DOLORES ANIMAL HOSPITAL 970-882-7100
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      • Administering pills, capsules and liquids to cats - links to videos
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        • fears and phobias
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  • Fun things we do in the community
    • 3rd through 5th graders at Dolores Animal Hospital perform teddybear surgery
    • Career day at Dolores Elementary School 2015
    • Dolores River Festival
    • Spaying and neutering on the Navahoe nation deep into Arizona
    • 9 Pet check 2014
    • newspaper articles
  • Deals and Specials and Links
    • Referral Rewards Program
    • Deals and Specials and Links
  • What our clients are saying about us,
  • patient and client pics

Picture
Chronic valve Disease
Valve disease is the most common heart disease of dogs.  It leads to congestive heart failure and is a major case of death in many pets.  It can be managed with rest, low-sodium diets, diuretics, aceinhibitors, calcium channels blockers and other  medications to improve cardiac function. 
The valves don't close properly and blood is ejected bac through the valve instead of going to the lungs or body.  The heart enlarges in an attempt to compensate for the overload of bloof in the chambers of the heart.  These changes take months or years to  develop.  Pets with chronic valvula disease often hace congestive heart failure with fluid accumulation in the lungs, abomen or both.   
The cause of chronic valve disease is unknown.
Diagnosis: 
   The staff or Doctors at Dolores Pet Hospital may detect a heart murmur  with a stethescope in your pet years before congestive heart failure develops.  The mumur is caused by regurgitation of blood through defective valves. Abnormal pulses can be felt with finger tips.  x-rays of the chest and abdomen are often taken to detect heart enlargement and fluid build up.  EKG's can assess arythmias.  Ultrasound (ecchocardiograms) can further identify specific heart diseases and progression.   Blood tests, including tests for heartworms, and urinalyses are commonly performed to assess the effects of heart failure in other organs.  A specific test for heart disease can detect heart disease before your pet becomes sick and treatment can extend the length and quality of your pets life.
Treatment:  Treatment for chronic valve disease is not curative, but can relieve the clinical signs of congestive heart failure in most patients.  Some treatments can extend the quality and quantity of life.  The overload of vlood that the heaet must pump can be 

  • Home page
  • Our Services
    • Surgical Services
    • Internal Medicine
    • Vaccinations
    • Dental services >
      • Dental Procedures
      • Dental handouts
    • Diarrhea
    • Puppy and Kitten wellness care
    • Senior Pets
    • In-House Laboratory
    • Diagnostic imaging
    • Emergency Care
  • Our Team
    • Our Staff
    • Our Doctors
  • Tour our facility
  • Contact us
  • Library on topics and handouts
    • First Aide
    • Cancer Therapy >
      • Referral
    • Info for dogs >
      • Allergy- itch relief
      • Bandaging
      • surgery discharge instructions
      • y 2 spay
      • Behavior problems >
        • Breeds and their diseases >
          • cat breeds
        • Aggression
        • Sibling Rivalry
      • diabetes
      • heart disease- heart valves
      • nutrition
      • Thyroid disease
      • Behavior >
        • training and annoying things your dog does
    • Info for Cats >
      • Administering pills, capsules and liquids to cats - links to videos
      • y2spay and neuter
      • abscesses
      • Diabetes
      • Cancer
      • Bandaging
      • Behavior problems >
        • fears and phobias
        • General principles and techniques
        • Aggression
        • Inappropriate urination
    • medication handouts
    • nutrition
    • Info for pocket pets
    • Info for Iquannas
    • Info for ferrets
    • pregnancy in humans
    • regulations
  • Employment forms
    • employment forms
  • Blog- interesting cases
  • Fun things we do in the community
    • 3rd through 5th graders at Dolores Animal Hospital perform teddybear surgery
    • Career day at Dolores Elementary School 2015
    • Dolores River Festival
    • Spaying and neutering on the Navahoe nation deep into Arizona
    • 9 Pet check 2014
    • newspaper articles
  • Deals and Specials and Links
    • Referral Rewards Program
    • Deals and Specials and Links
  • What our clients are saying about us,
  • patient and client pics