Boston West Veterinary Emergency & Specialty
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Boston West Veterinary Emergency & Specialty
  • Our Services
    • Compounding Pharmacy
    • Diagnostic Imaging
    • Emergency Care
    • Surgery
  • For Your Pet
    • Client Registration Form
    • Emergencies + Appointments
    • When Your Pet is a Patient
    • Client Portal
    • Pet Insurance
    • Payment Options
    • End of Life Arrangements
    • Clinical Studies
    • Refill a Compounded Medication
  • For Veterinary Teams
    • Referral Forms and Portal
    • At a Glance
    • Ethos Materials for Clinics
    • Continuing Education
    • VetBloom CE
    • Clinical Studies
    • Compounding Pharmacy
  • About Us
    • Our Hospital
    • Our Team
    • Why Ethos
    • Ethos Discovery
    • Contact Us
  • Blogs & Videos
    • Our Blogs
    • PAWEDcasts
  • We’re Hiring!
    • Apply Today
    • Ethos Job Fairs
    • Benefits and Perks
    • Veterinary Training Programs
  • Phone: 508-319-2117

Our Blogs

Atrial Fibrilliation

September 30, 2016

The heart is a muscle that depends on electrical signals from a biological “pacemaker” (located in the atria of the heart) to generate the regular and evenly spaced contractions of the chambers of the heart necessary to pump blood with its vital oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.  Heart disease and natural limitations may cause these signals to become interrupted or chaotic in a number of ways producing arrhythmias.

One very important variation in these signals is known as atrial fibrillation.  In this disorder, the signals in the atria become chaotic and only at irregular periods succeed in stimulating the heart muscles to full contraction.  This chaotic behavior severely limits the  ability of the heart to pump sufficient blood to meet the body’s needs.

Atrial Fibrillation is a common arrhythmia in small animals (14%  of all canine arrhythmias).  Left untreated it can cause important changes in the functionality of the heart.  Atrial fibrillation may be caused by underlying heart disease, it may occur due to non-cardiac disease or anesthesia or it may be idiopathic in some large breed dogs.

Treatment requires management of the underlying problem and slowing the heart sufficiently to allow time for the chambers to fill, thus permitting the heart to pump more effectively.  If diagnosed with this disease, your pet may be given medications to reduce the risk of a blood clot caused by the slower movement of blood through the heart chambers.

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Boston West Veterinary Emergency & Specialty
508-319-2117 | 5 Strathmore Road Natick, MA 01760
  • Phone: 508-319-2117
  • Our Services
    • Compounding Pharmacy
    • Diagnostic Imaging
    • Emergency Care
    • Surgery
  • For Your Pet
    • Client Registration Form
    • Emergencies + Appointments
    • When Your Pet is a Patient
    • Client Portal
    • Pet Insurance
    • Payment Options
    • End of Life Arrangements
    • Clinical Studies
    • Refill a Compounded Medication
  • For Veterinary Teams
    • Referral Forms and Portal
    • At a Glance
    • Ethos Materials for Clinics
    • Continuing Education
    • VetBloom CE
    • Clinical Studies
    • Compounding Pharmacy
  • About Us
    • Our Hospital
    • Our Team
    • Why Ethos
    • Ethos Discovery
    • Contact Us
  • Blogs & Videos
    • Our Blogs
    • PAWEDcasts
  • We’re Hiring!
    • Apply Today
    • Ethos Job Fairs
    • Benefits and Perks
    • Veterinary Training Programs
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