Pomeranians are one of the many dog breeds that suffer unnecessarily with common heart diseases, one of which is an enlarged heart. What causes an enlarged heart in Pomeranians is an important first step to better understand the disease and move toward proper prevention and treatment.
So, what causes an enlarged heart in Pomeranians? An enlarged heart, or dilated cardiomyopathy, is largely known to be a hereditary or congenital disease and most susceptible in male dogs. Research has shown certain nutrition deficiencies in taurine and carnitine are correlated with diagnoses in dogs.
While it may seem like your Pomeranian’s enlarged heart is unavoidable, studies have shown that there could be more to it than simply the passing down of bad genes. An enlarged heart is found in many other dog breeds, therefore there’s quite a bit of data and information out there to really find out the answer.
Causes for an Enlarged Heart in Pomeranians
Enlarged heart in Pomeranians, or dilated cardiomyopathy, is a heart disease that targets the heart and results in a lower amount of blood to be pumped through your Pomeranian’s vascular system due to low pressure. With an enlarged heart, the upper and lower chambers of your Pomeranians heart become oversized, which alters the blood flow throughout their heart and body.
The primary causes of an enlarged heart in Pomeranians and other dogs are still up for debate. Other dog breeds, including Doberman Pinscher, Boxer, Scottish Deerhound, Irish Wolfhound, Great Dane, Saint Bernard, Afghan Hound, and Cocker Spaniel, are commonly diagnosed with an enlarged heart, so Pomeranians are certainly not alone.
The number one cause for an enlarged heart in Pomeranians, based on the evidence of the scientific community, is due to genetics and other hereditary factors. Sadly, this means it can be unavoidable for Pomeranians that are diagnosed with an enlarged heart, but it means, at least, you know what to look for when taking care of your Pomeranian.
But hereditary and congenital diseases still have to be caused by something, right? Well, that’s what researchers are trying to figure out and it seems they’ve been moving in the right direction. It seems nutritional deficiencies, as well as infectious diseases, could have something to do with enlarged hearts.
One aspect to note is that male dogs are much more likely to be diagnosed with an enlarged heart as opposed to female dogs. The reasons behind this haven’t been fully hashed out, but it’s certainly something to consider when it comes to your Pomeranian.
Apart from genetic reasons your Pomeranian has an enlarged heart, members of the scientific community have reason to believe that it could be caused by a nutritional imbalance. Among the nutritional culprits potentially leading to an enlarged heart and other heart diseases includes lack of taurine and carnitine.
Taurine is an important essential amino acid inside your Pomeranian because its main purpose is to promote healthy proteins in your Pomeranian’s vision, digestion, pregnancy, immune system, and heart muscle functions. Without good levels of taurine in your Pomeranian, there’s a risk of disrupting these vital health functions, which is why health professionals believe it could be a cause for enlarged hearts and other heart diseases in dogs.
Carnitine is also an important amino acid found in your Pomeranian, but it serves a slightly different purpose than taurine. Without carnitine, your Pomeranians heart and skeletal muscles won’t be able to synthesize the proper amount of nutrients to give them energy and strength. If your Pomeranian has a carnitine deficiency, both their heart and skeletal muscles can take a serious hit.
Along with nutritional deficiencies, your Pomeranian could have an enlarged heart due to an infectious disease that caused an acute inflammation in your Pomeranian’s heart muscle. There are several infectious diseases in dogs that can result in this sort of inflammation, including the Coxsackie B virus, HIV, and Chagas disease. These viruses or bacterias weaken the heart muscle in your Pomeranian causing viral cardiomyopathy resulting in dilated cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart).
Treating Enlarged Heart in Dogs Naturally
When it comes to treating enlarged hearts in Pomeranians and other dogs, there’s really not too many options to choose from. The best thing you can do, apart from ensuring they live a healthy lifestyle through the proper amount of exercise and eating high-quality dog food, is to give them daily supplements that boost their heart health.
By giving your Pomeranian the right supplements that target their heart and improving its overall functional health, you’ll be well on your way to naturally treating your Pomeranian’s enlarged heart. Nowadays there are all kinds of natural, organic ingredients packed in high-quality supplements for dogs with heart disease, which you should definitely consider getting for your Pomeranian.
Some of the ingredients used when treating enlarged heart in dogs naturally include:
- Taurine (L-Taurine)
- Carnitine (L-Carnitine)
- Hawthorn Berry
- Motherwort Herb
- Valerian Root
- Coenzyme Q10
Of course, there are many other natural ingredients that are used in natural remedies for enlarged heart in dogs, but these are arguably the most important ones you can find. Even if you give your Pomeranian a supplement that doesn’t contain 100% all-natural ingredients, at the very least make sure it includes some of the ingredients listed above.
The very same supplements used heart murmur in dogs are exactly what you should be using with your Pomeranian since they’re main aim is to improve blood circulation and overall heart health in your Pomeranian. If you’re concerned about ensuring your Pomeranian’s heart is in the best condition possible, take a look at the best supplements for dogs with heart disease.
Can My Dog Die from an Enlarged Heart?
You might be wondering if an enlarged heart in dogs is something that can lead to a fatal outcome. Well, it certainly can in the long run, but if you start by preventing it from the get-go, you’re Pomeranian is likely going to live a long and happy life without suffering from an enlarged heart.
An enlarged heart in dogs can lead to congestive heart failure if not properly treated. Congestive heart failure is exactly how it sounds: your Pomeranian’s heart stops working. When a dog is diagnosed with congestive heart failure, it’s often the cause of a previous, untreated or unprevented heart disease that got out of hand.
While 80% of dogs diagnosed with congestive heart failure were previously diagnosed with mitral valve disease (or endocardiosis), the other 20% is partly made up of dogs that already had dilated cardiomyopathy (or enlarged heart). With these odds, it’s best to simply keep your Pomeranian’s heart in good health through proper exercise, diet, and natural supplements.
The most important thing you can do to ensure your dog doesn’t die from an enlarged heart is to take them to the vet on a regular basis. If you take your Pomeranian to the vet every 6 months, you’ll have the opportunity to get them fully checked by veterinary professionals while being able to provide your vet with information about how your Pomeranian’s behaving; health- and temperament-wise.
Enlarged Heart Symptoms
Being able to pinpoint whether or not your Pomeranian has an enlarged heart is one of the most important actions you can take as a Pom parent. Once you’re able to accurately determine this, you’ll be able to follow up with effective treatments whether through the use of natural remedies or prescription medications from your local vet.
The most common enlarged heart symptoms in dogs include:
- Lethargy, easily tired
- No appetite
- Weight loss
- Rapid breathing
- Excessive coughing
- Potbelly appearance
- Passing out
There’s no doubt that if you see your Pomeranian experiencing several of these symptoms at once, you’ll want to see a veterinarian at once. Enlarged heart symptoms could also be signs of another, more serious heart disease your Pomeranian is experiencing, including a heart murmur, heartworm disease, mitral valve disease, patent ductus arteriosus, or congestive heart failure.
Treating enlarged heart symptoms is quite straightforward and doesn’t require any risk, invasive surgery. It also doesn’t require heavy medications that can also be quite expensive. However, in case these symptoms lead to your Pomeranian being diagnosed with a heart disease other than an enlarged heart, you and your Pomeranian could be in a much different situation when it comes to healthy, happiness, and your pocketbook.
A great starting point to avoid enlarged heart symptoms from ever appearing is by using natural supplements that promote healthy heart function in dogs. By giving your Pomeranian a daily (and ideally tasty) natural supplement, your Pomeranian’s heart will have a better chance at combating heart disease and the painful, uncomfortable symptoms that come along with it.
