Cardiac disease is a leading cause of death in older dogs; welfare-focused management including medication, activity management, and quality of life monitoring significantly extends comfortable life.
Canine cardiac disease management exemplifies welfare-focused veterinary care: treatment decisions should optimise quality of life rather than simply extending survival. Dogs with well-managed cardiac disease can maintain good quality of life for months to years on medication. The breeding-linked cardiac disease in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is a welfare failure built into the breed — high prevalence is not inevitability but a consequence of breeding that can and should be changed through breeding protocols.