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My dog has DCM. How long will he live & what signs to watch for?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua | Male | unneutered | 9 years and 2 months old | 8 lbs

My 9 year old chihuahua has dilated cardiomyopathy & has been on medication for over a year since he was diagnosed. I just want to know how long these dogs can live after diagnosis & what I should be looking out for in terms of his disease getting worse. Currently, he does well on vetmedin & furosemide,goes for daily walks (short distances, nothing too strenuous) & plays with my other dog. The only time he shows anything abnormal is when he coughs for a few seconds probably, twice a day.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on October 7th, 2017

Great questions! Each dog varies in terms of survival from DCM, and treating it medically can help increase the survival time. From your description, it sounds like Chico is medically managed well so far if he able to go for daily walks, play, and the only abnormal sign you see is the short bursts of coughing. You should look out for exercise intolerance (not being able to play or go for walks, collapsing when walking or playing), difficulty breathing, increased coughing, and lethargy. If you see any of those signs, I would take Chico into a vet as soon as possible. He may need an adjustment in the dose of his medications or an additional medication added to control his symptoms. I hope this helps!

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