Heart murmurs in dogs

[ten*teeny*tiny*toes]

My nearly 10yo Chi/Mini foxie x has just been diagnosed with a grade 5 heart murmur. Chronic Heart Failure.

How can that be? She doesnt seem to have any symptoms.

Anyone else been through this? Will the heart meds help?

[enigmabear]

Oh no, I am so sorry to hear this 

I'm afraid I don't know the answer but thinking of you and your darling furbaby 

[ten*teeny*tiny*toes]

Thanks enigma ♥ Its all a bit of a shock. She was a grade 1 murmur at last years annual check up, this year its a grade 5. Very fast progression i think 😞

I guess the shock is that she is so active, a good weight and absolutely no symptoms.

[lyndal1838]

My 13 year old corgie suffered from a similar problem many years ago.   He had a good year from the time he was diagnosed.

He was treated by the Sydney University Vet clinic and it was nearly 50 years ago so I am sure the treatment has improved in all that time.

He was living with my parents at the time and they did not tell me what was wrong in case he did not make it.  They always brought him with them when they came for the weekend and I really did not notice anything wrong....I just thought it was old age and he was just slowing down.

Just 6 weeks before he died he was lying in front of the heater looking at my new baby daughter having a wriggle on the floor.

[davidc4430]

i dont know anything about heart murmurs but there are lots of articles about them if you google.

i just googled 'grade 5 heart murmur in dogs' and found heaps.

http://metro-vet.com/my-pet-was-diagnosed-with-a-heart-murmur-what-does-that-mean/

[ten*teeny*tiny*toes]

Thanks david. I have googled. The vet also wrote down mitral regurgitation. 

I guess the burning question is the prognosis. How long? 

Thanks Lyndal for your candour with your beautiful corgi, I hope Millie gets more than a year.

I was hoping for at least 7 more.

[davidc4430]

every living thing has its time, i hope your little dog has a good life if not a long life.

when my brother had cancer we asked 'how long'

he said 'how long is a piece of string'

no mater how long its never enough.

fingers crossed the meds give you longer than you would have without them and theres no suffereing.

[happyroo_bunji]

My dog has a grade 3 heart murmur, thankfully not on medication yet, I just have to keep an eye on her.  She will be 10yo in February and been as healthy as anything except for itchy skin.  It's been a bit of a shock as I lost my last dog in an accident when she was 10yo, and was worried I'd lose Maggie.

I'm sorry I can't answer any of your questions, I just want to let you know someone is thinking of you and your dog at this time.

[amalan11]

You may have longer than expected. My little lady ,a mini foxie had  a very bad heart murmer from 12 yrs old.I was told with the meds she may have a couple of years..she passed away  2 weeks off 19.

Just be very helpful and keep an eye on your dog that it takes it easy ,I found Cricket  could not walk constantly so got a stroller  so she could ride to the park and just explore at her own pace .

good luck with it ,its stressful  but with good care you can have them for many years.

[ten*teeny*tiny*toes]

Thank you happyroo. The ten year mark seems to be a thing for us as well. We lost our lab to mast cell tumour at age 10. 

I have never had a little dog before but wow, she just won everyone,s heart. Our next challenge is getting the tablets into her.

She is sharp as a tack.