Obie Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 Hello everyone, I have my heart set on getting a puppy and when the pup went in for it's six week check the vet noticed a grade one heart murmur. I'm hesitant to get the pup because it may have ongoing problems. I know that you can have ultrasounds done to check the heart out. So my question is, would the ulstrasound give you enough information so that I would have a fairly clear picture of what is going on with the heart and therefore what care would be needed for the puppy inb the long term. I'm trying to make an informed decision on weather I should go ahead and get the puppy. Also if anyone has any links to other websights that might have info on heart murmurs please pass on. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarkabull Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 I have a dog that has a grade 1 murmur. If the vet hadn't mentioned it then no-one would have ever noticed it. He is perfectly healthy and happy and out of all my dogs he is the most active. We were told that as he ages it might become more apparent in that he will tire more easily and quickly and may not be as active. It may shorten his natural life span, but then again it may not. Odie is almost 3 and so far it has not affected his life in any way. I know that murmurs can cause problems and some need treatment/medication etc but if it is a low grade murmur (like my dog) then chances are it won't. Have the pup checked again, maybe by a different vet for a second opinion. (the vet that gave my dog his first vacc and m/chip didn't even notice the murmur, it was only when I took him for his second puppy vacc after I bought him that my vet noticed it) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rappie Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 An ultrasound will identify the extent of any structural defects. For a low grade murmur (which a grade 1 murmur is - we grade them out of 6) it is worth keeping in mind that in lots of cases the murmur will disappear as the puppy grows. We call these innocent murmurs and they generally don't require investigation or treatment. The difficulty is knowing which ones are which, as in most cases we just wait to see if they go away. For the more serious murmurs such as those caused by a PDA (patent ductus arteriosis) we would normally hear quite a loud murmur with a distinct sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-time Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 Yes well....Rappie is a vet so I'm not about to disagree!!! Grade one is very mild and possibly even a murmur that *might* disappear as the pup gets older?? Rappie will correct me if I'm wrong...... :D Perhaps if you are really interested in taking this pup, you could ask for some sort of health guarantee for the future? To cover medication and ultrasounds later on? Just a thought.... Otherwise, personally, I'd wouldn't take the pup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HugUrPup Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 I wouldn't take the pup either as it could go either way...get worse or go away. What breed is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirty Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 If the murmur is very mild, I'd take the pup. As long as you weren't planning on doing agility or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baykinz Posted September 3, 2010 Share Posted September 3, 2010 Before taking the puppy I would, personally, try to work out some agreement with the breeder where, perhaps, if the heart murmur naturally became worse within a year, to a point where the bills were piling up or you were unsure yours was still the right home for the animal, the original purchase price could be refunded, either to go towards medical expenses or for the return of the dog to be rehomed by the breeder, or for the dog to be rehomed and a puppy from a future litter to be secured for you at no extra cost, or whatever other arrangement you agreed was fair. In all likelihood the puppy's mild condition would improve or remain stable, rather than getting severely worse at that young age, but securing a mutually agreeable contingency plan before taking the puppy lends a bit of peace of mind if you're worried about looking after (or paying for) a dog with serious ongoing problems (which it sounds like this puppy probably won't become, anyway). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 All I can tell you is that some years ago when when puppies were vaccinates at 6 weeks I remember the vet saying to clients .....I have found a murmur in this pup. When the breeder came back for the second vaccination the vet would often say...didn't we find a murmur in one of these and then say well I can't find out which one it is now. Some puppies are just a bit slow in this department, so it would be advisable to wait till the pup is checked at a later date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obie Posted September 4, 2010 Author Share Posted September 4, 2010 I spoke to the breeder this morning and they are going to take the pup back to the vet at 9/10 weeks and if it still has the murmur they will then take it to a specialits cardiologist (Brad) to have a thorough checking out. So I will just have to wait and see what happens over the coming weeks. Rappie - it's great to see vets on here giving advise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 I spoke to the breeder this morning and they are going to take the pup back to the vet at 9/10 weeks and if it still has the murmur they will then take it to a specialits cardiologist (Brad) to have a thorough checking out. So I will just have to wait and see what happens over the coming weeks. Rappie - it's great to see vets on here giving advise Good idea to wait and see what happens before committing to this puppy. Personally I would never sell a puppy with heart murmur because there is no way of knowing if it will correct or get worse. If it corrects as the puppy grows then it should be fine to take but if it doesn't the puppy will have ongoing problems and a shortened lifespan. Some problems that cause murmurs can be surgically corrected but the surgery tends to cost much more than the price of the puppy and even though the puppy should then lead a normal life, most buyers would not want to pay for a puppy that has already had surgery. This often makes surgical correction financially unviable for many breeders. Most breeders I know that have had puppies with murmurs that persisited, have opted to keep the puppy or place it friends or family for however long it may have until the symptoms really kick in and it needs to be pts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted September 4, 2010 Share Posted September 4, 2010 I agree with Dancinbcs - I would never sell a puppy with a heart murmur. I would however offer it free of charge to the prospective owner if they were willing to take the risk on the vet bills that may or may not occur later on in life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brightonrock Posted September 5, 2010 Share Posted September 5, 2010 A puppy with a heart murmur is not a good choice for Breeding......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obie Posted September 5, 2010 Author Share Posted September 5, 2010 I don't plan on breeding the puppy, nor ever suggested that I was going to. The pup is just going to be pet, and hopefully if I get it, it will be around for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha bet Posted September 7, 2010 Share Posted September 7, 2010 It is not completely uncommon for a puppy to have a low grade heart murmur at six weeks of age. Then it is usual for the pup to be checked again at 8-9 weeks to see whether it is still there or whether it has righted itself. If cleared at 8 weeks or so it should never be an issue with your dog. It is really just a slight delay in the maturity of the pup. If the murmur is still present then it may mean a shorter than normal lifespan. I have had many clients board dogs with me who have dogs with heart murmurs and generally it doesnt change their life at all. Hope pup clears and you have a great dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obie Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 Just thought I would post an update. Pup went to the vet for a check (7.5 weeks) and the vet said the murmur is still there but it has decreased. Hopefully in another 10 days to 2 weeks it will be gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Age Outlaw Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 I had a greyhound with a low grade murmur - she never had any problems from the murmur and lived until 12 years old (from bone cancer - completely unrelated to the murmur). Good luck with your pup! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Just thought I would post an update. Pup went to the vet for a check (7.5 weeks) and the vet said the murmur is still there but it has decreased. Hopefully in another 10 days to 2 weeks it will be gone. Good news. Hopefully a few more weeks will do the trick and you will be able to take this puppy home with no worries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obie Posted September 25, 2010 Author Share Posted September 25, 2010 Good news, puppy was checked at nine weeks and got the all clear. The murmur is no longer there and pup is all mine. Picked her up yeaterday and loving her already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted September 25, 2010 Share Posted September 25, 2010 What fantastic news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoofnHoof Posted September 25, 2010 Share Posted September 25, 2010 That's great to hear! And kudos to your breeder for getting it checked out for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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