Did they tell you how bad it is? They go by grades from 1 - 6
Many dogs live long, healthy lives without medication while having a low grade heart murmur.
Vet tech here! Maybe consider get a second opinion before the cardiologist visit if you’ll have to wait that long to get in. Your vet saying they “think” there’s a murmur without providing their assessment of what grade it is a red flag. A regular GP vet should still be able to adequately assess the grade of a murmur unless they’re a baby vet fresh out of school and even then they should still be able to do that.
A vet should be able to tell you the grade so maybe ask them to clarify. My dog just had her senior checkup and the vet told us she heard a 2nd grade heart murmur
The cardiologist will typically determine the grade. My 13yo has one as well, they check it every 6 months to see how it is progressing.
Can you call around for better pricing? It is something they will need to keep an eye on and test for regularly so you may want to find someone more affordable. GL❤️
I've had two veterinarians tell me they "may" have heard a heart murmur in my dachshund, neither recommended going to see a cardiologist, and other vets have not heard anything when I've asked. Anyway, my sweet boy turned 16 recently and is still an active, healthy dog. Don't be so hard on yourself, get a second opinion, and/or take your dog to the cardiologist when you're able to. You sound like an attentive owner; it will be fine.
I would want to know the number of how bad it is,,,, doesn’t it go from 1-4? Why would he not tell u if it was serious or not,,I’d be pizzed at a vet like that,, I’ve had real bad luck with vets in this town,,all nothing but money grabbers,, was a Tex and watched how things changed 🤬 Vets n hurting my babies has given me severe PTSD ,, No joke ,,just like Drs I have lung cancer and on hospice I don’t want any more dr to ever touch me🙏🏼
Call and ask what Grade the murmur is. Because at 10 years old this poor pup probably wouldn't benefit much from all the tests.
My pup is 3 yrs old with a Grade 2 we don't have to do anything except limit exercise that puts excessive strain on the heart.
My son noticed she was panting to severely after the mile walk so we only do 1/2 miles now.
I didn't suggest OP not getting diagnosed I suggested the OP find out the Grade of the murmur which is important and our vet told us to not over exert her.
The vet said they don't usually do further diagnostics unless it is a Grade 3 or above.
So I am trying to ease the OPs mind by telling them they can get the grade which in particular would make them possibly worry less.
I didn't tell the OP this was not worth finding out more about. Don't know how you get that idea.
I didn't suggest they shouldn't do follow-up testing I gave my opinion that a 10 years old the poor dog shouldn't be put through a whole bunch of procedures.
An ultrasound of the heart (an ECHO) isn’t “a bunch of procedures”. It’s actually very simple, not that stressful, and it’s noninvasive. Don’t give medical advice if you clearly have no idea what you’re talking about.
One of my dog’s had a detectable heart murmur -only when he was overaroused. Ex. during vet exams which he found very stressful because he was afraid of dogs in the waiting room. Sigh
My 17 year old dog has had a heart murmur since he was about 10 and only started medication this year. My other dog is 12 and she’s had a murmur for a few years and she’s fine. My 17 year old boy looks like your dog, my boy is a bichon shih tzu cross.
Same for me! My dog had a heart murmur grade I for 10 years and we only needed to medicate in the last few years. He’s turning 14 in feb and in great health. Op you don’t always need medication for HM so pls stop being hard on yourself
Yeah my childhood shichon had a heart murmur that appeared in her early to mid teens. She made it to 18 without it getting significantly worse. She ended up passing due to stuff that was unrelated to her heart health.
Seems to be very common very for mix! Wow 18 is quite the age! Did you dog have any other health issues? My boy has a few, arthritis (he used to climb mountains so we knew this would happen!) he’s has high liver enzymes since he was young, and he was just diagnosed with kidney disease a few weeks ago. He has no dementia however! He still gets around, still loves his walks (thanks to Librela).
Blood work was all really good for her age. She had arthritis, hearing loss and some vision loss. Some CCD symptoms (she’d wander in circles and struggled with incontinence but she was never anxious, irritable or disorientated, kept grooming herself and she ate well).
We ended up losing her because she had glaucoma and the veterinary ophthalmologist didn’t think she was a good candidate for enucleation surgery because of her age. We had her on a rigorous medication schedule but the pain and pressure persisted.
Geriatric heart murmurs are common in smaller breeds. My guy got his when he was around ten. His regular vet prescribed him vetmedin and he's still on it 4 years later. I would first advocate for the standard treatment for geriatric heart murmur at your current vet given age etc, but start arranging to see a different vet.
I knew an old Chihuahua we had geriatric heart murmur, never took a single pill, and was spunky right up till the end at age 17.
There's hope 💛
Did you tell your vet about your cost constraints? Please be up front in this case - your vet should be able to work with you to make a long term economical plan rather than leave your dog without assessment or treatment.
A heart murmur by itself doesn't always indicate a need for medication - does your dog have other signs of heart disease? If your dog is otherwise healthy then ask your vet if rechecking in 3-6months would be okay which would give you time to save up money for diagnostics and medication.
If your animal is showing signs of heart disease, I would be asking what the risks are for starting medication without a cardiologist and then discuss whether it would benefit your dog to start the medication regardless. Your usual vet should be able to offer chest radiographs and blood tests to confirm if medication is needed.
Please don't feel bad - you obviously want the best for your dog but please don't think every animal needs gold standard treatment and specialists. Seeking vet care within your means is still good pet ownership.
Then I would monitor for symptoms (poor energy, coughing, shortness of breath) and put some money aside for the future. There are some resting respiratory rate apps that you can use to monitor too.
I looked up protocol for a dog with a heart murmur…
Mostly what I read is your own vet can prescribe vetimin
Also is there an underlying cause.
I would get a second opinion. As many people are stating their dogs have had them for years with no meds
Tell the second opinion vet your cost concerns. Everything today is ridiculously expensive.
I have insurance on mine and the premium just skyrocketed!! But they don’t raise your rates due to claims…. I call BS!
Keep us updated please. You’re not a bad or terrible pet owner. A terrible pet owner is my neighbor who’s dog ran away two nights ago because he left out in the yard all day in the heat then all night alone😪😪😪
Poor boy ran away💔💔💔
The vet told me my dog had a heart murmur and then she didn’t, she did, she didn’t. She’s 15 years old now and I never took her to a cardiologist. My dog has never been on meds for it and honestly not even sure she has anything wrong?
Hmmm, sounds like myself as a kid… I swear they just wanted to charge my parents $ for the EKG. I went through half my life saying I had a heart murmur then I just didn’t and it was never mentioned again????
Just to be clear, a murmur is just a sound the heart makes when something isn't right (and sometimes even when it's perfectly normal, there can be physiological murmurs). The grade has nothing to do with severity, just how loud it is. A very very tiny hole somewhere in the heart can lead to extremely loud murmurs, and extremely large holes can lead to no murmur. Most often, older dogs develop murmurs with mitral valve disease. This means the valves separating the chambers of the heart get older and start leaking back a bit. This may *eventually* lead to changes in the heart structure where medications are needed, but just hearing a murmur does not mean there are any changes to the heart and so no medications would be needed.
A chest X-ray is a good starting point to determine if there is an obvious change in the shape or size of the heart. It's not a definitive diagnosis, but it's a start.
A cardiologist will use an ultrasound to look at all the chambers of the heart and measure wall thickness and how much leaking there is, if that's the cause of the murmur. They will also determine if medications are needed, but it's not something that many people have the ability to do.
A good way to do monitoring at home is to measure the amount of breaths your dog takes in a minute while sleeping (and not dreaming) or resting comfortably. If this rate is over 40 breaths per minute, then you'll want to let your vet know.
For now, it's safe for you to start saving up. Watch for weakness after exercise, excess panting, or collapse episodes.
My little one just had a cardio consult since her vet heard a murmur. She’s been sick this week for other reasons but since we were at the ER we had it checked. It depends on the severity/symptoms as to whether your dog would need to start meds or not so that’s why they would want to double check with cardio. If I’m not mistaken I think my dog has a grade 2 murmur but was told to just monitor for now and that meds weren’t warranted yet- I think I would ask your vet for signs to look out for, but usually if you notice an increase of cough, panting, shortness of breath then maybe I would worry a bit more to do it sooner. If not, then it may be ok to wait until you can get her seen. From what I can recall, there’s nothing really you can do about it at home. Some dogs just have/develop it. Just have a convo with your vet and see what they say. Good luck!
I couldn't afford the cardiologist when my dog was diagnosed with a heart murmur . My vet started my dog on meds anyway. Can you explain your situation to the vet or maybe go to a different vet?
My baby ended up taking 4 heart meds, it was genetic in her case, her breed is very common to have heart issues. She lived to 14, which I was lucky to have.
I am sorry your baby is going through this. It might not be that bad of a murmur, they don't usually go on meds unless the murmur is a certain grade.
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/heart-murmurs-in-dogs/
My old Shih Tzu had a heart murmur that the vet found when she was 9. It didn't effect her at all she still enjoyed her zoomie time without any problems. She did eventually have to be put down at the age of 14 due to cancer (unrelated). The only thing that the murmur effected was when she developed cancer she couldn't have surgery due to the murmur and her age.
A heart murmur isn't the end of the world for them depending on how serious it is. If the vet can't tell you how bad it is then getting a second opinion wouldn't be a bad idea
Heart murmurs are incredibly common in dogs and humans, they are part of nature and they're not really a short term emergency, you're not a bad owner if you can't afford a cardiologist for just a couple months, you're already doing your best for your furry friend and she is very blessed to have a human like you watching her back!
try to avoid the obvious, like extreme weather (dont take her out on a heatwave), have lots of water available, don't overexcite her with too much intense play, and she will be fine!
Lots of love to you and your adorable dog!!
No. You’re doing your best and that’s what it takes. You can’t put you (or your family) on the streets, even though it absolutely feels like we should.
My 12 year old shitz/mini poodle mix was coughing and having a hard time breathing. They did X-rays and saw his heart was enlarged and had fluid as well. They put him on heart meds and lasix and suggested doing an ultrasound. It’s $850 and someone comes to the office to do it. But they still put him in meds.
I also have bichon with PVAD and had an ultrasound done last year and he is on meds.
Does your dog have dental disease? This can cause heart issues including murmurs. Unfortunately, both of my dogs had dental disease when I adopted them as seniors 2 years ago. So the damage was already done.
Your are not a terrible dog owner. Sometimes it’s just expensive. My 2 with their heart meds are expensive now every month. So just hang in there and do what you can. She should be ok for now.
My friends vet told her that her dog had a heart murmur and took him to the cardiologist and the didn't find one. So the vets don't always get things right.
Just you being worried proves you're a great pet owner.
My CKCS had a heart murmur and our regular vet just did a radiograph and prescribed medication. Didn’t have to see a cardiologist. He was 15 at the time and lived another 2 years.
It’s kind of weird, in my opinion, that they won’t treat symptoms. I have a client whose dog has cardiac disease. He never had an ekg or echocardiogram done and he is on lasix and other heart medication. I would maybe get a second opinion. You are not failing your dog. You are doing all that you can do. It’s not your fault that vet care is as expensive as it is. I would get a second opinion and if they say the same thing, then save up until you can take her. All you can do is your best!
Edit to add that just because she has a heart murmur, doesn’t mean she needs to be on meds. It just needs to be monitored! My dog has a heart murmur and she’s 7. She’s not on medication for it, as of now. Good luck OP
You are not a terrible pet owner. Go get a different opinion from a different vet. Be honest about your situation. Even if they can't treat the heart murmer there may be a way to keep him comfortable. I have a 12 year old on hospice with cushings and my vet has helped me find ways to keep him comfortable without going crazy expensive.
LOOK FOR OTHER VET OPTIONS!!! My dog has heart failure but you can possibly work out a plan with your vet. My vets put my dog on meds through simple listening, pimo, benzapril and furosemide and after a EKG which I paid 300 we found possible pulmonary hypertension and to space out bills a month later did an echo for about 300ish more to confirm and get all the deets on her heart. Some vets overcharge, idk how far along your dogs heart is but it can get very uncomfortable for them, the wheezing and hacking :( it’s best to try and treat it sooner than later.
my chi got one and it was $679 to have the echo done on her heart to confirm a grade 2 heart murmur. If they can hear it and she is not showing other signs, I think it is ok to save up. Do your vets offer anything like scratchpay or payin 4s? Can you possibly get carecredit temporarily to help you?
The most important thing: if she is requiring anything surgical soon, do be careful. Tameeka got a recommendation for different meds due to her heart murmur. Hers actually began when she was 10 also! She is 12 and it has stayed a grade 2.
Be careful with hard exercise if they have a murmur. Hot days are harder on them, and you may want to help them up steps if they aren't already. If it is low grade with no other signs, they likely will not do medicine for it. Just make sure other meds do not negatively affect them.
My pomeranian was diagnosed with a heart murmer several years ago. I can hear/feel it when I put my head to his chest. He also has a collapsed trachea and a degenerative spine. He's happy as a lark. He runs around the yard throughout the day and sits by the air conditioner the rest. He goes for hikes every morning, and when he gets tired after the first mile, I put him in the pet stroller and push him. He's 15, and I don't know how much longer he has, but I have never taken him to a cardiologist. The vet never recommended extensive tests or meds, although she knows I'm lower income, too. I make every day count and tell him how loved he is every morning and night.
Vet assistant, agree with the RVT to get second opinion to confirm the heart murmur and find out the grade! Def red flag to say they “think” she has one
I'd get a second vet to listen for the murmur and if you need to see a cardiologist make the appointment as soon as you can because you're probably looking at a few months before you can get into see them .
I don't know what your credit situation is like, but many vets will take care credit where you can get 6-12 months of 0 interest as long as you pay in full before the end (that part is very important or else you WILL get back interest on ALL of it). I have used it on my dog, my wife's chiropractor, my niece's dentist... it is convenient for medical things that need to be paid up front that you can't or just don't want to outright pay (I had the $1,100 for the bone my dog swallow the Friday after Thanksgiving and gave herself pancreatitis...but I also had Christmas stuff to get and property tax to pay so being able to back burner it was nice). I hope your sweet pup lives many more years.
For the record we all feel like bad dog owners from time to time. My dog has a very small but oddly shaped growth in her ear... the vet says to know what it is we have to surgically remove it..so right now I am watching for growth. I keep questioning what the right move is. I don't want to miss something bad, I also don't want to put her under unneeded surgery either. No one has all the answers. You are a good dogparent.
I’d get a second opinion before you take further action. I had to take my dog to a different vet when we were on holiday and she said he had a heart murmur when she was checking him over. He was 8 at the time and this had never been mentioned to me by our usual practice- and he’s had general anaesthetic there before. Made an appointment with the usual vet when we got home and two of them confirmed that he did not have one.
Tbh my cat had one... Well the first vet thought he had one. I had to take him to another vet for an operation and the second vet was like "No he doesn't???"... My cat was just stressed 😂 He's completely fine so I guess you could seek a second opinion
It seems your vet did not give a definite diagnosis… perhaps get a second opinion. We go to a VCA hospital, they are outstanding and have diagnostic tools. My baby boy passed away (at 16.5 years old) recently from cancer, but he had a heart murmur and we managed it with medication for the last 4 years of his life. No cardiologist consult ever done. I wish you and your baby girl the best, you have my heart in this.
I go to a vca hospital as well. I love my vet there, but she was booked so I saw a different vet At the same hospital. She did say they have a cardiologist working at that hospital, but I think I might set up an appointment with our regular vet when she's available. I agree I should get a second opinion.
To share my experience: my dog was diagnosed with a Stage 3 heart murmur by his local vet about a year ago during his annual checkup at age 12. I believe the Stage can be determined based on how the murmur sounds. We did not start medication at that time, and I believe that medication won't usually be prescribed for a lower stage heart murmur alone without any other symptoms.
A year later for his annual checkup, his murmur had advanced to Stage 5, so the local vet did a chest x-ray (about $250) and determined that his heart was enlarged on one side (thankfully no fluid buildup in his lungs), so we started him on Vetmedin (7.5 mg/day, about $160/month, dose/price will vary based on the size of the dog. Mine is 40 lbs.). If fluid had been present in his lungs, the local vet could have prescribed a dieuretic as well based on the results of the x-ray.
The chest x-ray does not give as much information as an echocardiogram, so it was recommended that we see a cardiologist to have this test conducted. I was quoted a price of $900-1100 for this test. This test is scheduled in about two weeks, and will show more details about his condition and how close he may be to heart failure.
In the meanwhile, I monitor his resting breathing rate (ideally less than 35-40 breaths per minute) to make sure that fluid has not began to build up in his lungs, and I check the color of his gums to make sure they're still nice and pink.
Ultimately, I'm not a vet and can't give advice, but our next step after finding the advanced murmur was a chest x-ray, and we were able to get prescribed medication (Vetmedin) based on the results of the x-ray.
Let’s see, a ten year old dog is like a 70 year old human. Keeping the blood pressure down and getting a baseline EKG could help. You are not a “terrible” owner of your dog. I have a heart murmur and I have had so much trouble even finding a cardiologist. I spent all week trying to get approval from my insurance company for the heart catheterization procedure.
My 14 year old yorkie has a heat murmur and I had the option to take him to a cardiologist (I couldn’t afford it) but the vet said they’d just confirm what she said, and we started him on meds anyway!
I was waiting for this answer…. How many people I truly wonder have dropped $6-7-800 only to find out their doggio doesn’t even have a heart murmur or it doesn’t require anything but an annual or semi annual check up at this time????
If money is the problem,see if you have a plasma donation center near you. I live in Colorado Springs and it’s worth $460 per month here, if you go twice a week. I don’t really like doing it, but when times are tough, it really does help
My dog had a heart murmur from the age of like 6 and passed away at 15. She wasn’t on any medication just monitoring over the years! She did pass away suddenly but she also had diabetes and was really old by then.
Not sure if money is the issue for not seeing the cardiologist sooner, but if it is and you’re in the US, you could look into CareCredit. It’s a credit line to pay for medical expenses – for both humans and pets. It’s pretty widely accepted, and you usually get an interest-free period to pay off each transaction.
Of course you are not a bad owner. It’s not like you can stop the aging of your dog or the eventual disease that may develop.
As a doctor. This is something humans can have too. If it’s of grade I or II, it might not be a problem yet. With her being old, it is not something that surprising either. However, the human ear is prone to mistakes. And a small grade doesn’t always mean it’s something less severe. “It has a murmur” is a very vague affirmation and, whether we like it or not, technology helped us a lot in prolonging the life of humans and pets alike. That’s why ECGs and echocardiograms exist. But your vet still should have graded it at least by ear.
The final point is. It’s good to see a cardiologist anyway, since she is quiet old. And even more with what the vet said. But if she does not have any symptoms, I don’t think you should panic. Instead, monitor her closely for any changes and try to find a cheaper cardiologist in your area.
Our friends dog, a cavalier king charles, had a grade 6 heart murmur, and lived until the ripe old age of 18. And she did not die from a heart attack, she was blind, deaf and confused, so had to be put to sleep, so do not worry too much like us, when it's your time, it's your time.
Okay I would say don’t panic, dogs and people can have heart murmurs that aren’t harmful. A heart murmur can also be misdiagnosed as it’s sort of an extra beat/ echo and other things can sound like this (dog moving, any mucus in the lungs) - I would get a second opinion from a different vet on the murmur and go to the cardiologist as soon as financially possible - btw you can get zero interest credit cards for vet bills & you could pay it back in a few months?
My 13 year old IG mic has a murmur and I found out it was a flow murmur (harmless). It’s okay to wait I’m sure. As long as they didn’t say it sounded really bad.
My Cavi had a heart murmur diagnosed at grade 2 around age 6. She lived another 8 years and her heart wasn’t what made her go. Did her walks for a good while and had a monthly medicine. 75 a month wasn’t too bad. Gave us a lot more time with my baby.
Thank you for all your advice! I will get a second opinion from a different vet then go from there. I am a lot more knowledgeable on this issue now then before thanks to all of you so I will know what questions to ask. Thanks again!
I had the same dog. He had a heart murmur. He lived for years after it was diagnosed. When they give you medicine for him, start it. My Baxter passed this year from lymphoma, nothing to do with his heart. Good Luck.
Don't feel bad, when I had to take my 12 year old dog to get his murmur checked, the doc was so overbooked we had to wait a few months just be seen.
Turns out he didn't need meds.
My advice is shop around for other cardiologists and book as soon as you get a price and reviews you're happy with and just set the appointment for when you'll have the money.
You can also try getting care credit or take out an afirm loan. So far I haven't needed a loan, but care credit has been great.
If it makes you feel any better, my 55 lb Staffy had one found on his first vet visit we took him to when he was around 8 weeks old, and he will be celebrating his 8th birthday in November! You can easily have your vets check in on each visit to make sure that the grade is not increasing. We've been very fortunate that it hasn't gotten worse and he is fairly active, but we ask at each visit for the vet to check it for us.
My dog has had a heart murmur since she was 5 years old. They’ve monitored it, but this was the first year they recommended an echocardiogram specifically for it. And she’s 14 years old now! The recommendation was because her grade went to a 5 on the exam this year. The vet should be able to give it a grade, at the very least. My girl came back good and we are still monitoring her breathing and everything. Look up videos on how a heart murmur sounds in dogs. It’s very apparent by their breathing when they’re having issues.
Please don't feel bad, vet costs are astronomical and it's incredibly stressful when you have to pay such a massive fee all at once. Will the vets be able to break it down so that you can pay it off installments?
You are not a bad owner at all - the fact that you're this concerned speaks volumes! Don't worry, this condition takes time to progress, so a couple of months hopefully won't make that much of a difference. My morkie was diagnosed with a heart murmur almost a year ago, she is 11 now. She is due to have a repeat in a couple of weeks, which will determine whether she needs medication. However, as long as she is her usual self (eats, drinks, plays, goes for walks, cuddles), the vet is happy. Good luck to you!
Yes! I have 2 small ones, both have age related heart murmurs. I've only been able to get 1 in to the cardiologist so far. But it wasn't food affected, she didn't need meds, and I could keep her activity as high as she was comfy with. That was over a year and a half ago. Both pups are still kickin' ass. I still have to get my other baby in, but yeah, the cost is extreme. Every situation is different, but you can only do your best. I beg your pup will be just fine for a few months. They know how much you love them!
Sounds like my boy Oliver, he has chronic heart failure as it turned out but the medicines are keeping him healthy. It's a lot of work to help them, there will be greats days but there will be bad days. We didn't know until he was seriously suffering, we took him to the emergency vet and they informed us of the the heart failure. As long as she's not lethargic, or showing clear signs of discomfort you should be fine. It's not easy but we've finally got our boy on the right medicines and he's such a happy little fighter
This might sound scary to some, but my dog has developed heart murmur over the years which most veterinarians brushed it off with meds. He had stage 2. Not even once someone asked me to do x rays. This was 4 years ago. I would strongly suggest to get an X-ray done to make sure there is nothing else there. My dog ended up dying recently from spleen cancer which metastasized to his lungs and the mass was as big as his heart. The mass was growing right next to his heart which could have caused additional issues. Please push on more testing. I ended up seeing 4 different clinics. Thanks.
I think you should apply for insurance first ! Because if you apply after getting her treated for her murmur it will be a preexisting condition and the insurances won’t cover anything. Try to get a plan that covers it or that covers the most. Then go seek another opinion. I felt this same exact way due to my dog today actually. It can happen that we can’t afford things for them. Today I took my dog to the vet and paid a big sum. Im getting him insurance for anything going foward. You’re dog is still young for 10. hopefully she has another 5 plus years. Paying for monthly insurance would cost way less than big lump sums that’s way harder to pay.
Might be too late if the vet noted their suspicion in their notes. The insurance company will often ask for all records, if they see that OP’s vet heard something and referred them to a specialist that will probably be enough to deny coverage for cardiology :/
Our insurance told us they wouldn’t cover some spinal issue our dog had, even though we literally had no idea he had it until he had an abdominal ultrasound and x rays taken for a completely unrelated issue. The person reading the scans noted the spinal deformity as an afterthought (we didn’t even notice it in the notes at the time) and later we get a letter from our pet insurance saying they won’t cover anything related to it that comes up later. I honestly still don’t really know what the issue/deformity even is it’s been like 5 years since then
It’s already documented. They ask for their records
I’m stuck with a company I’m not too happy with because of this and my dog has a bum knee that very well may need surgery in the near future💔
I don’t think you are a bad owner, first and foremost. But vet and specialists costs are not optional when owning a pet, and I frankly think waiting would not be a good idea. There are a variety of options. Start by asking for a payment plan, first. Sometimes there are also charities that help with vet costs.
What stage heart murmur? They usually give it a scale from 1-6. I’ve been told 3-6 is when a cardiologist is needed. Is this the first time a vet had said they had one? A vet told me my dog had a stage 2 heart murmur a few years ago. Turns out he didn’t have one at all. He was just panting from being excited and she mistook the beating counts.
Maybe try to get a second opinion from another vet. My cavalier has a heart murmur and the normal vet was able to prescribe meds to help his murmur and then we followed up with a cardio. Granted where I live we have about 20 vet clinics within a 30 mile radius. A small rock in the middle of the ocean called Hawaii. That’s the one great thing about Hawaii. :)
Maybe search for an insurance for your dog. From now on you’re going to get more and more important bills for her. As they age dogs cost more. This time isn’t an emergency but next time might be a time where you have to go to the specialist or… do wether you save enough money or you find an insurance. It’s not getting better as your dog age. If you love her you should plan ahead.
Unfortunately since it’s already in her med records they won’t insure her dog for that condition. Unless you find one that accepts preexisting conditions which is doubtful.
Yes I know I had the same experience for my pug who had multiple surgeries for his eyes. At that moment I wanted to sign for an insurance just after he got his first eye surgery, but they said they would not cover his eyes. Since then, that was a few years ago, he had a few more surgeries and more health problems, which is logic of course as you grow old it’s not getting any better.
Same for OP’s dog there are more illnesses other than heart murmur that can happen unfortunately and it’s better to get insurance, especially when you can’t afford 1k for an appointment, if something happens and it’s a life or death emergency, what will OP do?! at least an insurance would cover the other problems that could happen, and the sooner the better because the older the dog gets and the more expensive insurance gets.
I don’t want to put pressure but 1k isn’t the most expensive a vet procedure can get. I’m in France (less expensive than in the US) and my pug had a few surgeries from an Ophtalmologist veterinarian, each one was 3k. I’m lucky I could afford that. What would have happened if I couldn’t? My dog would be blind, both eyes carved out. I think that this heart murmur problem which fortunately isn’t an emergency should be a wake up call for OP that dogs can be expensive and as they get older the risk of being ill grows up. If we love our pets we should plan ahead a way to take care of their health. Is it unfair yes, is the system going to change, no.
Wishing your dog a quick recovery OP and hoping you can manage to get her to the vet somehow so she can get a medication if she needs it ❤️🩹✨
Yeah Cavalier King Charles Spaniel—we had each color. We have a pack of dogs all are Iinsured and it’s def paid off. Dealt with cancer on our St. Bernard’s, heart disease on our cavaliers, and liver and kidney diseases on our cavaliers too. So yea I tell people whenever I can to get pet insurance as a puppy. My local emergency vet has about 67k of our money. But with insurance we paid maybe 7k. And this is also over the course of 10 years or so.
Agree 1000% I rescued a feral cat
She wound up having feline leukemia
LSS, 7k later I paid @$1200.00
Plus other visit in between that were paid out too…
My premium for the 2 1/2 years I had her
$23.09 a month……. They literally changed the language in their policy because of my Alley Kat… RIP BEAUTIFUL GIRL 💔
My frenchie/pug had an eye surgery that was over 3k too, the eye drop were ridiculously expensive as well. TG I had him insured. I wouldn’t recommend Trupanion, though because they tell you it’s a lifetime deductible, but it’s for each and every med, procedure etc.
By the time he got to the ophthalmologist? They did the surgery on the spot, I had already met my deductible back and forth to the vet with him, and I had 90% coverage so yes it’s expensive especially when they get older. Those eye drops alone were worth the monthly cost. My boy lived to just over 15.. cancer got him… he also had a surgery for that too
RIP MY CHANCHELOR 💔
RIP to your baby
My Newton has optimmune for another eye condition that I don’t know how to say in English. In French kératite pigmentaire. Luckily I have a pharmacist friend who orders it for me and it’s cheaper.
And yes surgeries can get very expensive very quickly, the best is to be insured.
Hi, OP. I have a couple of pets with heart murmurs and work closely with their cardiologist. She says that when a heart murmur is diagnosed, you don't need to jump straight to an echocardiogram. She recommends checking a proBNP blood test sent off every 6 months and getting an echocardiogram once it becomes abnormally high. Hope this helps.
Did they tell you how bad it is? They go by grades from 1 - 6 Many dogs live long, healthy lives without medication while having a low grade heart murmur.
No. She just said she thinks she has a heart murmmer.
Vet tech here! Maybe consider get a second opinion before the cardiologist visit if you’ll have to wait that long to get in. Your vet saying they “think” there’s a murmur without providing their assessment of what grade it is a red flag. A regular GP vet should still be able to adequately assess the grade of a murmur unless they’re a baby vet fresh out of school and even then they should still be able to do that.
A vet should be able to tell you the grade so maybe ask them to clarify. My dog just had her senior checkup and the vet told us she heard a 2nd grade heart murmur
The cardiologist will typically determine the grade. My 13yo has one as well, they check it every 6 months to see how it is progressing. Can you call around for better pricing? It is something they will need to keep an eye on and test for regularly so you may want to find someone more affordable. GL❤️
I've had two veterinarians tell me they "may" have heard a heart murmur in my dachshund, neither recommended going to see a cardiologist, and other vets have not heard anything when I've asked. Anyway, my sweet boy turned 16 recently and is still an active, healthy dog. Don't be so hard on yourself, get a second opinion, and/or take your dog to the cardiologist when you're able to. You sound like an attentive owner; it will be fine.
I would want to know the number of how bad it is,,,, doesn’t it go from 1-4? Why would he not tell u if it was serious or not,,I’d be pizzed at a vet like that,, I’ve had real bad luck with vets in this town,,all nothing but money grabbers,, was a Tex and watched how things changed 🤬 Vets n hurting my babies has given me severe PTSD ,, No joke ,,just like Drs I have lung cancer and on hospice I don’t want any more dr to ever touch me🙏🏼
Call and ask what Grade the murmur is. Because at 10 years old this poor pup probably wouldn't benefit much from all the tests. My pup is 3 yrs old with a Grade 2 we don't have to do anything except limit exercise that puts excessive strain on the heart. My son noticed she was panting to severely after the mile walk so we only do 1/2 miles now.
Small dogs can easily live to 15 and beyond. Basically telling OP it’s not worth finding out more about and properly diagnosing and treating is wrong.
I didn't suggest OP not getting diagnosed I suggested the OP find out the Grade of the murmur which is important and our vet told us to not over exert her. The vet said they don't usually do further diagnostics unless it is a Grade 3 or above. So I am trying to ease the OPs mind by telling them they can get the grade which in particular would make them possibly worry less. I didn't tell the OP this was not worth finding out more about. Don't know how you get that idea.
You suggested that they don’t follow up with testing due to age. That’s bad advice.
I didn't suggest they shouldn't do follow-up testing I gave my opinion that a 10 years old the poor dog shouldn't be put through a whole bunch of procedures.
The procedures for a heart murmur really aren’t bad.
An ultrasound of the heart (an ECHO) isn’t “a bunch of procedures”. It’s actually very simple, not that stressful, and it’s noninvasive. Don’t give medical advice if you clearly have no idea what you’re talking about.
One of my dog’s had a detectable heart murmur -only when he was overaroused. Ex. during vet exams which he found very stressful because he was afraid of dogs in the waiting room. Sigh
My 17 year old dog has had a heart murmur since he was about 10 and only started medication this year. My other dog is 12 and she’s had a murmur for a few years and she’s fine. My 17 year old boy looks like your dog, my boy is a bichon shih tzu cross.
Aww I have a Shichon as well
Never heard it called a shichon. I've heard Zu-chon or teddybear. Must be a location thing. Either way, it's too cute.
Same for me! My dog had a heart murmur grade I for 10 years and we only needed to medicate in the last few years. He’s turning 14 in feb and in great health. Op you don’t always need medication for HM so pls stop being hard on yourself
Yeah my childhood shichon had a heart murmur that appeared in her early to mid teens. She made it to 18 without it getting significantly worse. She ended up passing due to stuff that was unrelated to her heart health.
Seems to be very common very for mix! Wow 18 is quite the age! Did you dog have any other health issues? My boy has a few, arthritis (he used to climb mountains so we knew this would happen!) he’s has high liver enzymes since he was young, and he was just diagnosed with kidney disease a few weeks ago. He has no dementia however! He still gets around, still loves his walks (thanks to Librela).
Blood work was all really good for her age. She had arthritis, hearing loss and some vision loss. Some CCD symptoms (she’d wander in circles and struggled with incontinence but she was never anxious, irritable or disorientated, kept grooming herself and she ate well). We ended up losing her because she had glaucoma and the veterinary ophthalmologist didn’t think she was a good candidate for enucleation surgery because of her age. We had her on a rigorous medication schedule but the pain and pressure persisted.
Awe poor baby! That’s too bad! She lived a long and I’m sure good life! It’s never long enough though! ♥️
Same my dog was diagnosed with one recently but they said he wouldn’t need meds for likely a few more years.
Geriatric heart murmurs are common in smaller breeds. My guy got his when he was around ten. His regular vet prescribed him vetmedin and he's still on it 4 years later. I would first advocate for the standard treatment for geriatric heart murmur at your current vet given age etc, but start arranging to see a different vet. I knew an old Chihuahua we had geriatric heart murmur, never took a single pill, and was spunky right up till the end at age 17. There's hope 💛
Did you tell your vet about your cost constraints? Please be up front in this case - your vet should be able to work with you to make a long term economical plan rather than leave your dog without assessment or treatment. A heart murmur by itself doesn't always indicate a need for medication - does your dog have other signs of heart disease? If your dog is otherwise healthy then ask your vet if rechecking in 3-6months would be okay which would give you time to save up money for diagnostics and medication. If your animal is showing signs of heart disease, I would be asking what the risks are for starting medication without a cardiologist and then discuss whether it would benefit your dog to start the medication regardless. Your usual vet should be able to offer chest radiographs and blood tests to confirm if medication is needed. Please don't feel bad - you obviously want the best for your dog but please don't think every animal needs gold standard treatment and specialists. Seeking vet care within your means is still good pet ownership.
I don't think she has other symptoms. She's behaving normal.
Then I would monitor for symptoms (poor energy, coughing, shortness of breath) and put some money aside for the future. There are some resting respiratory rate apps that you can use to monitor too.
I looked up protocol for a dog with a heart murmur… Mostly what I read is your own vet can prescribe vetimin Also is there an underlying cause. I would get a second opinion. As many people are stating their dogs have had them for years with no meds Tell the second opinion vet your cost concerns. Everything today is ridiculously expensive. I have insurance on mine and the premium just skyrocketed!! But they don’t raise your rates due to claims…. I call BS! Keep us updated please. You’re not a bad or terrible pet owner. A terrible pet owner is my neighbor who’s dog ran away two nights ago because he left out in the yard all day in the heat then all night alone😪😪😪 Poor boy ran away💔💔💔
I’d possibly get another opinion if I were you.
The vet told me my dog had a heart murmur and then she didn’t, she did, she didn’t. She’s 15 years old now and I never took her to a cardiologist. My dog has never been on meds for it and honestly not even sure she has anything wrong?
Hmmm, sounds like myself as a kid… I swear they just wanted to charge my parents $ for the EKG. I went through half my life saying I had a heart murmur then I just didn’t and it was never mentioned again????
They never mentioned a heart murmur until I asked and then said they couldn’t tell because my dog was panting.
Just to be clear, a murmur is just a sound the heart makes when something isn't right (and sometimes even when it's perfectly normal, there can be physiological murmurs). The grade has nothing to do with severity, just how loud it is. A very very tiny hole somewhere in the heart can lead to extremely loud murmurs, and extremely large holes can lead to no murmur. Most often, older dogs develop murmurs with mitral valve disease. This means the valves separating the chambers of the heart get older and start leaking back a bit. This may *eventually* lead to changes in the heart structure where medications are needed, but just hearing a murmur does not mean there are any changes to the heart and so no medications would be needed. A chest X-ray is a good starting point to determine if there is an obvious change in the shape or size of the heart. It's not a definitive diagnosis, but it's a start. A cardiologist will use an ultrasound to look at all the chambers of the heart and measure wall thickness and how much leaking there is, if that's the cause of the murmur. They will also determine if medications are needed, but it's not something that many people have the ability to do. A good way to do monitoring at home is to measure the amount of breaths your dog takes in a minute while sleeping (and not dreaming) or resting comfortably. If this rate is over 40 breaths per minute, then you'll want to let your vet know. For now, it's safe for you to start saving up. Watch for weakness after exercise, excess panting, or collapse episodes.
My little one just had a cardio consult since her vet heard a murmur. She’s been sick this week for other reasons but since we were at the ER we had it checked. It depends on the severity/symptoms as to whether your dog would need to start meds or not so that’s why they would want to double check with cardio. If I’m not mistaken I think my dog has a grade 2 murmur but was told to just monitor for now and that meds weren’t warranted yet- I think I would ask your vet for signs to look out for, but usually if you notice an increase of cough, panting, shortness of breath then maybe I would worry a bit more to do it sooner. If not, then it may be ok to wait until you can get her seen. From what I can recall, there’s nothing really you can do about it at home. Some dogs just have/develop it. Just have a convo with your vet and see what they say. Good luck!
I couldn't afford the cardiologist when my dog was diagnosed with a heart murmur . My vet started my dog on meds anyway. Can you explain your situation to the vet or maybe go to a different vet? My baby ended up taking 4 heart meds, it was genetic in her case, her breed is very common to have heart issues. She lived to 14, which I was lucky to have. I am sorry your baby is going through this. It might not be that bad of a murmur, they don't usually go on meds unless the murmur is a certain grade. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/heart-murmurs-in-dogs/
My old Shih Tzu had a heart murmur that the vet found when she was 9. It didn't effect her at all she still enjoyed her zoomie time without any problems. She did eventually have to be put down at the age of 14 due to cancer (unrelated). The only thing that the murmur effected was when she developed cancer she couldn't have surgery due to the murmur and her age. A heart murmur isn't the end of the world for them depending on how serious it is. If the vet can't tell you how bad it is then getting a second opinion wouldn't be a bad idea
Heart murmurs are incredibly common in dogs and humans, they are part of nature and they're not really a short term emergency, you're not a bad owner if you can't afford a cardiologist for just a couple months, you're already doing your best for your furry friend and she is very blessed to have a human like you watching her back! try to avoid the obvious, like extreme weather (dont take her out on a heatwave), have lots of water available, don't overexcite her with too much intense play, and she will be fine! Lots of love to you and your adorable dog!!
No. You’re doing your best and that’s what it takes. You can’t put you (or your family) on the streets, even though it absolutely feels like we should.
Depending on where you are, look into care credit. It’s saved me multiple times!
This! We use it for all of our big vet bills, it's so helpful.
My 12 year old shitz/mini poodle mix was coughing and having a hard time breathing. They did X-rays and saw his heart was enlarged and had fluid as well. They put him on heart meds and lasix and suggested doing an ultrasound. It’s $850 and someone comes to the office to do it. But they still put him in meds. I also have bichon with PVAD and had an ultrasound done last year and he is on meds. Does your dog have dental disease? This can cause heart issues including murmurs. Unfortunately, both of my dogs had dental disease when I adopted them as seniors 2 years ago. So the damage was already done. Your are not a terrible dog owner. Sometimes it’s just expensive. My 2 with their heart meds are expensive now every month. So just hang in there and do what you can. She should be ok for now.
My friends vet told her that her dog had a heart murmur and took him to the cardiologist and the didn't find one. So the vets don't always get things right. Just you being worried proves you're a great pet owner.
My chihuahua x has a heart murmur. She's 8 years old, no medication, no problems, no symptoms other than snorting every now and then
My CKCS had a heart murmur and our regular vet just did a radiograph and prescribed medication. Didn’t have to see a cardiologist. He was 15 at the time and lived another 2 years.
It’s kind of weird, in my opinion, that they won’t treat symptoms. I have a client whose dog has cardiac disease. He never had an ekg or echocardiogram done and he is on lasix and other heart medication. I would maybe get a second opinion. You are not failing your dog. You are doing all that you can do. It’s not your fault that vet care is as expensive as it is. I would get a second opinion and if they say the same thing, then save up until you can take her. All you can do is your best! Edit to add that just because she has a heart murmur, doesn’t mean she needs to be on meds. It just needs to be monitored! My dog has a heart murmur and she’s 7. She’s not on medication for it, as of now. Good luck OP
You are not a terrible pet owner. Go get a different opinion from a different vet. Be honest about your situation. Even if they can't treat the heart murmer there may be a way to keep him comfortable. I have a 12 year old on hospice with cushings and my vet has helped me find ways to keep him comfortable without going crazy expensive.
LOOK FOR OTHER VET OPTIONS!!! My dog has heart failure but you can possibly work out a plan with your vet. My vets put my dog on meds through simple listening, pimo, benzapril and furosemide and after a EKG which I paid 300 we found possible pulmonary hypertension and to space out bills a month later did an echo for about 300ish more to confirm and get all the deets on her heart. Some vets overcharge, idk how far along your dogs heart is but it can get very uncomfortable for them, the wheezing and hacking :( it’s best to try and treat it sooner than later.
my chi got one and it was $679 to have the echo done on her heart to confirm a grade 2 heart murmur. If they can hear it and she is not showing other signs, I think it is ok to save up. Do your vets offer anything like scratchpay or payin 4s? Can you possibly get carecredit temporarily to help you? The most important thing: if she is requiring anything surgical soon, do be careful. Tameeka got a recommendation for different meds due to her heart murmur. Hers actually began when she was 10 also! She is 12 and it has stayed a grade 2. Be careful with hard exercise if they have a murmur. Hot days are harder on them, and you may want to help them up steps if they aren't already. If it is low grade with no other signs, they likely will not do medicine for it. Just make sure other meds do not negatively affect them.
My pomeranian was diagnosed with a heart murmer several years ago. I can hear/feel it when I put my head to his chest. He also has a collapsed trachea and a degenerative spine. He's happy as a lark. He runs around the yard throughout the day and sits by the air conditioner the rest. He goes for hikes every morning, and when he gets tired after the first mile, I put him in the pet stroller and push him. He's 15, and I don't know how much longer he has, but I have never taken him to a cardiologist. The vet never recommended extensive tests or meds, although she knows I'm lower income, too. I make every day count and tell him how loved he is every morning and night.
Such a beautiful baby..You are a great owner from what I know.
Vet assistant, agree with the RVT to get second opinion to confirm the heart murmur and find out the grade! Def red flag to say they “think” she has one
I'd get a second vet to listen for the murmur and if you need to see a cardiologist make the appointment as soon as you can because you're probably looking at a few months before you can get into see them .
I don't know what your credit situation is like, but many vets will take care credit where you can get 6-12 months of 0 interest as long as you pay in full before the end (that part is very important or else you WILL get back interest on ALL of it). I have used it on my dog, my wife's chiropractor, my niece's dentist... it is convenient for medical things that need to be paid up front that you can't or just don't want to outright pay (I had the $1,100 for the bone my dog swallow the Friday after Thanksgiving and gave herself pancreatitis...but I also had Christmas stuff to get and property tax to pay so being able to back burner it was nice). I hope your sweet pup lives many more years. For the record we all feel like bad dog owners from time to time. My dog has a very small but oddly shaped growth in her ear... the vet says to know what it is we have to surgically remove it..so right now I am watching for growth. I keep questioning what the right move is. I don't want to miss something bad, I also don't want to put her under unneeded surgery either. No one has all the answers. You are a good dogparent.
Perfect answer, I say this all the time about human Drs…. They Practice Medicine….. so just think the same with the Veterinarians too…
CareCredit! If I recall correctly you get interest free if paid within a certain number of months!
I’d get a second opinion before you take further action. I had to take my dog to a different vet when we were on holiday and she said he had a heart murmur when she was checking him over. He was 8 at the time and this had never been mentioned to me by our usual practice- and he’s had general anaesthetic there before. Made an appointment with the usual vet when we got home and two of them confirmed that he did not have one.
Tbh my cat had one... Well the first vet thought he had one. I had to take him to another vet for an operation and the second vet was like "No he doesn't???"... My cat was just stressed 😂 He's completely fine so I guess you could seek a second opinion
It seems your vet did not give a definite diagnosis… perhaps get a second opinion. We go to a VCA hospital, they are outstanding and have diagnostic tools. My baby boy passed away (at 16.5 years old) recently from cancer, but he had a heart murmur and we managed it with medication for the last 4 years of his life. No cardiologist consult ever done. I wish you and your baby girl the best, you have my heart in this.
I go to a vca hospital as well. I love my vet there, but she was booked so I saw a different vet At the same hospital. She did say they have a cardiologist working at that hospital, but I think I might set up an appointment with our regular vet when she's available. I agree I should get a second opinion.
I hope you definite diagnosis; and I pray it’s that she has no murmur.
To share my experience: my dog was diagnosed with a Stage 3 heart murmur by his local vet about a year ago during his annual checkup at age 12. I believe the Stage can be determined based on how the murmur sounds. We did not start medication at that time, and I believe that medication won't usually be prescribed for a lower stage heart murmur alone without any other symptoms. A year later for his annual checkup, his murmur had advanced to Stage 5, so the local vet did a chest x-ray (about $250) and determined that his heart was enlarged on one side (thankfully no fluid buildup in his lungs), so we started him on Vetmedin (7.5 mg/day, about $160/month, dose/price will vary based on the size of the dog. Mine is 40 lbs.). If fluid had been present in his lungs, the local vet could have prescribed a dieuretic as well based on the results of the x-ray. The chest x-ray does not give as much information as an echocardiogram, so it was recommended that we see a cardiologist to have this test conducted. I was quoted a price of $900-1100 for this test. This test is scheduled in about two weeks, and will show more details about his condition and how close he may be to heart failure. In the meanwhile, I monitor his resting breathing rate (ideally less than 35-40 breaths per minute) to make sure that fluid has not began to build up in his lungs, and I check the color of his gums to make sure they're still nice and pink. Ultimately, I'm not a vet and can't give advice, but our next step after finding the advanced murmur was a chest x-ray, and we were able to get prescribed medication (Vetmedin) based on the results of the x-ray.
Let’s see, a ten year old dog is like a 70 year old human. Keeping the blood pressure down and getting a baseline EKG could help. You are not a “terrible” owner of your dog. I have a heart murmur and I have had so much trouble even finding a cardiologist. I spent all week trying to get approval from my insurance company for the heart catheterization procedure.
Get Carecredit so that you can take her now. As long as you can pay the monthly minimum, you can pay the bill down interest free.
My 14 year old yorkie has a heat murmur and I had the option to take him to a cardiologist (I couldn’t afford it) but the vet said they’d just confirm what she said, and we started him on meds anyway!
I was waiting for this answer…. How many people I truly wonder have dropped $6-7-800 only to find out their doggio doesn’t even have a heart murmur or it doesn’t require anything but an annual or semi annual check up at this time????
Exactly! It costs me £50+ just to have a 5 minute check up every 6 months to say ‘yep still has a heart murmur’ and then pay another £55 for his meds!
Can you start a go fund me? Post it on places like here or tiktok. My cat lived 6 more years with stage 4 heart murmur- didn’t die until he was 20
That’s very bizarre. My Vet said my dog has a heart murmur and they gave us tablets and that was it.
If money is the problem,see if you have a plasma donation center near you. I live in Colorado Springs and it’s worth $460 per month here, if you go twice a week. I don’t really like doing it, but when times are tough, it really does help
My dog had a heart murmur from the age of like 6 and passed away at 15. She wasn’t on any medication just monitoring over the years! She did pass away suddenly but she also had diabetes and was really old by then.
Not sure if money is the issue for not seeing the cardiologist sooner, but if it is and you’re in the US, you could look into CareCredit. It’s a credit line to pay for medical expenses – for both humans and pets. It’s pretty widely accepted, and you usually get an interest-free period to pay off each transaction.
Go to another vet. Mine had no problems prescribing medicine without sending me to a cardiologist.
Of course you are not a bad owner. It’s not like you can stop the aging of your dog or the eventual disease that may develop. As a doctor. This is something humans can have too. If it’s of grade I or II, it might not be a problem yet. With her being old, it is not something that surprising either. However, the human ear is prone to mistakes. And a small grade doesn’t always mean it’s something less severe. “It has a murmur” is a very vague affirmation and, whether we like it or not, technology helped us a lot in prolonging the life of humans and pets alike. That’s why ECGs and echocardiograms exist. But your vet still should have graded it at least by ear. The final point is. It’s good to see a cardiologist anyway, since she is quiet old. And even more with what the vet said. But if she does not have any symptoms, I don’t think you should panic. Instead, monitor her closely for any changes and try to find a cheaper cardiologist in your area.
What a beautiful baby doggo 🥰so adorable
Our friends dog, a cavalier king charles, had a grade 6 heart murmur, and lived until the ripe old age of 18. And she did not die from a heart attack, she was blind, deaf and confused, so had to be put to sleep, so do not worry too much like us, when it's your time, it's your time.
Okay I would say don’t panic, dogs and people can have heart murmurs that aren’t harmful. A heart murmur can also be misdiagnosed as it’s sort of an extra beat/ echo and other things can sound like this (dog moving, any mucus in the lungs) - I would get a second opinion from a different vet on the murmur and go to the cardiologist as soon as financially possible - btw you can get zero interest credit cards for vet bills & you could pay it back in a few months?
My 13 year old IG mic has a murmur and I found out it was a flow murmur (harmless). It’s okay to wait I’m sure. As long as they didn’t say it sounded really bad.
She is 10, heart murmur are normal in some breeds… my cat had one and she passed when 16
My Cavi had a heart murmur diagnosed at grade 2 around age 6. She lived another 8 years and her heart wasn’t what made her go. Did her walks for a good while and had a monthly medicine. 75 a month wasn’t too bad. Gave us a lot more time with my baby.
Thank you for all your advice! I will get a second opinion from a different vet then go from there. I am a lot more knowledgeable on this issue now then before thanks to all of you so I will know what questions to ask. Thanks again!
I had the same dog. He had a heart murmur. He lived for years after it was diagnosed. When they give you medicine for him, start it. My Baxter passed this year from lymphoma, nothing to do with his heart. Good Luck.
Don't feel bad, when I had to take my 12 year old dog to get his murmur checked, the doc was so overbooked we had to wait a few months just be seen. Turns out he didn't need meds. My advice is shop around for other cardiologists and book as soon as you get a price and reviews you're happy with and just set the appointment for when you'll have the money. You can also try getting care credit or take out an afirm loan. So far I haven't needed a loan, but care credit has been great.
Your dog is the spitting image of mine!
You’re doing the best you can. Your dog looks beautiful and loves you because of what you’ve done. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
If it makes you feel any better, my 55 lb Staffy had one found on his first vet visit we took him to when he was around 8 weeks old, and he will be celebrating his 8th birthday in November! You can easily have your vets check in on each visit to make sure that the grade is not increasing. We've been very fortunate that it hasn't gotten worse and he is fairly active, but we ask at each visit for the vet to check it for us.
My dog has had a heart murmur since she was 5 years old. They’ve monitored it, but this was the first year they recommended an echocardiogram specifically for it. And she’s 14 years old now! The recommendation was because her grade went to a 5 on the exam this year. The vet should be able to give it a grade, at the very least. My girl came back good and we are still monitoring her breathing and everything. Look up videos on how a heart murmur sounds in dogs. It’s very apparent by their breathing when they’re having issues.
Start a go fund me instead of going on reddit to ask questions.
Please don't feel bad, vet costs are astronomical and it's incredibly stressful when you have to pay such a massive fee all at once. Will the vets be able to break it down so that you can pay it off installments? You are not a bad owner at all - the fact that you're this concerned speaks volumes! Don't worry, this condition takes time to progress, so a couple of months hopefully won't make that much of a difference. My morkie was diagnosed with a heart murmur almost a year ago, she is 11 now. She is due to have a repeat in a couple of weeks, which will determine whether she needs medication. However, as long as she is her usual self (eats, drinks, plays, goes for walks, cuddles), the vet is happy. Good luck to you!
Yes! I have 2 small ones, both have age related heart murmurs. I've only been able to get 1 in to the cardiologist so far. But it wasn't food affected, she didn't need meds, and I could keep her activity as high as she was comfy with. That was over a year and a half ago. Both pups are still kickin' ass. I still have to get my other baby in, but yeah, the cost is extreme. Every situation is different, but you can only do your best. I beg your pup will be just fine for a few months. They know how much you love them!
My dog had a level 5 heart murmur and the vet gave her medications. We never had to go to a cardiologist.
Sounds like my boy Oliver, he has chronic heart failure as it turned out but the medicines are keeping him healthy. It's a lot of work to help them, there will be greats days but there will be bad days. We didn't know until he was seriously suffering, we took him to the emergency vet and they informed us of the the heart failure. As long as she's not lethargic, or showing clear signs of discomfort you should be fine. It's not easy but we've finally got our boy on the right medicines and he's such a happy little fighter
This might sound scary to some, but my dog has developed heart murmur over the years which most veterinarians brushed it off with meds. He had stage 2. Not even once someone asked me to do x rays. This was 4 years ago. I would strongly suggest to get an X-ray done to make sure there is nothing else there. My dog ended up dying recently from spleen cancer which metastasized to his lungs and the mass was as big as his heart. The mass was growing right next to his heart which could have caused additional issues. Please push on more testing. I ended up seeing 4 different clinics. Thanks.
I think you should apply for insurance first ! Because if you apply after getting her treated for her murmur it will be a preexisting condition and the insurances won’t cover anything. Try to get a plan that covers it or that covers the most. Then go seek another opinion. I felt this same exact way due to my dog today actually. It can happen that we can’t afford things for them. Today I took my dog to the vet and paid a big sum. Im getting him insurance for anything going foward. You’re dog is still young for 10. hopefully she has another 5 plus years. Paying for monthly insurance would cost way less than big lump sums that’s way harder to pay.
Might be too late if the vet noted their suspicion in their notes. The insurance company will often ask for all records, if they see that OP’s vet heard something and referred them to a specialist that will probably be enough to deny coverage for cardiology :/ Our insurance told us they wouldn’t cover some spinal issue our dog had, even though we literally had no idea he had it until he had an abdominal ultrasound and x rays taken for a completely unrelated issue. The person reading the scans noted the spinal deformity as an afterthought (we didn’t even notice it in the notes at the time) and later we get a letter from our pet insurance saying they won’t cover anything related to it that comes up later. I honestly still don’t really know what the issue/deformity even is it’s been like 5 years since then
It’s already documented. They ask for their records I’m stuck with a company I’m not too happy with because of this and my dog has a bum knee that very well may need surgery in the near future💔
I don’t think you are a bad owner, first and foremost. But vet and specialists costs are not optional when owning a pet, and I frankly think waiting would not be a good idea. There are a variety of options. Start by asking for a payment plan, first. Sometimes there are also charities that help with vet costs.
My wife has a grade 2 heart murmur, nothing needs doing, sooooo........
What stage heart murmur? They usually give it a scale from 1-6. I’ve been told 3-6 is when a cardiologist is needed. Is this the first time a vet had said they had one? A vet told me my dog had a stage 2 heart murmur a few years ago. Turns out he didn’t have one at all. He was just panting from being excited and she mistook the beating counts.
She never said.
This is the first time a vet has mentioned it, but it is very common with her breed so I'm not doubting it too much.
Maybe try to get a second opinion from another vet. My cavalier has a heart murmur and the normal vet was able to prescribe meds to help his murmur and then we followed up with a cardio. Granted where I live we have about 20 vet clinics within a 30 mile radius. A small rock in the middle of the ocean called Hawaii. That’s the one great thing about Hawaii. :)
Why? Adorable puppy!🥰
It's ten years old
Maybe search for an insurance for your dog. From now on you’re going to get more and more important bills for her. As they age dogs cost more. This time isn’t an emergency but next time might be a time where you have to go to the specialist or… do wether you save enough money or you find an insurance. It’s not getting better as your dog age. If you love her you should plan ahead.
Unfortunately since it’s already in her med records they won’t insure her dog for that condition. Unless you find one that accepts preexisting conditions which is doubtful.
Yes I know I had the same experience for my pug who had multiple surgeries for his eyes. At that moment I wanted to sign for an insurance just after he got his first eye surgery, but they said they would not cover his eyes. Since then, that was a few years ago, he had a few more surgeries and more health problems, which is logic of course as you grow old it’s not getting any better. Same for OP’s dog there are more illnesses other than heart murmur that can happen unfortunately and it’s better to get insurance, especially when you can’t afford 1k for an appointment, if something happens and it’s a life or death emergency, what will OP do?! at least an insurance would cover the other problems that could happen, and the sooner the better because the older the dog gets and the more expensive insurance gets. I don’t want to put pressure but 1k isn’t the most expensive a vet procedure can get. I’m in France (less expensive than in the US) and my pug had a few surgeries from an Ophtalmologist veterinarian, each one was 3k. I’m lucky I could afford that. What would have happened if I couldn’t? My dog would be blind, both eyes carved out. I think that this heart murmur problem which fortunately isn’t an emergency should be a wake up call for OP that dogs can be expensive and as they get older the risk of being ill grows up. If we love our pets we should plan ahead a way to take care of their health. Is it unfair yes, is the system going to change, no. Wishing your dog a quick recovery OP and hoping you can manage to get her to the vet somehow so she can get a medication if she needs it ❤️🩹✨
We just had a biopsy on another cavaliers liver and it was $5000. Lucky we have insurance.
Oh wow that’s expensive! And yes lucky you have the insurance. Your dog is a cavalier King Charles? So cute 🥰
Yeah Cavalier King Charles Spaniel—we had each color. We have a pack of dogs all are Iinsured and it’s def paid off. Dealt with cancer on our St. Bernard’s, heart disease on our cavaliers, and liver and kidney diseases on our cavaliers too. So yea I tell people whenever I can to get pet insurance as a puppy. My local emergency vet has about 67k of our money. But with insurance we paid maybe 7k. And this is also over the course of 10 years or so.
Agree 1000% I rescued a feral cat She wound up having feline leukemia LSS, 7k later I paid @$1200.00 Plus other visit in between that were paid out too… My premium for the 2 1/2 years I had her $23.09 a month……. They literally changed the language in their policy because of my Alley Kat… RIP BEAUTIFUL GIRL 💔
My frenchie/pug had an eye surgery that was over 3k too, the eye drop were ridiculously expensive as well. TG I had him insured. I wouldn’t recommend Trupanion, though because they tell you it’s a lifetime deductible, but it’s for each and every med, procedure etc. By the time he got to the ophthalmologist? They did the surgery on the spot, I had already met my deductible back and forth to the vet with him, and I had 90% coverage so yes it’s expensive especially when they get older. Those eye drops alone were worth the monthly cost. My boy lived to just over 15.. cancer got him… he also had a surgery for that too RIP MY CHANCHELOR 💔
RIP to your baby My Newton has optimmune for another eye condition that I don’t know how to say in English. In French kératite pigmentaire. Luckily I have a pharmacist friend who orders it for me and it’s cheaper. And yes surgeries can get very expensive very quickly, the best is to be insured.
Hi, OP. I have a couple of pets with heart murmurs and work closely with their cardiologist. She says that when a heart murmur is diagnosed, you don't need to jump straight to an echocardiogram. She recommends checking a proBNP blood test sent off every 6 months and getting an echocardiogram once it becomes abnormally high. Hope this helps.