Heart health in dogs & cats

A healthy heart keeps every organ fed with oxygen and nutrients. Heart disease is common in older pets, and some breeds are especially prone, so it pays to know the early signs.

Signs to watch for

  • Coughing, especially at night or after exercise
  • Tiring quickly, or reluctance to walk
  • Breathing fast or hard while resting or asleep
  • Fainting or collapsing
  • A swollen belly, or weight loss
  • Pale or bluish gums

A resting breathing rate that's creeping up is one of the easiest early signs to track at home. Ask your vet what's normal for your pet.

What raises the risk?

Age and breed are the biggest factors. Small breeds are prone to valve disease, while some large breeds and cats are prone to heart-muscle disease. Excess weight, high blood fats and long-term inflammation add extra strain.

What you can do at home

  • Count sleeping breaths. Watch their chest for 30 seconds while they're fast asleep and double it. Under 30 a minute is typical; if it creeps up, tell your vet.
  • Keep heartworm prevention going. Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes, which are around all year in Singapore.
  • Choose low-salt treats. Skip salty table scraps like ham, chips and cheese.
  • Keep exercise steady and gentle, and let them set the pace on hot days.
  • Keep them lean, so the heart has less work to do.

How Optimus Pet fits in

  • Omega fats for the heart. Omega-3 fatty acids have research support in pets with heart disease and high blood fats.1 The Potent Vials deliver ten omega fatty acid components, including EPA and DHA.
  • Award-winning for blood fats. Optimus Pet has won health awards for lowering high triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and raising HDL.
  • Circulation support. Healthy blood flow keeps the heart, kidneys and eyes well supplied, and helps carry waste away.
  • Muscle support. Complete amino acids help maintain strong muscle, and the heart is a muscle too.

Which formula?

For pets with heart conditions we recommend The Potent Vials with The Gold Series. For healthy pets, The Blue Series is a great daily base for long-term heart health.

Working with your vet

Optimus Pet is a whole food, so it sits alongside your vet's plan rather than replacing it. Keep your vet in the loop about everything your pet eats and takes, and book a check-up whenever symptoms are new, severe or getting worse. Our nutritionists can help you fit Optimus Pet around your pet's current care, free of charge.

Sources

  1. Vendramini et al., Nutrition Research Reviews (2025): omega-3 supplementation for companion animals

Quality Assurance

As part of our commitment to you, our customers, we are working closely with our partners at independent pet specialty stores and regional chains to provide them with the resources they need to ensure that their employees possess not only an extensive knowledge of pet nutrition, but also a complete understanding of our recipes – which will serve as a valuable resource to help you choose the best food for your pet. Optimus Pet® is available exclusively at local independent pet stores and regional chains.

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