[Toby4Life]

Anyone have experience w/ or knowledgable about heart murmurs? I am adopting a 6 month old Straffordshire Ter. mix that I'm told has a heart murmur and I'm trying to find out as much as possible before we get him. Can anyone help?

I will be calling our vet on Monday to see what he has to say, but I'm hoping to get some info from some folks here. Thanks.

 

[spotted nikes]

I got a Cocker that was about 2 yrs old w/a heart murmur that lived to the avg age for the breed w/o ever having it be a problem. It wasn't a severe murmur, but it was there.

 

[agility collie mom]

Heart murmurs are graded 1-6. 1 being the mildest 6 being the most severe. I would not worry too much if it is a grade 1-2 murmur. Some puppies actually outgrow heart murmurs. Squeak my little maltese had a grade 3 heart murmur when I got her. She has outgrown most of it. Last time the vet checked it was barely audible. She is active and happy you would never know that she has one. Here is more information on heart murmurs. (My old horse had one too and he lived to be 25.)

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=189&A=2488&S=0

 

[Janine]

I answered to your question in the General Dog Forum.