How serious is a heart murmur in a puppy?
The prognosis ranges from excellent to grave, depending on the cause of the murmur. If the murmur is physiologic, no treatment is required and the prognosis is generally good to excellent. If the murmur is caused by extracardiac disease or a functional problem that can be treated, the murmur may resolve over time.
Can a puppy live with a heart murmur?
Young dogs can present with an innocent murmur that resolves with age, but older dogs with heart murmurs typically have an underlying condition that requires medical attention.
Should I buy a puppy with a heart murmur?
A young puppy with a murmur could be perfectly healthy and grow out of it, or could have a congenital defect in the heart. It is a fairly quiet murmur (grade 2 out of 6 fits this description) that doesn’t seem to be causing any problems in the pup and should be gone by the time the pup is 3 to 4 months old.
How do you treat a puppy with a heart murmur?
When it comes to the treatment of a heart murmur, a veterinarian will look to treat the underlying cause and the symptoms associated with it. Medical treatment may include a change in diet, exercise restrictions, and medication. In the case of young puppies and murmurs, they may often resolve on their own.
Should I buy a puppy with a Grade 4 heart murmur?
If you have a new puppy or kitten: Loud heart murmurs (Grade 3-4/6 to 6/6) in a new puppy or kitty and soft heart murmurs that persist beyond 14-16 weeks of age should be evaluated by a cardiologist. This may indicate that congenital (present at birth) heart disease is present.
Can a puppy heart murmur get worse?
Vitt advises that a heart murmur at grade 3 or higher should be evaluated by a veterinary cardiologist as soon as possible. Any murmur that is still present at six months or that is getting worse should also be evaluated.
What breeds of dogs are prone to heart murmurs?
Commonly Affected Breeds
- Boston Terrier.
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
- Chihuahua.
- Fox Terrier.
- Miniature Pinscher.
- Miniature and Toy Poodles.
- Miniature Schnauzer.
- Pekingese.
Should I buy a puppy with a Grade 3 heart murmur?
They are soft and usually go away by 14 weeks of age. Loud heart murmurs (Grade 3-4/6 to 6/6) in a new puppy or kitty and soft heart murmurs that persist beyond 14-16 weeks of age should be evaluated by a cardiologist. This may indicate that congenital (present at birth) heart disease is present.
How much does it cost to treat a dog with a heart murmur?
We sat down with the Trupanion data team to further look at heart murmur claims and the cost of medical care for your dog. For example, the average claimed amount for a heart murmur is $352.74, while the Trupanion policy paid $190.50.
What happens if a dog’s heart murmur goes untreated?
In addition, because the heart is not pumping effectively, these dogs can develop profound weakness, lethargy, exercise intolerance and fainting. Unfortunately, they can also pass away suddenly from abnormal heart beats (arrhythmias) from the diseased heart chambers.
How do I know if my puppy has heart problems?
Coughing, fatigue, and a shortness of breath are the most common signs but if the heart disease worsens, pale or blue gums, and even collapse will occur. Some dogs will also accumulate fluid in their abdomen as a result of heart disease.
Does a heart murmur shorten a dog’s life?
Many dogs live a long time after being diagnosed with a heart murmur, and some can even live years after being diagnosed with heart failure.
Can puppies live or outgrow a heart murmur?
Most of the time a puppy will outgrow the murmur. A puppy or young dog with an innocent heart murmur has the same life expectancy as a dog with no heart murmur. Another common cause of low-grade innocent murmurs in dogs is stress. Sometimes a stressed dog may have a murmur while at the vet that is undetectable at home.
Do heart murmurs in puppys sometimes go away?
These types of murmurs are called “innocent” murmurs. They are soft and usually go away by 14 weeks of age. Loud heart murmurs (Grade 3-4/6 to 6/6) in a new puppy or kitty should be evaluated by a cardiologist.
Can you breed with a heart murmur?
Unfortunately, heart problem are usually inherited so this would not make a good bitch to breed. Aside from the moral responsibility that you have to produce quality pups, you also have a responsibility to the bitch to keep her healthy and safe. If she has a grade 2 murmur, she should not be bred because it could be very unsafe for her.
Does My Baby have a heart murmur?
Most infants that have a heart murmur are perfectly healthy, as this can occasionally happen when the blood suddenly flows a little faster than normal. The only symptom of this condition is a sound that is clearly different from the typical beat of the heart, and it is usually only heard through a doctor’s stethoscope.