, Taste of the Wild High Protein is a protein-rich low sodium dog food for a heart murmur.
Pros:
- The product has great flavor and smell. Almost all of the dog breeds love it. It is dry dog food for dogs with a heart murmur that does not need salt with 25% protein. Low calorie, but highly nutritious.
- Perfect for dogs that have chronic diarrhea or skin allergies. It helped cure our dog’s dandruff. The stool also firmed up after two weeks’ consumption.
- Perfect for dogs that have a range of allergies since it doesn’t have any artificial ingredients and fillers.
Cons:
- We prefer the grain-free version of Taste of the Wild High Protein. The Roasted Lamb with Ancient Grains happens to give gas to our chihuahua. You can test the product with other breeds, or switch to the old, grain-free version.
7. Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Small Breed Dog Food
Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Small Breed Dog Food is an elite recipe packed with taurine for the proper functioning of your dog’s heart.
Besides being rich in taurine, this recipe has a salt content of 0.14%, a low percentage that won’t be harsh on your dog’s heart and kidney.
Other than that, this kibble features turkey as the first protein source to nourish your dog’s muscle and whole-body health.
The incorporated omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids will be crucial in inhibiting the production of inflammatory hormones in your dog’s heart. Moreover, these fatty acids nourish your dog’s skin and coat.
This low sodium dog food for a heart murmur is also jam-packed with vegetables and healthy fruits, powerhouses of antioxidants, and vitamins that your dog’s heart needs.
What’s unique about this recipe is that scientists and vets are the core individuals behind this nutrient-dense kibble formulation.
With that, you are adamant that your pet will consume complete nutrition geared to maintain its overall wellbeing.
Glucosamine, chondroitin, and calcium in this kibble keep your dog’s joints and bones healthy.
This recipe should be your number one pick if grain-free diets are your thing. Instead of having grains, this recipe contains complex carbs sources that provide energy for your dog to remain active.
As a key highlight, whenever you pick this dog food on subscription, you get a 10 % discount on every refill.
First five ingredients: deboned turkey, chicken meal, ground brown rice, peas, rice
Pros
- Feature high-quality animal protein sources
- No meat by-products preservatives or artificial flavors
- Made in the USA
- Enriched with vitamin E and Vitamin A for immunity
Cons
- Some dog parents don’t like the shape of the kibble
8. Weruva All-Natural Grain-Free, Chicken Free, Canned Wet Dog Food
Weruva is a family-owned pet food company that manufactures complete and balanced nutrition for dogs.
And one of their products is this wet dog food with healthy ingredients designed to support your pet’s needs.
The first ingredient in this dog food for a heart murmur is grass-fed Australian beef, a crucial protein source to energize and build your dog’s muscles.
This canned recipe features lots of vitamin B complex. Vitamin B is crucial in restoring your dog’s nutrients that he may lose during the treatment phase.
The added pumpkin and sweet potato are easy to digest and provide a wide array of nutrients that your recovering dog may need.
What’s more, this wet dog for heart murmur contains no poultry, carrageenan, or wheat, which may be hard to digest or even trigger food-related allergies.
Per your preference, you can get the 5.5 Oz can and assess how your dog reacts. After positive results, you can get the 14 Oz pack.
First five ingredients: beef, pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot, beef lungs
Pros
- Grain-free wet dog food
- Produced in a human food facility
- With easy to digest ingredients
- Available in different flavors – beef, lamb, and fish
Cons
- Pricy
9. Diamond Naturals Light Dry Dog Food
If you are searching for complete balanced nutrition for your dog, consider this Diamond Naturals Light Dry Dog Food.
First, as the best food for dogs with a heart murmur, this kibble contains guaranteed taurine levels to stabilize heart muscle cells.
Secondly, besides having taurine, this dog food for heart murmur features vitamin B, crucial in replenishing the nutrients your dog loses when taking heart medication.
Furthermore, this kibble has superfoods like kales, chia seeds, and pumpkin, all powerhouses of essential nutrients your dog with a heart murmur requires.
Other ingredients like blueberries, kales, and carrots provide antioxidants that toughen up your dog’s immunity as he recovers.
Your dog’s joint and cartilage health has also been considered here with the inclusion of glucosamine and chondroitin.
This lamb and rice formula has gut-friendly pre and probiotics that nourish your dog’s digestive system.
First five ingredients: lamb meal, whole grain brown rice, oatmeal, cracked pearled barley, ground white rice
Pros
- The first ingredient is lamb, an animal protein
- Enriched with superfoods like chia seed and coconut
- Features glucosamine and chondroitin
Cons
- One pet owner complains that his dog got a bad breath after eating this food
10. Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free Natural Senior Dry Dog Food
Senior dogs with heart murmurs need a healthy diet that will provide proper nutrition as per their needs. And one such type of diet is this dry dog food from Blue Buffalo.
As one of the best dog food for a heart murmur, this recipe incorporates taurine, maintaining your dog’s heart health.
The added omega fatty acids keep your dog’s heart away from inflammation which may hamper its overall quality of life.
Moreover, this recipe features animal protein sources and other fine natural ingredients that mirror what your dog would have eaten when in the wild.
This tasty kibble has an appealing taste that your dog will find irresistible— this is very important as you know heart murmur comes with the loss of appetite.
Healthy complex carbs like sweet potatoes and peas provide energy for your dog to stay active in his sunset days.
Chondroitin and glucosamine in this best dog food for heart murmur keep your dog’s joints mobile and cartilages in good health.
First five ingredients; deboned chicken, potatoes, peas, pea starch, chicken meal
Pros
- Enriched with omega fatty acids and taurine for heart health
- This recipe doesn’t contain chicken by-products or artificial preservatives.
- Packed with antioxidants for immune health
Cons
- Some pet owners say their dogs didn’t like this food- however, this is more of a preference. You may find your dog enjoying this recipe.
11. Nulo Frontrunner Dry Dog Food for Adults
The best dog food for heart murmur you choose should contain healthy ingredients to nourish your pet. And one brand that has maintained high standards in manufacturing quality dog food is Nulo.
One of their recipes is this grain-inclusive kibble that has levels of taurine and omega fatty acids to stabilize heart muscle cells.
This dog food for arrhythmia and heart murmur has 77% animal-based protein sources that will help your pet’s muscle repair and weight gain.
And the ancient grains and miscanthus grass incorporated keep your dog satisfied in between meals so that this bag can last longer.
Also, this hearty, healthy nutrition incorporates antioxidants that support your dog’s immunity barring any opportunistic infection from knocking down your pet.
The fiber and GanedenBC30 probiotic in this dog food for a heart murmur keep that digestive system stable. Your dog will have fewer episodes of constipation or diarrhea from now on.
First five-ingredient; deboned chicken, chicken meal, oats, barley, brown rice
Pros
- Made in the USA
- With 77 % animal-based protein sources
- Enriched with natural fibers and probiotics for gut healthy
Cons
- Not great for dogs who don’t respond well to grains
Different Types of Heart Conditions
Heart Murmur in Dogs
A heart murmur is caused by a disturbance in the normal blood flow of the dog’s heart. A vet can identify the abnormal swooshing noise through a stethoscope.
In a normal condition, you will only be able to hear two sounds the ‘lub’ and ‘dub’ which occur on the closing and opening of heart valves.
Congestive heart failure in dogs (CHF)
Congestive Heart Failure is the heart’s inability to normally pump blood in the body. It helps the blood to stay in the lungs of the dog, while the fluid gathers up in the organ to cause the heart and the lungs to malfunction.
It is important to note that CHF is more of a heart complication than cardiovascular disease. Dogs suffering from CHF may experience:
- Problems in breathing normally.
- Unexplained weakness and lethargy
- Issues in exercising
- Coughing
Diet plans for heart failure and heart conditions are entirely different and should not be confused together to avoid any harm or negligence. It is wise to consult an experienced vet to meet the different medical requirements.
This also explains why it’s a challenge to maintain a diet plan for dogs suffering from heart diseases. Many pet owners are left to wonder how and which commercial diet to choose from. After all, what is the best dog food for heart murmur?
In this blog, we’ll talk about the best dog food for a heart murmur and share several dog food for heart murmur reviews in depth.
But before we proceed to the best dog foods, there are a few considerations and precautions you need to keep in mind. These precautionary guidelines and tips will help ease the situation at hand.
What Is The Best Food To Feed A Dog With A Heart Murmur?
The diet you choose for your dog with a heart murmur can impact the progression of this disease. Knowing that it’s essential for you to choose the right food that will positively impact your dog’s quality of life.
With that said, which is the best dog food for heart murmurs?
Prioritize a diet rich in high-quality meat protein. For example, meat from chicken, turkey, bison, and lamb are excellent sources of amino acids like taurine, which help improve heart health.
Most vets and canine nutritionists advocate that the best dog food for heart murmur should have a protein concentration of 25-30 %. A high protein concentration helps prevent muscle wasting, present in dogs with cardiovascular issues like dilated cardiomyopathy and heart murmurs.
Choose food with reduced or moderate salt content. Dogs with a heart murmur or other cardiovascular health disability cannot excrete sodium.
Excess sodium concentration leads to fluid retention. This fluid may end up in your dog’s lung causing difficulty breathing and even lung collapse. Also, high sodium intake in the blood can elevate blood pressure, thus overloading the dog’s heart.
Thus the rate of your dog’s sodium intake needs detailed daily monitoring. Therefore, don’t do away with the salt unless your dog has other underlying conditions like kidney disease. Speak to your vet to recommend how much salt your dog needs.
Supplement your dog’s diet with omega fatty acids. A diet rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids like EPA and DHA is an excellent choice for dogs with heart murmurs. These fatty acids reduce inflammation and stabilize heart muscle cells.
Homemade Dog Food for Heart Murmur
If you are not convinced that commercial dog food is suitable for your dog with a heart murmur, you may consider homemade dog food.
However, not too fast. When it comes to cooking food for a dog with a heart murmur, first consult a trained canine nutritionist or a vet on how to go about it.
Home cooking dog food with no professional advice can cause problems. You risk giving your dog a diet with poorly balanced nutrients, leading to rapid weight gain.
Here are the general guidelines that you as the pet owner should follow when home cooking food for your dog with a heart murmur.
- Avoid salt or seasoning in this homemade dog food for a heart murmur.
- Choose fresh meat over canned meat as it has a low salt content
- Avoid shellfish as it has a high salt content
- Don’t give your dog milk products as they have a high salt content
- Incorporate fruits and vegetables in your homemade dog food.
- Also, consider asking your vet whether it’s possible for your dog to eat grain-free diets or not. You may not know, but the FDA has been investigating the link between grain-free diets and the health of pets eating grain-free diets.
FAQ’S:
What Can You Do For A Dog With A Heart Murmur?
The heart is an essential organ in your dog’s body. Like we humans, dogs can have a heart murmur. Unknown to most pet owners, a heart murmur does not always indicate that your dog has a heart issue.
For example, if your puppy is diagnosed with a physiological heart murmur, there is nothing much you can do, as most dogs outgrow this condition.
However, sometimes a heart murmur can be a sign that there is a defect in your dog’s heart. Examples of conditions that can trigger a heart murmur in healthy dogs include anemia, heartworm, or obesity.
When it comes to such, you should monitor your dog’s progress. Check for any signs of disease progression like frequent fainting, lethargy, and persistent cough.
At this point, all you ought to do is prioritize improving your dog’s quality of life by reducing your dog’s pet’s activity. More so if you have an overall active dog.
Keep your dog to an ideal weight- you can do so by giving it healthy, low-fat dog food.
Medication – your dog may be put on medication based on your vet’s advice. As a responsible dog parent, make sure your dog takes medication as the vet instructed.
A healthy diet- consult your vet on the best dog food for heart murmurs that your dog can eat with no adverse effects.
Can You Reverse a Heart Murmur in Dogs?
According to veterinary centers of America inc, there is a certain type of heart murmur in dogs that is easily resolvable. This type of heart murmur is known as a physiological heart murmur. Such heart murmur is predominant in large breed puppies and even small dog breeds and requires no treatment.
With time your dog breed will outgrow this physiological heart murmur. The only thing needed is constant monitoring and reporting to the vet if you note anything out of place.
Concurrently, treatment of the underlying condition can help resolve heart murmur. Your vet may prompt a surgical procedure to collect a health defect causing irregular blood flow in your dog’s heart. For example, a vet can surgically correct a congenital heart defect like patent ductus arteriosus to reverse heart murmur in your dog.
Besides surgical treatment, your dog will be on medication, lifestyle change, or a specialized diet to control the progress of this heart disease.
How Long Can My Dog with a Heart Murmur Live
Many pet owners are scared when their dogs are diagnosed with a heart murmur. It’s a perception to most that now their dogs are on a death sentence.
However, that’s not correct. A dog with a heart murmur can live a healthy, happy life even after being diagnosed with this heart condition.
Even so, some dogs can develop heart murmurs and out it, even without the need of visiting a vet.
With that, the life expectancy of a dog with a heart murmur can vary from one dog to the other. It all depends on the root cause.
Sometimes a heart murmur in dogs could signify an underlying condition like congestive heart failure. Such a disease is fatal and can quickly kill your dog. Thus early diagnosis is essential.
Visit a certified animal cardiologist after it’s definite your dog has a heart murmur. With such a specialist, you can discuss your pet’s condition, signs, medication, and any lifestyle change needed.
Working closely with your vet and giving your canine friend the best dog food for heart murmur will see your pet live a long healthy life.
Can You Walk A Dog With A Heart Murmur?
Suppose your dog is diagnosed with a heart murmur that does not guarantee that you should stop all exercise sessions. As you know, lack of exercise can correlate with your dog’s behavior. More so, exercising is one of the ways to help your dog lose weight.
So is it good to walk a dog with a heart murmur? Unless a vet bars you, you can continue having regular walk sessions with your dog. Sometimes the vet may weigh out and opt that your dog’s heart grade is low to warrant a stop in regular walking sessions.
For example, dogs with heart murmurs from grades 1- 4 can have routine walks. However, regular walking sessions should be monitored or stopped for dogs from grades 5 to 6.
Overworking your dog during this phase can have detrimental health effects on its health. Also, be wary when walking your dog with a heart murmur. The best time should be early in the morning or late evening when the sun is not that hot.
Also, during routine walks, closely monitor how your dog is progressing. Check whether there is a struggle in breathing or a hacking cough.
Immediately stop if your dog seems to struggle or displays signs of lethargy.
All in all, you must speak with your vet on the best less exerting exercise your dog can have.
How Serious Is a Heart Murmur In A Dog?
After your dog is diagnosed with a heart murmur, your vet can discuss the severity of this disease with you. If diagnosed early and suitable treatment options followed, your dog can live with this condition for long.
Sometimes the causative factors can determine the severity of this disease. For example, a dog with a heart murmur caused by valve disease, narrowed vessels, heart muscle damage, or infection in blood needs optimal care.
These are severe conditions. And if untreated, they can have adverse effects on your dog’s quality of life.
However, you need to know that not all heart murmurs are serious. Yes. Not all heart murmurs can be deemed severe. As you may have earlier known, some heart murmurs in your dog can develop and go away without any medical intervention.
How Can I Help My Dog With A Heart Murmur?
Your dog diagnosed with a heart murmur needs supportive care from his handler. So what’s required from you?
Give your dog supplements for heart health. A holistic vet can advise you on the best supplements or food for a dog with a heart murmur.
Some of the best supplements needed that can support your dog’s heart health include krill oil, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin B complex.
Worth noting, don’t initiate any supplements to your dog without the vet’s advice.
Exercise is crucial- Your dog diagnosed with a heart murmur or any other heart issue can exercise. Still, your vet’s input is needed here, as you don’t want to push your dog beyond its limit.
Ensure your dog takes the medication as per the vet’s advice.
Constant checkup of your pet is the best.
It’s good you take your dog periodically to the vet for review. Your vet will analyze your dog’s recovery process, for example, after surgery or after taking medication.
At home, you can record your dog’s activity, breathing rate, appetite, and overall behavior when under medication.
With these notes, the vet will have a proper background as he decides what’s best for your dog.
Helpful Precautions To Improve The Cardiac Health Of Your Dog
The following are some precautions that you can take to relieve a pooch of a cardiac condition to avoid serious cardiac disorders like heart failures.
Optimum Body Weight
Dogs suffering from heart diseases and conditions lose weight differently than normal dogs. A healthy dog doesn’t lose weight right away. But on the contrary, the healthy body uses up the fat reserves before losing the muscle mass.
Dogs suffering from heart murmur may experience a loss of appetite and may significantly lose weight in CHF. The extreme loss in lean body mass may lead to weakened immunity, depleted energy levels, and may also result in a shorter life span.
Protein Restrictions
Vets and expert nutritionists do not recommend following a protein-restricted diet. Lesser intake of protein may actually support the acute loss of muscle mass.
This type of practice will only shorten the lifespan of your canine and decrease survival times. It is recommended to rich a moderately rich protein-based diet on a day-to-day basis.
Low Sodium Levels
It is wise to maintain a moderately low intake of sodium on a daily basis. Human snacks that contain high levels of sodium like chips, cheese, crackers deli meat, and hot dogs should be avoided at all costs because they affect the blood flow.
It is best to avoid all kinds of processed and canned food.
Many dog foods in the market are full of salts and could be replaced with fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat. It is recommended to carefully read the dietary contents on the back of the packages before purchasing products.
The market has some amazing dry dog food for dogs with a heart murmur that does not need salt. It is highly advised to follow a fixed salt intake each day to maintain a specific level that your dog is familiar with.
Buying Guide: Things to Look for When Buying Dog Food for Heart Murmur
Not every diet that is said to be effective for managing heart problems in dogs is genuine.
There are a few things that you need to take into account to find the ideal nutrition.
Here is what we urge every dog parent to consider:
Prescription Dog Food For Heart Murmur
Unlike a commercial diet, a prescription or therapeutic dog food is specifically formulated to meet the needs of your pup’s heart.
The key benefit of prescription diets is that they are clinically studied and proven. Not to mention that they are vet-approved.
Read the Labels
Good nutrition for promoting your dog’s heart health begins with knowing what’s in the bag.
The single most important step to becoming an informed consumer is to read and understand the labels. The first label to explore is the ingredients list.
Pay close attention to the first ingredient in the list. It is usually the main protein source. The ingredients are listed concerning their weights in descending order.
So, if the chicken is the first ingredient, then the assumption is that there is more chicken in the food than anything else.
This is important to know when looking for ingredients that may not necessarily be harmful to your pup, but should only be present in small amounts.
Then the next important label is the guaranteed analysis. This panel provides you with crucial info on min crude protein, min crude fat, max crude fiber, and max moisture.
This panel also provides info on nutrients, such as min calcium, min vitamin E, min omega 3 fatty acids, and min omega 6 fatty acids among other nutrients.
Key Nutrients for a Healthy Dog Heart
Vitamin A
This nutrient does a great job of supporting a healthy immune system. The boosted immune system ensures that your dog’s heart functions optimally.
Ingredients that are rich in vitamin A include sweet potatoes, carrots, and leafy green veggies.
Vitamin C
This antioxidant plays a big role in supporting healthy heart function. It does a great job of scavenging for harmful free radicals.
Also, it reduces cognitive aging and inflammation. The most popular sources of this antioxidant are broccoli, kale, and berries.
Vitamin E
This is another important antioxidant that your pal needs. It helps to fight free radicals and with the formation of red blood cells.
It also supports the overall immune system.
Taurine
This is a water-soluble amino acid that is very beneficial to your dog’s heart, kidney, and blood.
It regulates the level of minerals and water in the blood as well as supports neurological development.
L-Carnitine
This is a conditionally essential vitamin-like nutrient that has an essential role in fatty acid metabolism and supporting a healthy heart.
It also plays an important role in weight management.
Final Thoughts
The overall winner of this category is the Iams ProActive Health Adult MiniChunks Dry Dog Food, which is packed with seven essential nutrients that are crucial for a healthy heart.
Unlike most ordinary dog nutrition, this dog food for heart murmur features select natural ingredients along with added minerals and vitamins.
The diet also features a customized mix of carbohydrates and protein to keep your pup energized and healthy, while enriched antioxidants ensure her immune system functions properly.
Additionally, this amazing dog food for heart murmur is high in fiber for a healthy digestive system and omega 6 fatty acids for cell formation and cell membrane structure required to boost the immune system.
