Congestive heart failure (CHF) in dogs, most commonly from mitral valve disease in small breeds, causes significant welfare compromise requiring carefully managed medical and quality-of-life support.
Congestive heart failure causes chronic, progressive welfare compromise. Breathlessness is one of the most distressing symptoms a dog can experience, equivalent to suffocation in severe episodes. Medical management with diuretics and cardiac drugs can provide significant quality-of-life improvement. Regular monitoring enables dose adjustments before symptoms become severe. As disease advances, quality-of-life assessment tools help owners and veterinarians recognise when welfare can no longer be adequately maintained. Early diagnosis using cardiac auscultation screening — especially in predisposed breeds — allows preventive treatment before heart failure develops.