Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Body weight and condition linked to survival in dogs with heart
By Slupe, J L et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2008·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Association of body weight and body condition with survival in dogs with heart failure.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study involving 108 dogs with heart failure found that changes in body weight can affect how long they live. Dogs that gained weight during their treatment had the longest survival times, while those that lost or maintained their weight did not fare as well. Additionally, dogs that received n-3 fatty acids (a type of omega-3 supplement) also showed longer survival. This suggests that keeping an eye on your dog's weight and possibly adding n-3 fatty acids to their diet could be beneficial if they have heart problems.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in people, but overweight and obese human heart failure patients have improved survival compared with normal--or underweight controls--the obesity paradox. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is an association of body weight and body condition with survival in dogs with heart failure. HYPOTHESIS: That body condition and changes in body weight are predictors of survival in dogs with heart failure. ANIMALS: One hundred and eight dogs with heart failure (International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council stages 2, 3a, or 3b) secondary to dilated cardiomyopathy or chronic valvular disease. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed, and data regarding initial body weight and body condition score (BCS), subsequent changes in body weight, and treatment were collected. Survival times were determined for dogs that were discharged from the hospital and lived >24 hours. RESULTS: Survival was significantly different between dogs that gained, lost, or maintained body weight over the course of their disease (P= .04), with dogs that gained weight surviving the longest. BCS and medications were not significantly associated with survival time; however, n-3 fatty acid intake was associated with longer survival time (P= .009). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: These results suggest that changes in body weight might be an important consideration in the survival of dogs with heart failure.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18466257/