What are Heart Murmurs?
A routine check-up with the veterinarian will involve listening to the dog’s heart with a stethoscope. During this test, the veterinarian will make sure that the normal sounds of the heart are present as expected and any abnormal sounds are not. A heart murmur is an abnormal sound indicating turbulence in the flow of blood. While not a disease or condition itself, a heart murmur can be a sign of heart trouble, such as endocarditis, valve abnormalities, or stenosis (narrowing of the arteries).
A heart murmur is a vibration or sound originating from the heart and associated major blood vessels. This sound can be a major diagnostic clue in determining whether there are any abnormalities of the heart or damage to blood vessels.Heart Murmurs Average Cost
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Symptoms of Heart Murmurs in Dogs
A heart murmur can present as a number of different sounds, frequently as a “rumble” or burble, and are differentiated according to which stroke of the heart they are associated with (e.g. systole (filling stroke) and diastole (ejection stroke), or whether they are continuous. They are also ranked on intensity, or how loud they appear to be through the stethoscope, the quality (single frequency versus multiple), and whether they increase in intensity or decrease from the start of the murmur.
Causes of Heart Murmurs in Dogs
- Abnormality of the heart
- Swelling/inflammation of the heart
- Incomplete closing of a valve
- Narrowing of the arteries
Diagnosis of Heart Murmurs in Dogs
A heart murmur is diagnosed by listening to the heart with a stethoscope, and using veterinary knowledge to properly categorize and describe the sound such that it can be compared with heart conditions matching the same sound. Many heart conditions are identifiable with a proper comparison of the murmur with additional symptoms. Murmurs are graded from I (very quiet, only audible with a stethoscope in a quiet room) to VI (very loud and accompanied by a vibration the veterinarian can feel on the chest).
Grading Scale
- Grade I—barely audible
- Grade II—soft, but able to be heard with a stethoscope
- Grade III—intermediate loudness; most murmurs which are related to the mechanics of blood circulation are at least grade III
- Grade IV—loud murmur that radiates widely - including opposite sites of the animals chest wall
- Grade V—very loud, audible with stethoscope barely touching the chest wall; commonly the vibration is strong enough to be felt through the chest wall
- Grade VI—very loud, audible with stethoscope barely touching the chest. The vibration is absolutely strong enough to be felt through the animal's chest wall
Medical imaging, such as MRI, X-ray, or ultrasound may be employed to image and diagnose a specific condition. Ultrasound in particular is a common, low-cost and non-invasive way to inspect a pet’s heart, also referred to as a cardiac echo. Conductive gel is applied to the pet’s skin, and an imaging wand is moved around the area, instantly showing a picture of the heart and surrounding tissue. This can be done in even a small veterinarian’s office.
A number of conditions can present with heart murmurs, such as a valve abnormality, swelling or inflammation of the heart. These can be detected with medical imaging such as ultrasound. Narrowing of the arteries and tumors on the heart tissue may be seen using ultrasound, but are better examined with an MRI or CT scan. These machines are larger and require your pet to physically enter the machine.
Young dogs occasionally have a faint Grade I heart murmur, which does not signify any illness and is a result of a growing cardiovascular system.
Treatment of Heart Murmurs in Dogs
A heart murmur is an indicator of the condition of the heart and surrounding arteries. Treatment will vary, but usually is concerned with correcting the cause of the murmur. This may involve surgery in the case of a valve defect, or diet modification in the case of atherosclerosis (constricted arteries). Tumors of the heart may require chemotherapy in addition to surgical removal. Sometimes, small heart or valve defects can cause a quiet murmur, but if medical imaging reveals no serious defect, the condition need not be treated for a normal lifespan.
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Recovery of Heart Murmurs in Dogs
As mentioned previously, the murmur itself is not a condition and outlooks will vary based on the treatment. In general, checkups will be require to monitor the response to treatment and ensure the murmur has not changed or intensified.
Heart Murmurs Average Cost
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Heart Murmurs Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
mongrel
Batman
18 Months
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Heart Murmour
Hi, I have an 18 month old mongrel who has just been diagnosed with the below:
"We have diagnosed Batman with pulmonic stenosis. He unfortunately also has concurrent tricuspid regurgitation and right atrial enlargement. The pressure across his heart valve is 100 mgHg."
We are waiting for more information but we live in Singapore and there is no one who specializes in the balloon surgery which is most commonly recommended to treat pulmonic stenosis I believe. We were told the diagnosis yesterday. He has been to the vet regularly since we adopted him at 3 months old and it has never been picked up before, recently however i noticed he was sleeping & panting more than usual so went to get him checked out.
We have been told that pulmonic stenosis is bad enough by himself and when doubled up with the other condition it is a bad situation. My question is, have you come across a situation like this? And how stressful would the surgery be on him? What is the increased life expectancy in cases like this? if it is only going to fix one of two problems is it fair to put him through that. I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks
June 24, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
I'm sorry that Batman is having this problem. It would be best to have your veterinarian refer you to a cardiologist, as they will be able to answer your questions more accurately based on his specific conditions. I hope that all goes well for him.
June 24, 2018
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Chow Chow
Bo
5 Years
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My dog, apparently, has a Heart Murmur, which I find very hard to believe. He only went to the Vet because of suspected Arthritis; and came out being described as overweight (he's not) and having a heart condition. The diagnosis was made on the fact that it was difficult to hear his heart beat. There were no strange, unusual noises detected with the stethoscope. He's a Chow, so has a heavy coat, which is, probably, the reason why. I don't like the fact that he's been prescribed Metacam (I've heard so many frightening stories about it) and Droncit either. What's Droncit for? I couldn't get a proper explanation from the Vet.
June 20, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Droncit is given to get rid of intestinal parasites. Metacam is a very safe medication given for arthritis in dogs, and is quite commonly used. We typically recommend a blood panel every 6-12 months to check kidney function when dogs are put on the medication long term. I wouldn't think that Bo could have been diagnosed with a murmur if they weren't able to hear the heart beat. I think that you may want to call your veterinarian and get a better explanation so that you know more details about what they found, and if you aren't sure of the diagnosis, it never hurts to get a second opinion.
June 20, 2018
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Cavoodle
Sirius
3 Years
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Coughing
Heart Murmur
How quickly should I take my dog to the vet if he’s coughing? He has had a grade 4 heart murmur since he was born. We have regular check ups at the vet who have not been concerned. We’ve spoken about coughing previously which occurs rarely after excitement, he’s a very active and excitable dog. He’s 3 1/2 now and may couch during rest but again very rarely. However today he has coughed maybe 20 times over an hour. It’s not many coughs but he never continues to cough for so long. I have a check up in 3 weeks, and can’t really go any earlier with him. He is still very active, not breathless, huge appetite as always, and playing with his toys and throwing them around on his own. I’m not very concerned about his cough due to the nature of it, just wondering if it would be okay to wait 3 weeks if he continues to cough? And when would too much coughing warrant an immediate trip to the vet?
June 12, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
If Sirius is acting normally otherwise, you may be fine to keep your appointment in 3 weeks. If the coughing is disrupting him from eating, or sleeping, or seems to be getting worse and not better, then he should probably be seen.
June 12, 2018
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German Shorthaired Pointer
HP
3 Years
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Vet Check
I have a 2yr 8mth old male German Shorthaired Pointer who is from all external appearances full of life and very fit and healthy. I am considering breeding from him so I had a Vet check done of his heart and the result came back 'I detected a murmur of grade 1/6 intensity'. The details on the form were: Range: blank; PMI: L APCA (?); Radiation: blank; Heart rate: 84 BPM; Rhythm: S/A. I am now worried sick and want to know what this means and what I should do. Does he have heart disease? Thank you.
May 20, 2018
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
A grade 1 murmur is quite a mild murmur, and if everything else is normal about him, it may be nothing to worry about. The best thing to do would be to schedule an ultrasound of his heart, as they will be able to identify the cause behind the murmur and let you know if it is a congenital problem or anything that may pass on to his offspring. I hope that everything goes well for HP.
May 20, 2018
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Heart Murmurs Average Cost
From 3 quotes ranging from $1,800 - $5,000
Average Cost
$2,500
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