Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How heart failure treatment affects liver and kidney blood flow
By Esin, Çağatay & Güzel, Murat·Published in Open veterinary journal·2025·Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Changes in hepatic and renal Doppler ultrasonography: Current standard therapy in dogs with congestive heart failure.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 15 dogs with congestive heart failure (CHF) were treated with standard medications including pimobendan, enalapril, and furosemide for four weeks. Before treatment, these dogs showed signs of kidney and liver problems, which were confirmed through ultrasound tests. After two weeks of treatment, improvements in kidney and liver blood flow were observed, indicating that the medications helped restore some normal function. By the end of the study, the dogs showed better vascular health in these organs, suggesting that CHF treatment can positively impact overall organ function.
People also search for: dog congestive heart failure treatment · kidney problems in dogs with heart disease · liver health in dogs with CHF
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In congestive heart failure (CHF), the heart cannot deliver sufficient blood for the metabolic needs of the tissues, leading to vascular changes and organ dysfunction (e.g., kidney and liver). AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the current standard therapy on kidney and liver hemodynamic changes in dogs with congestive heart failure. METHODS: Renal and hepatic Doppler ultrasonography was performed in 15 dogs diagnosed with stage C and D heart failure according to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine classification. As a current standard therapy, pimobendan, enalapril, and furosemide were administered to dogs for 4 weeks. Doppler ultrasound findings and serum biochemistry values of the patients were evaluated before and at weeks 1, 2, or 4 of treatment. The control group consisted of 10 healthy dogs. RESULTS: Heart failure was diagnosed in the dogs by an echocardiographic evaluation. The values of hepatic and renal resistive index, renal pulsatility index, and hepatic vein systole-diastole ratio were deteriorated in the dogs with CHF compared with those in the healthy control group (< 0.05). Hemodynamic abnormalities in the kidney and liver started to recover after a 2-week treatment period. CONCLUSION: Doppler ultrasonography findings demonstrated that heart failure worsens the vascular hemodynamics of the kidney and liver in dogs. Congestive heart failure treatment may improve the cardiorenal and cardiohepatic changes due to CHF.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41200353/