How serious is a heart murmur in a dog?
Heart murmurs sound serious, and often are, but sometimes a heart murmur is classified as an innocent heart murmur. These heart murmurs are not serious and often resolve with time. They are most commonly found in young dogs and are typically a grade III or less.
Can a dog live with a heart murmur?
The good news is that many dogs live a good, healthy life with a heart murmur, as long as they are getting the correct treatment and lifestyle changes have been made if needed. Early detection is a key success factor for a better prognosis with heart conditions.
What does it mean if your dog has a heart murmur?
A heart murmur occurs when there is turbulent blood flow within the heart. Some murmurs, especially those found in young puppies, can be ‘innocent’ or ‘physiologic’ and will have no negative effects on your dog’s health. Young puppies with innocent heart murmurs will usually outgrow them by about 5 months.
How do you treat a heart murmur in a dog?
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.
How long can an old dog live with a heart murmur?
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.
How serious is a heart murmur in an older dog?
The disease is slowly progressive in most cases and the leak will continue to worsen over months to years. If the disease becomes severe, the dog is at risk for developing congestive heart failure.
Should I walk my dog if he has a heart murmur?
Dogs with a heart murmur are usually intolerant of hot and humid days so take short walks very early in the day. You can use more mental exercise activities in the summer to help keep their mind stimulated, such as puzzle games. The rest of the year you can set a schedule to suit your dog.
What are the side effects of a heart murmur in dogs?
The symptoms associated with murmurs depend on a variety of characteristics, including their grade, configuration, and location. If, however, the murmur is associated with structural heart disease, your dog may display signs of congestive heart failure such as coughing, weakness, or exercise intolerance.
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.
Do heart murmurs hurt dogs?
Although not considered normal, not all murmurs are a cause for concern. A large majority of heart murmur in dogs are leaky mitral valves and can be monitored for several years before they require attention. However, these types of murmurs in certain breeds can quickly lead to the dog developing heart failure.
What medications are used to treat heart murmurs in dogs?
All About Commonly Prescribed Heart Medications for Dogs and Cats
- Amiodarone. Amiodarone is an anti-arrhythmic medication, which may be used to control multiple types of arrhythmias.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
- Atenolol.
- Carvedilol.
- Clopidogrel (Plavix®)
- Digoxin.
- Diltiazem.
- Diltiazem-extended release.
What do you feed a dog with a heart murmur?
Some balanced diets include Royal Canin® Veterinary Diet Canine Cardiac, Rayne Clinical Nutrition™ Restrict-CKD™, or Hill’s® Prescription Diet® h/d®.
What medication is used for dogs with heart murmur?
Pimobendan. Pimobendan is a veterinary-specific drug that is used to help a dog’s heart pump more effectively. In some cases, it may slow the progression of heart disease and delay the onset of congestive heart failure.
Is it good to walk a dog with a heart murmur?
Dogs with a heart murmur are usually intolerant of hot and humid days so take short walks very early in the day. You can use more mental exercise activities in the summer to help keep their mind stimulated, such as puzzle games.
Is exercise good for a dog with a heart murmur?
Dogs with a heart murmur graded 4-6 need restricted physical exercise three times a week to avoid putting excessive strain on their heart. Mental exercises like puzzles and stuffable toys to lick can be given daily. Dogs with a lower grade 1-3 may be able to live a normal life.
How does a heart murmur affect a dog?
How does a heart murmur affect a dog? 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.
Should I adopt a dog with a heart murmur?
We recommend not breeding any animal with a heart murmur. Breeding can exacerbate heart disease. Animals with heart disease may pass the condition to their offspring. Should I buy a puppy with a Grade 2 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.
Can heart murmur in dogs be wrongly diagnosed?
Though it’s not considered normal, a heart murmur is not always a cause for concern. It may, however, be an indication of a heart problem. Depending on your dog’s condition, the veterinarian may want to perform additional diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the murmur.
Is a Grade 3 heart murmur in dogs serious?
Grade 3 – At this stage, extra concern is warranted as the murmur is distinct and it’s from this level upwards where serious issues could arise. Grade 4 – A heart murmur is very audible and can be detected on both sides of the dog’s chest. Grade 5 – Using a stethoscope, picking up on the murmur is very easy as it is extremely noticeable.