With dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) the heart muscle becomes thinner than normal, is weakened, and results in poor pumping ability, valve leakage and arrhythmia. This loss of the heartâs ability to properly contract is a common acquired disease of the heart in dogs.
Collateral Vessel Closure. Collateral vessels are abnormal blood vessels that connect the aorta with the pulmonary arteries. The aorta is a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to arteries throughout the body. Pulmonary arteries are the vessels that transfer blood from the heart back to the lungs for oxygen.
Arteries. Arteries carry blood which is full of oxygen away from the heart. Arteries have three layers of tissue-the outside and inside layers are made of a connective tissue which covers the muscular middle layer of smooth muscle, and elastic fibers.These tissues provide a smooth path for our blood to flow through.rteries and Veins. As we stated on the previous page, What Is High Blood Pressure , arteries and veins are both part of the circulatory system and carry blood from the heart to the lungs and to all other parts of our bodies. Both are very important in maintaining our blood pressure.