Puppy heart murmur

RE: Puppy heart murmur

Fable — Mon, 18 Jan 2016 06:54:45 GMT

Awesome replies guys, thanks for your help.

This puppy is currently showing no clinical signs of heart disease. The murmur is quite loud and my understanding was that flow murmurs in young animals tend to be grade 1-2 (happy to be corrected on this).

I did discuss with the breeder that we could monitor over the next few weeks and see if the murmur resolves. Otherwise my recommendation was echocardiography to determine the cause and allow a better prediction of the possible progression.

RE: Puppy heart murmur

Kate Richardson — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 22:09:57 GMT

[quote user="Anthony Todd"]What about exercise tolerance? Must be the ultimate test? What about the racing greyhound murmurs?[/quote]

The whole point with puppy murmurs is to determine if the murmur is likely to cause a clinical problem later on (or possibly earlier) in life. Exercise tolerance would be a sign (but difficult to assess in a 8-12 weeks old puppy? unless overt) For example, a puppy with a PDA- I am seeing one at the moment- no clinical signs currently but pretty high chance of it developing congestive heart failure if left untreated and then the risks of surgery increase and the prognosis is poorer. This case sounds very unlikely to be a PDA, but other congenital lesions could potentially carry a similar prognosis, possibly worse if there isn't a definitive treatment like there is with a PDA. Equally they may live a long and happy life with no problems whatsoever. Depends how much the owner/breeder wants to know

Racing greyhounds- similar to fit TB horses as far as I am aware- large heart, physiological flow murmurs?

RE: Puppy heart murmur

Anthony Todd — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 13:52:22 GMT

[quote user="Kate Richardson"]

Murmurs can come and go. If it does, I tend to think more likely a physiological murmur, maybe exacerbated by stress/increased heart rate etc? But the only way to know would be to perform an echo I guess. Not very helpful, sorry.[/quote]

What about exercise tolerance? Must be the ultimate test? What about the racing greyhound murmurs?

RE: Puppy heart murmur

grumpyoldman — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 12:02:25 GMT

some very young puppies can have a low PCV that falls lower for 2-3 weeks after weaning, so no murmur then haemic murmur, but echo if persistent , I never liked the phrase "innocent" ,they are always guilty of something.

RE: Puppy heart murmur

Kate Richardson — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 10:54:10 GMT

RE: Puppy heart murmur

Richard Carter — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 09:50:47 GMT

anything possible I suppose given the changes taking place. Tell the new owner to make a decision to return pup or recheck 4 weeks time?