In recent times, there has been a surge in conversations and concerns regarding heart disease in pets. I’m Dr. Candy Akers and my primary objective is to dispel myths and provide factual, actionable information to ensure the optimal health and well-being of your beloved companions.
Heart disease in pets, whether genetic or acquired, is a pressing issue that demands attention. However, it’s essential to focus on comprehensive pet health rather than getting entangled in the origins of the disease. The heart, a pivotal organ, plays a crucial role in the overall health of pets. A minor disease or a slight decrease in its function can have a ripple effect, impacting various aspects of a pet’s health.
One often overlooked aspect is the intricate connection between the heart and other health areas. For instance, even subtle changes in the strength of a pet’s blood vessels can exacerbate arthritis and joint pain. A decrease in circulation, on the other hand, can lead to reduced blood flow and oxygen to the brain, especially in older pets. This reduction often manifests as cloudy eyes, dullness, or confusion, symptoms that are easily mistaken for dementia.
As a dedicated professional, my mission is to enhance the awareness and understanding of these interconnected health issues. By focusing on preventative measures and timely interventions, we can mitigate the impacts of heart disease and associated health problems, ensuring our pets lead vibrant, healthy lives.
While the buzz around pet heart disease is rife with speculations and hearsay, my commitment is anchored in offering evidence-based insights and solutions. By fostering a deeper understanding of the multifaceted impacts of heart health, together, we can pave the way for enhanced quality of life for our pets, marked by vitality and wellness.
The following information is a summary and review based on Dr. Candy’s professional experience and recommendations. Any summary or statement has not been provided nor influenced by the manufacturer.
Conventional Cardiology Drugs vs. Natural Healing Supplements
As the specialty of veterinary cardiology has expanded, I see more and more pets put on toxic medications that are frequently hundreds of dollars a month and have terrible side effects. I also see the repetition of pets monitored with heart murmurs not severe enough to need heart medications, but rather the doctor says to come back and wait until the condition is worse enough to warrant medications. What?!? We see a similar pattern with kidney disease.
How about healing your pet’s body to prevent the need for drugs that only treat symptoms? My approach to cardiovascular disease is to support your pet’s heart and body to heal and remain as strong as possible. I have seen that a lot of today’s chronic diseases have a component of nutrient deficiency. Our food supply (and thus our pet’s food supply) comes from soil that is depleted of vitamins and minerals. Then, the food is over-processed, and synthetic, processed vitamins are added. For a look into the difference between natural and synthetic vitamins check this out.
But our loyal pet’s bodies compensate as much as possible. And lucky for us, the cardiovascular system has an incredible ability to respond to nutrition. In fact, the cardiovascular system responds within a few minutes. Veterinarians can measure heart values and an EKG, and then give a pet some of these supplements, wait 20 minutes, and repeat the measurements and EKG. The improvement can be seen immediately, that is how responsive the cardiovascular system is. I’ve seen it first hand in my patients, my pets, and even my own Mom.
Feeding The Heart with Real Food
I started using Standard Process Cardiac Support when a friend was in a very dark place. Her senior Pomeranian was nearing the end of a year-long battle with congestive heart failure. He was panting and coughing continuously, all day and all night. There was nothing more that the cardiologist could do. To try to get him some time through a weekend, I instructed her to give her little dog 1/8th of a teaspoon of Standard Process Cardiac Support dissolved in a little water every 2 hours.
I thought maybe that would give my friend one more day to say goodbye but when I went back to check on him 2 days later, I couldn’t believe it – he only coughed once that whole visit! The fluid crackles in his lungs were gone, his abdomen was less distended, his heart rate had relaxed and he had enough energy to do this “happy Pomeranian” spin. We continued the supplement, got him eating again, and continued to strengthen his cardiovascular system. That was over 2 years ago and he is still running around and playing today.
The magic lies in the incredible, system-specific nutritional support that this product provides. Remember, cardiovascular health is not only about the heart, it is also about vessels. Nowadays, I recommend this supplement for all of my patients that have cardiovascular health issues. I’ve seen it improve the quality of life of dogs and cats. Pets that are young and pets that are old. Pets that are huge and pets that are tiny.
Let’s go over some common signs that your cat may benefit from Standard Process Feline Cardiac Support, some commonly suggested uses, and how the whole food ingredients provide support for your pet.
Common Signs That Your Cat May Benefit from Feline Cardiac Support
- Weakness or Lack of Energy: A noticeable decrease in activity levels or lethargy, indicating reduced heart efficiency.
- Panting: Unusual or excessive panting, especially in a typically non-panting cat, can signal heart issues.
- Blue-ish or Purple Gums or Tongue: A clear indication of oxygen deprivation caused by poor circulation.
- Open-Mouth Breathing: Difficulty in breathing leading to open-mouth inhalation, often a sign of respiratory distress linked to heart problems.
- Seizure-Like Activity: Uncontrolled movements or spasms, potentially due to decreased oxygen to the brain.
- Falling: Sudden loss of balance or coordination, often resulting from weakened bodily functions due to heart issues.
- Rapid, Pounding Heart: An abnormally fast or strong heartbeat, a direct symptom of cardiac distress.
- Increased Respiratory Effort: Labored breathing or increased effort to breathe, indicating potential heart or lung issues.
- Posture with Neck Extended or Elbows Out: An attempt to ease the breathing process, often a sign of respiratory distress connected to heart problems.
- Coughing and/or Gagging: Respiratory issues often associated with fluid accumulation due to heart failure.
- Passing Out or Collapsing: Sudden loss of consciousness, often resulting from decreased blood flow to the brain.
- Cold Extremities: A sign of poor circulation often linked to heart issues, leading to cold paws, ears, or tail.
- Weight Loss: Unexplained reduction in weight, potentially due to the body’s struggle to maintain normal functions amidst heart issues.
- Distended or Bloated Abdomen: Often a result of fluid accumulation, a common symptom of heart failure.
Each of these signs is a potential indicator of underlying cardiac issues. If your cat exhibits any of these symptoms, seeking immediate professional veterinary care is paramount to diagnose and manage the condition effectively, ensuring your pet’s optimal health and well-being.
Standard Process Feline Cardiac Support Suggested Uses:
- Heart Enlargement
- Murmurs
- Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
- Thyroid disorders
- Arrhythmias
- Syncope
- Heartworm infection and treatment
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- High blood pressure
- Dementia
- Poor circulation
- Seizures
- Senior pets
- Tachycardia
- Atrial fibrillation
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Ingredients: L-carnitine, bovine liver, bovine heart PMG™ extract, rice (bran), bovine kidney, bovine orchic extract, organic beet (root), defatted wheat (germ), bovine spleen, ovine spleen, selenium yeast, ribonucleic acid, wheat (germ) oil, bovine pancreas Cytosol™ extract, veal bone PMG™ extract, organic dried buckwheat (aerial parts) juice, organic buckwheat (seed), organic dried alfalfa (aerial parts) juice, calcium lactate, hawthorn (berry), carrot (root), organic shiitake mushroom powder, organic reishi mushroom powder, nutritional yeast, organic dried pea (vine) juice, Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides), oat flour, para-aminobenzoate, chlorophyll extract, inositol, choline bitartrate, porcine brain, and ascorbic acid.
Individual Ingredient Benefits of Standard Process Cardiac Support
| L-carnatine | An amino acid required for proteins of the cardiovascular system, improves energy, and assists in maintaining a healthy weight. |
| Bovine Liver | Boosts the liver to help detox, blood pressure regulation, blood cell cycling and contains vast amounts of minerals such as iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. Supplies lots of anti-inflammatory antioxidants and provides B-vitamins which are critical to heart health. |
| Bovine Heart PMG™ Extract | Supports the repair of myocytes (heart muscle cells). Improves oxygenation of the cardiovascular tissues, helps maintain a normal blood pressure. Provides electrolytes to help electrical communication of the heartbeat. |
| Rice Bran | Supplies the whole vitamin B complex which is necessary for blood vessel tone and cellular energy production. Contains healthy fats which assist with fluid balance and a stable blood pressure. Contains critical cardiovascular antioxidants like vitamin E. |
| Bovine Kidney | Source of valuable and easy-to-digest protein. Supports normal blood pressure and electrolyte balance. Supports detoxification and immune system strength. |
| Bovine and Ovine Spleen | Provides cellular materials to create and maintain red blood cells and white blood cells. Supports circulation, oxygen saturation and boosts the immune system. |
| Bovine Orchic Extract | Improves the absorption and distribution of nutrients throughout your pets’ body. Supplies magnesium, which is critical to heart muscle relaxation, which is an equally important heart action that allows the heart chambers to fill with blood between contraction beats. |
| Beet Root | Naturally relaxes blood vessels to improve tissue perfusion, contributes antioxidants, vitamin A and vitamin B complex. |
| Defatted Wheat Germ | Packed with nutrition, the fat portion is removed to maintain supplement freshness. Contains many antioxidants, supplies anti-inflammatory vitamin E, balances blood sugar, supplies magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and selenium. Protects health of heart muscles and stabilizes blood pressure. Provides full vitamin B complex. |
| Buckwheat Leaf Juice and Seed | A source for an extremely wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals including manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, iron, selenium and vitamin B-complex. Also contains vitamin C-complex including rutin, which strengthens arteries, veins and capillaries. |
| High Selenium Yeast | Rich source of selenium which is extremely depleted in American soils and is a common deficiency among people and pets. Deficiency of selenium causes white muscle disease which damages the heart. |
| Ribonucleic Acid | Supports tissue repair and regeneration. Provides general circulatory support and directly improves microcirculation. |
| Wheat Germ Oil | Tons of antioxidants, vitamin E sources, protects healthy tissue near damaged tissue and helps to repair damaged tissues. |
| Bovine Pancreas Cytosol Extract | Repairs the pancreas, prevents inflammation and supports complete digestion and absorption of vital proteins. |
| Veal Bone PMG™ | Provides much needed calcium to repair cells, transfer electrical messages through heart tissue and for heart muscle fibers to contract as strongly and efficiently as possible. |
| Alfalfa Juice | Supports circulation, prevents blood and protein loss from the blood vessels. Provides highly concentrated antioxidants and whole complex vitamin C. |
| Mushroom | Extremely valuable to reduce inflammation and promote strong circulation. Repairs the endothelial lining of blood vessels. Provides highly concentrated antioxidants and whole complex vitamin C. |
| Calcium Lactate | A bio-available form of calcium which is needed for strong contractions of heart muscles. Also helps repair and rebuild damaged tissue and boosts the immune system to clear damaged cells and any secondary infections. |
| Crataegus oxyacantha | Long history as remedy for heart problems in ancient Greece and Asia with documented therapies in the 1400s. Proven to improve peripheral circulation and to improve symptoms of congestive heart failure. Extremely dense in antioxidants which help to reduce inflammation within blood vessels. Improves blood flow to brain and is effective at treating arrhythmias. |
| Nutritional Yeast | Packed with B-vitamin complex to support energy production. Source of valuable minerals such as chromium, zinc, manganese, and magnesium. Helps regulate and better control blood pressure. |
| Carrot | Provides vitamin A in natural form which has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack in human medicine. Contains lots of antioxidants. |
| Pea Vine Juice | One of the strongest concentrations of vitamin E on the planet. Helps reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks in people. Is naturally anti-inflammatory, especially in the nerves, blood vessels and heart. |
| Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish Moss) | Natural source of B-vitamins and important minerals. Supplies chlorophyll which speeds up tissue healing and contributes heaps of antioxidants. |
| Para-amino benzoate | Helps heal arteries and heart muscle fibers without scar tissue. Also supports the stability of gut bacteria. |
| Chlorophyll Extract | Promotes tissue health and regeneration. Stimulates detoxification and is a great source of antioxidants. |
| Inositol | Evidence shows that it balances neurotransmitters that contribute to mood, improves glucose movement, lowers blood fat levels, and decreases blood pressure. |
| Choline bitartrate | Improves the use and metabolism of body fat which can support heart, liver and nervous system health. |
| Oat flour | Contains soluble fiber which can reduce cholesterol, normalize appetite and promote a stable blood sugar. Also provides natural vitamin A. |
| Porcine brain | Provides naturally formed healthy fats that are required for cellular repair and regeneration. Helpful in many body systems including the nervous system. |
| Ascorbic Acid | Vitamin C helps Vitamin E work more effectively at protecting arteries, and helps reduce blood pressure. |
Feline Cardiac Support Complementary Supplements:
Important Mineral Measurements:
- Calcium 1 mg
- Sodium 12 mg
- Selenium 18 mcg
- Zinc 300 mcg
Important Supplement Information:
- These supplements should all be given twice a day.
- Most clients sprinkle it on their pet’s food.
- Because these supplements are made from whole foods, and not chemicals, doses are highly palatable. In fact, it often seems like animals instinctively know what their body needs and gobble it up quickly.
When beginning supplementation, I recommend the following taper-up process. This is only because these ingredients are so nutrient-dense. We can decrease your pet’s adjustment period, which may result in a soft stool. This adjustment phase is generally 1-2 days long and normal consistency of stool will return to normal without treatment.
- Give your cat 1 tablet twice daily OR 1/4 tsp of the equivalent canine powder twice daily or as directed
Supplement Size Variations
| Size | Product ID# |
| 90 tab | A5005 |
Side Effect of Standard Process Feline Cardiac Support
Since these nutritional supplements are made from food, there is little to no risk of side effects. The only side effect I’ve ever seen is diarrhea if the pet gets a gigantic dose. For example, if a pet eats a whole bottle. If I had a dollar for every time one of my pets ate a whole bottle, I’d have a pretty full piggy bank. Since pets love these products so much, we recommend keeping them in a cabinet or someplace that your pet cannot get to.
How do I order Standard Process Supplements?
Ordering Standard Process supplements online is simple and secure. Dr. Candy Akers has an authorized premier practitioner account. You can buy all of your favorite products online, with no exam, consultation or approval required. Check out the store below and be sure to bookmark the page so you can come back anytime!
Have More Questions about Standard Process Supplements?
Click here to check out our commonly asked questions about Standard Process Supplements and how to administer them to your pet.
A Note From the Manufacturer:
“All breeds and ages are prone to heart disease. The heart is the number one organ that responds greatly to nutrition. Therefore, it makes sense to always support the heart nutritionally when dealing with any heart condition. Standard Process Cardiac Support contains a synergistic grouping of whole food nutrients, tissue extracts, concentrates and botanical ingredients. Broad support for the heart requires recognition of the array of tissues that contribute to optimal cardiac function. These tissues include the cardiac muscle, cardiac excitatory and conductive cells, endothelium, and nerve cells. Nutritional support should provide nutrients and other substrates that contribute to optimizing the function of each of these tissues.
Standard Process Cardiac Support should be given to all patients with cardiac abnormalities ranging from valvular insufficiency to arrhythmias. Application of this product to this range of condition is appropriate due to its combination of ingredients that provide important factors for the variety of involved tissues. Cardiac function is not stimulated or suppressed. Rather, the goal is to optimize cellular function. This allows for appropriate, sustained cardiac response to varying conditions.
The heart is an amazing muscle, vital to the life of your pet. Providing nutritional support to the cardiovascular system includes other organs that support the heart such as the liver, kidneys, and digestive system. Canine Cardiac Support and Feline Cardiac Support provide nutrients that support optimal cardiac function, as well as natural muscle cell healing and regeneration.
The ingredients in Standard Process Canine Cardiac Support and Feline Cardiac Support feed several important organs such as the heart, vasculature, autonomic nervous system, liver and kidneys. Ingredients in Canine and Feline Cardiac Support contain whole vitamin complexes in addition to other important phytonutrients and synergists.”
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