According
to holistic veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker, heart disease in companion animals is too often a silent killer. By the time your dog or cat shows the classic signs of heart disease
like lethargy, wheezing, croupy coughing (a liquid-sounding cough, as
though there’s fluid in the lungs) or exercise intolerance, it’s very
often too late to save your beloved pet. To make matters worse, an enlarged heart can’t be detected with a
stethoscope. Significant heart disease can be present and undiagnosed by
your veterinarian long before your pet shows clinical symptoms of
illness. That means pet owners too often find themselves in a heartbreaking
situation.
Both dogs and cats are at risk for heart disease, and can
develop either Heart Muscle or Valvular disease. Cardiomyopathy is the scientific term for an enlarged heart muscle.
Some breeds of dogs are predisposed to the condition, but it also can be
caused by a lack of certain amino
acids.
Poor valve health can also lead to heart disease as a leaky valve makes
your pet’s heart work harder, and the harder it works, the bigger it
gets. Heart murmurs typically accompany valve
problems. Leaky valves or heart murmurs are seen in
some predisposed
breeds or metabolic conditions, as well as in aging pets.
Diagnosing Heart Disease in Your Pet
If your veterinarian suspects a heart problem, expensive diagnostic tests
(such as x-rays, EKG, cardiac ultrasound) are needed to confirm the presence of disease.
No one wants to have heart disease sneaks up silently, but the expense of
such tests keeps pet owners from taking a more proactive stance. Now,
though, there is better news due to the early detection proBNP Blood Test
which is able to show those animals at greatest risk for heart disease and
heart failure.
BNP = B-type Natriuretic Peptide. The proBNP is a blood test that measures how much peptide hormone,
released by the heart, is in circulation in your pet’s body. This
hormone is only released when the heart is pushed beyond its capacity.
Very early in the disease process, small amounts of the hormone will
be released into your pet's bloodstream, and it’s presence is a
signal that steps must be taken in order to preserve his/her heart
health. If heart pathology continues to progress, the blood value of the
peptide hormone will continue to rise.
Proactively Protect Your Pet’s Heart Health
Ask your veterinarian for the
proBNP blood test if you’re concerned about your pet’s heart
for any reason.
The proBNP blood test can give you
peace of mind that your pet has no early signs of heart disease. It can also help you and your
veterinarian differentiate between, for example, a respiratory condition
and an underlying heart condition.
The proBNP is a simple blood test with
a fast turn-around time that can provide the information you need to
proactively manage your dog’s or cat’s heart health. You can have the
test repeated as often as necessary to chart your progress in meeting
your pet’s cardiovascular health needs throughout his/her life.
Make sure you’re meeting your
pet’s CoQ10 requirement . CoQ10 is a naturally occurring
coenzyme that young dogs and cats have in plentiful supply. But as s/he
ages, your pet’s ability to produce CoQ10 decreases.
Dr. Becker recommends you supplement your pet’s
amino-acid-rich diet with Coenzyme Q10, especially if you have an animal
that is predisposed to cardiovascular disease. Supplying your pet with
extra CoQ10 can insure s/he has the quantity his/her body needs to maintain a
healthy heart muscle. CoQ10 supplements come in two forms:
Ubiquinone and Ubiquinol. Ubiquinol is a reduced form of CoQ10 and is the
recommended choice.
What is Ubiquinol? Produced naturally within the body, ubiquinol is CoQ10 that's been
converted into a substance necessary for use in cellular energy
production.
The body’s ability to produce CoQ10 declines with age, as does the ability to
convert it into ubiquinol. Ubiquinol levels have been shown to be suppressed in
older individuals and those with cardiovascular, neurological, liver, and
diabetes-related conditions.
KanekaQH™ is ubiquinol, the reduced, active antioxidant form of Coenzyme
Q10. Introduced in 2006, it is the first supplemental form of
bio-identical ubiquinol ever developed and is manufactured exclusively
by Kaneka Corp. It is derived from KanekaQ10™, the world’s most
recognized and researched CoQ10. KanekaQH™ is more absorbable than
CoQ10, which means that optimal levels of CoQ10 can be restored quickly
and efficiently.
Why
we Like this Formulation There are several products on the market that utilize Kaneka-QH's
formulation for the reduced type of CoQ10. However, they all have
various *Other Ingredients* added. It is mind boggling to see the
long list of items added on, that really the diminish the quality of
the overall product. Some Ubiquinol products contain soy, titanium
oxide, caramel color, zinc oxide, soy lecithin, soybeans, diglycerol
monooleate (soy), and more.
When we researched, we found the additional ingredient formulation in
Mercola's product to be the most acceptable. It's additional
ingredients are gelatin (capsule, from fish),
medium chain
triglycerides, and extra virgin olive oil.
The addition of
MCT Oil (medium chain triglycerides) to this product naturally
improves its solubility, which further enhances intestinal
absorption and thereby provides superior overall biological value.
Mercola's new *caplique* technology is also impressive, providing
increased purity and absorption. Rather than softgels, these
innovative capliques are sealed with an airtight band, the 2-piece
capsules provide outstanding benefits over traditional gel
technology. They contain no plasticizer chemicals, improve
bioavailability by promoting absorption, and protect oil contents
from heat & moisture. The airtight band protects the contents
against oxidative damage, and the translucent technology allows you
to actually see your product's purity. And, best of all the caplique
technology reduces the need for inactive, potentially allergenic
ingredients.
Contains
no sugar, salt, starch, yeast, wheat, gluten, corn, soy, milk, egg,
shellfish, polysorbates, preservatives or titanium dioxide Addition
of medium chain triglycerides naturally improves its solubility,
further enhancing intestinal absorption to provide superior overall
biological value Addition
of minute amount of citrus extract to naturally stabilize product 100% all-natural
non-synthetic formula Caplique
technology provides purity and increased absorption Manufacturer
follows strict Pharmaceutical GMP standards in its manufacturing
processes Completed FDA
notification of ubiquinol product as a New Dietary Ingredient (NDI)
You Deserve Only the Best… You Have
Dr. Karen Becker's Promise
Karen Becker DVM NMD, one of Chicago's Top Ten Vets, according to
Chicago Magazine, graduated from the Iowa State School of Veterinary
Medicine in 1997, opened the Natural Pet Animal Hospital in 1999, and
became a licensed Naturopathic Medical Doctor in 2003.
She is a member
of the following organizations: American Veterinary Medical Association,
American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Association of
Avian Veterinarians, Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians,
Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, International Veterinary
Acupuncture Society, American Association of Veterinary Acupuncturists,
Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy and National Wildlife Rehabilitators
Association. She is a frequent lecturer on wildlife rehabilitation and
holistic pet care.
According
to holistic veterinarian, Dr. Karen Becker, heart disease in companion animals is too often a silent killer. By the time your dog or cat shows the classic signs of heart disease
like lethargy, wheezing, croupy coughing (a liquid-sounding cough, as
though there’s fluid in the lungs) or exercise intolerance, it’s very
often too late to save your beloved pet. To make matters worse, an enlarged heart can’t be detected with a
stethoscope. Significant heart disease can be present and undiagnosed by
your veterinarian long before your pet shows clinical symptoms of
illness. That means pet owners too often find themselves in a heartbreaking
situation.
Diagnosing Heart Disease in Your Pet
KanekaQH™ is ubiquinol, the reduced, active antioxidant form of Coenzyme
Q10. Introduced in 2006, it is the first supplemental form of
bio-identical ubiquinol ever developed and is manufactured exclusively
by Kaneka Corp. It is derived from KanekaQ10™, the world’s most
recognized and researched CoQ10. KanekaQH™ is more absorbable than
CoQ10, which means that optimal levels of CoQ10 can be restored quickly
and efficiently.
