Does the term “congestive heart failure” frighten you? Well, if you are a loving pet parent (of course you are), it should because it can be fatal to your pooch.
Congestive heart failure is a term used with reference to dogs that have cardiovascular system problems characterized by blood taking abnormally long in the lungs, resulting in breathing difficulties.
If you notice your dog is having breathing difficulties or coughing more often, you better have it checked by a vet immediately.
To address the problem, your vet is likely to recommend exercise, the right diet plan, and a healthy lifestyle for your dog.
As you can see, the food that a dog with congestive heart failure eats is central in reducing the severity of the problem. So, how do you select the best?
To help you identify the perfect food option, we went and picked the best dog food for congestive heart failure, and reviewed them.
Keep reading to learn more about the problem and choose the perfect dog food for this condition.
Table of Contents
The Best Dog Food for Congestive Heart Failure Are …
| Product | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hill’s Prescription Diet H/D Heart Care |  Top Pick |
| Check Current Price |
| 2. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Early Cardiac Dry Dog Food |  |
| Check Current Price |
| 3. Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Salmon & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Dog Food |  |
| Check Current Price |
| 4. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets NF Kidney Function Formula |  |
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| 5. Wellness Complete Health Adult Lamb & Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food |  |
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| 6. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food |  |
| Check Current Price |
1. Hill’s Prescription Diet H/D Heart Care — Best Dog Food for Heart Disease
This Hill’s Prescription Diet is a dry food pooch formula for heart disorders like congenital heart failure (CHF).
The food is prepared with ingredients that help to promote good health of a dog’s cardiovascular system, and because of that, it wins the first slot on our list.
When this food is recommended by your vet, it does not just help promote your dog’s health but will take care of all their dietary needs.
Dogs with congestive heart failure tend to retain more fluid in their lungs, reducing the efficiency of oxygen absorption and availability in the body.
To help with the problem, this food is low in chlorine and sodium, which helps to lower the fluids in the pooch’s body.
In addition, the meal’s balanced sodium level is crucial in maintaining healthy blood pressure.
The food is also rich in proteins from sources such as whole-grain corn, soy protein isolate, and chicken by-product, which provide the amino acids that your dog needs for healthy cell development.
Furthermore, it is rich in essential vitamins and minerals that your dog needs for a strong immune system.
Specs
- Proteins: 14.5% (minimum)
- Crude fat: 16.5% (minimum)
- Fiber: 2.5% (maximum)
- Sodium: 0.12% (maximum)
Pros
- Formulated with the goal of promoting good cardiovascular health of your pooch
- Promotes good health of the dog’s kidneys
- Strengthens the immune system with antioxidants
- Contains high taurine and l-carnitine that promote strong eyesight and brain cells development
Cons
- Expensive
- Requires prescription
2. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Early Cardiac Dry Dog Food — Runner Up
For years, Royal Canine has cut a name for its special commitment to formulating high-quality diets that target helping pets with specific conditions.
In the case of Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Early Cardiac Food, the focus was on dogs with early or mild congestive heart failure.
The food is prepared with highly-digestible ingredients that supply all the nutrients that your dog needs for a good cardiovascular system. Well, the flavor is also great!
Royal Canin used a combination of ingredients that work best when the heart disease is in the early stages or as a preventative option.
Particularly, the food contains plenty of Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acids and vitamin B that help to promote the healthy function of the cardiovascular system.
To further optimize your pooch’s cardiac health, the food is rich in taurine, carnitine, and arginine.
Also, the level of sodium in the food is very low to help reduce your dog heart’s workload. Notably, these nutrients also help to promote healthy eyesight and brain cell development.
Specs
- Proteins: 22% ( minimum)
- Fat: 14% (minimum)
- Fiber: 5.3% (maximum)
- Sodium: 0.33% (maximum)
Pros
- Formulated to help prevent congestive heart failure in the early stages
- Contains long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids for heart health
- Good for healthy brain development and strong eyesight
- Has a perfect balance of proteins, vitamins, and minerals for whole-body health
- High fiber content for healthy digestive system
Cons
- Expensive
- Some dogs refuse to eat this food
3. Natural Balance L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Salmon & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Dog Food
Coming next is this L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets Salmon & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Dog Food, a premium meal with ingredients that are very helpful to dogs with congestive heart failure.
The food is formulated by experts in animal nutrition, pet feeding analysts, and research scientists who combined their years of experience, making it one of the best foods not just for doggies with heart problems but also for whole-body health.
The food contains real salmon as the primary ingredient and sweet potatoes, which are pretty easy-to-digest carbs compared to grains.
The two ingredients are also rich in omega fatty acids that are very helpful for pooches with heart problems.
To reduce the danger of the dog’s congestive heart condition escalating, the food is prepared with no artificial flavors or colors.
Furthermore, it is enriched with Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), crude fibers, and contains low quantities of sodium, phosphorus, and chlorine.
Specs
- Proteins: 21% (minimum)
- Fat: 10% (minimum,)
- Fiber: 4.5% (maximum)
- Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA): 0.5% (minimum)
Pros
- Formulated by expert nutritionists and pet researchers
- Prepared with fish meat as the first ingredient
- Rich in omega fatty acids
- Free from wheat, soy or peas
- Crafted to help promote healthy heart development and whole-body health
Cons
- May result in smelly poop
4. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets NF Kidney Function Formula
Purina is another top-rated food brand, which has cut a name for formulating diets for specific pet problems.
In this case, the Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets NF Kidney Function Formula is formulated to help support kidney function, but the ingredients are excellent for congestive heart failure. The flavor is also loved by dogs.
The food is formulated with low phosphorus, sodium, and protein content, which help to reduce water retention in the cardiac and respiratory system.
Furthermore, it also contains L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, folic acid, and riboflavin that helps with the healthy development of the heart, brain, and kidney cells.
We also liked the food because it is rich in dietary fibers, which helps to promote a healthy digestive system.
The food optimizes nutrients uptake, meaning that your dog will benefit more from the food it takes and minimize the gastrointestinal-related issues.
Specs
- Proteins: 12% (minimum)
- Fat: 13% (minimum)
- Fiber: 2% (maximum)
- Sodium: 0.4% (maximum)
- Phosphorous: 0.4% (maximum)
Pros
- Formulated with high-quality ingredients to help your dog with CHF
- Great option for good renal health of your pet
- Contains low-protein content that helps to reduce kidney workload
- Good for promoting healthy digestion in dogs
- Easy to digest and good for adult and sickly dogs
Cons
- Very expensive
- Requires prescription
5. Wellness Complete Health Adult Lamb & Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food
One of the recommended ways of helping your pooch minimize the risk of congestive heart failure is giving it high-quality meals that are free from artificial additives, and this Complete Health Adult Lamb & Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food fits the description.
Wellness Complete formulated this food with the goal of making your dog feel natural and optimize its systems for whole-body health. And you know what? The flavor is also irresistible to dogs.
To help your dog’s cardiovascular system, it is loaded with taurine, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
It is also enriched with glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, and fibers that help to reduce the severity of congestive heart failure.
This food is also a popular recommendation by vets because it promotes healthy skin and strong eyesight.
Specs
- Proteins: 24% (minimum)
- Fat: 12% (minimum)
- Fiber: 4% (maximum)
- Omega-6 fatty acids: 2.5% (minimum)
Pros
- Prepared with taurine and omega fatty acids that help to promote a healthy heart
- Rich in essential vitamins and minerals that help to promote whole-body health
- Contains high-quality proteins that promote healthy cells and lean cells development
- No wheat, soy, or corn
Cons
- Expensive
- Some picky eaters refuse this food
6. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
The last food to make our list is the Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, a high-protein meal prepared in the spirit of a wild wolf.
Many pet dieticians recommend this food for dogs at risk or at the early stages of CHF. The food is also easy to digest and a great option for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
The food is prepared with high-protein ingredients, such as deboned salmon and chicken meal, that promote the healthy development of body cells, including those of the respiratory and cardiac systems.
Even if your dogs are picky like ours, the salmon flavor is fantastic, and they will fancy the meal.
The minerals used to enrich the food, especially calcium and sodium, are carefully balanced to help reduce water retention.
This mineral balance is also awesome in promoting strong bones and reducing urinary infections.
Specs
- Proteins: 34% (minimum)
- Fat: 15% (minimum)
- Fiber: 6% (max)
- Moisture: 10% (maximum)
- Omega-6 fatty acids: 2.5% (minimum)
Pros
- Prepared with delicious real fish meat that most dogs crave for
- Free from artificial flavors and preservatives that can worsen the problem of CHF in your dog
- Contains low quantities of sodium and phosphorus to reduce retention
- Enriched with omega-3 and omega-6 that promote strong circulatory and immune system
- Loaded with fibers probiotics for a strong digestive system
Cons
- Not recommended for large dog breeds
Buying Guide
Congestive heart failure is dangerous, and can easily rob you of your otherwise happy dog, including the risk of death.
This is why getting the best food, such as the six options we have reviewed above, is crucial. So, here is a guide to selecting the best dog food for congestive heart failure.
What Is Congestive Heart Failure?
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is associated with a dog heart’s inability to pump blood throughout the body properly. The implications include blood staying in the lungs for longer, and fluids accumulating, which further cause obstruction in both the lungs and heart.
CHF can be broken into two types:
- The right-sided CHF that results in insufficient venous return to the dog’s heart
- The left-sided CHF where the heart of the dog pumps blood directly into the systemic circulation as opposed to the left ventricle
Symptoms Congestive Heart Failure
The common symptom of CHF is coughing, but this could also be a sign of respiratory problems. So, it is important to check for additional symptoms, including:
- Difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Reduced stamina
- Loss of appetite
- Bluish gums
- Swollen belly
- Weight loss
How To Select The Best Doggie Food For Congestive Failure
When selecting the food for your dog with or at risk of congestive heart failure, it is important to start by comprehending the severity of the condition, which further determines the nutritional needs for your pooch.
Here are other things to look for in high-quality pooch food:
- Go for low sodium and chlorine levels that help to reduce retention
- Check for food with high levels of Taurine and L-carnitine, which help to protect the heart and keep it healthy
- Look for the meals rich in antioxidants and B-vitamins that help to remove free radicals to optimize the health of your dog’s heart and immune system
Final Thoughts
The food you select for your dog should help them stay healthy and happy. Our post on the best dog food for congestive heart failure has provided you with a simple and reliable way to ensure your dog gets the right nutrients to overcome or mitigate the disease.
The foods are carefully formulated with ingredients that reduce fluid retention and promote a healthy circulatory system to lower the risk or severity of CHF. The food will also come in handy in promoting whole-body health.
Although the dog food for congestive heart failure we discussed here are the best (excellent), the Hill’s Prescription Diet H/D is the our best weapon for battling this disease.
