My pet has a heart murmur?!?
When I tell a client that their pet has a heart murmur, the most common reaction is usually a wide-eyed, ‘oh my goodness’ kind of look. A heart murmur can sound scary but it isn’t necessarily bad news.
Hearing a heart murmur simply means that the blood flow within the heart is turbulent- sort of the way water flows over rocks in rapids. A heart murmur becomes concerning if delivery of blood and oxygen to different parts of the body is compromised. This can lead to the development of a larger heart muscle to compensate since the heart’s job is to ensure adequate delivery. Keep in mind though, many animals live long and healthy lives despite the presence of a heart murmur.
Diagnosing the cause
Diagnosis is rarely made based on a heart murmur alone. A ‘grade’ based on a 1-6 scale is usually given to address the possible severity of disease but most often, xrays and echocardiograms (ultrasound of the heart) will be recommended to be able to identify the potential abnormalities in structure and function.
How do I monitor my pet’s heart disease?
Even if your pet has been diagnosed with heart disease, it is important to remember that no treatment is started until we start to see symptoms. What are typical symptoms of heart disease? Most owners report coughing (sometimes worse at night), decreased ability/desire to exercise, weight loss or episodes of fainting. Unfortunately (or fortunately!), these symptoms aren’t as common as you think and by the time we start to see them, heart disease is usually pretty advanced. In order to help me start treatment for your pet’s heart disease at just the right time, here are a few tips:
An exam with your vet every 6-12 months can help to keep the conversation going about your pet’s heart disease and allow me to ‘grade’ the murmur. Recheck x-rays are also recommended at these visits to see if there have been any changes to your pet’s heart size, shape and lungs.
You as an owner can be the first to pick up on changes in your pet’s heart disease if you learn to count respiration rates. This is the first subtle sign in worsening heart disease. To do this, count the number of times your pet’s chest rises (and falls) in a minute. Make sure that they’re sleeping or resting and not coming in after a romp in the park! Do this 3-4 times in the first week to get an average of what’s ‘normal’ for your pet. Then count respiration rates once per week after that to monitor for any changes. Let us know about a slow increase in respiration rates over time.
How do I monitor my pet’s heart disease if he’s already on medications?
Once your pet has been diagnosed, stabilized and on a long-term treatment plan that we’ve worked on together, monitoring your pet is as above: regular visits (every 6-12 months), regular xrays and monitoring respiration rates at home.