# Heart murmer



## Pupy (Feb 1, 2008)

How common is a heart murmer is small chihuahuas at 4 months old?


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## OrchardLane (Aug 30, 2008)

It depends on a lot of things. Heart murmurs are common in Chihuahuas to the point where they are one of the main health issues.

However, a lot of it has to do with proper breeding, health screening etc. 

More than likely a heart murmur at 4 months old was present at birth. It might have been too hard for the vet to detect at the time. Many small heart murmurs that puppies are born with actually correct themselves over time - there will be times when it doesn't of course but there have been many positive cases out there - enough to be encouraging.


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## Pupy (Feb 1, 2008)

Hello and Thank you for your reply, 
My newest baby has one I just brought her yesterday.
I feel that i have bad luck after the last chihuahua that i lost as a puppy.
But bad luck can always turn into something great :0)

I have named her Tisheko I will put her photo up on pictures.
When i got her from the breeder who is with the NZKC it went like this.
The Pup was 4 months old yesterday, The breeder went to the vets but couldnt Get an appoinment so she was sold to me for $900 insteed of $1000 with a discount as the pup had no vet checks.
I went straight to my vet, and there it was a significant heart murmur.
So I called the breeder who said there was no refund but if I send proof from the vet of Murmur She will give me a Pup out her next Litter for free and I can also keep my wee baby.
Im happy with This.
Now all I want to know is can a dog Live with this.
Your reply sounds hopeful that she may outgrow it.
Also her fontinel on her head is wide and open...
I have heard this is also common.. my new pup will be vet checked before i get him or her.
They have papers with the kennel club In NZ
can a dog with a murmer be showen?
reagrds...Pupy


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## Pupy (Feb 1, 2008)

is there anyone that has been through this?


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## OrchardLane (Aug 30, 2008)

What rating did the vet give Tisheko's heart murmur? They grade them from minor (1) to severe (6). Sometimes even severe heart murmurs are not that serious (even though they are louder).

Now that you know there is a murmur the key to succeeding with it is knowing the actual cause of it. Further testing will help you pinpoint the reason your little one has the murmur and see if there are any underlying conditions that are happening along side it.

It is important for you to get chest X-rays and an echocardiogram. These two tests will help determine if PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus), MVD (Mitral Valve Disease) or Pulmonic Stenosis which are three highly prevalent congenital defects are present.

You can also look to see if anemia is a factor - anemia can cause issues along side of murmurs. Anemia can be caused by something as simple as an infestation of worms.

The key is to keep on top of this.

Also look for additional symptoms:
exercise intolerance 
collapsing episodes 
bluish mucous membranes
rapid heart rate that's not stress related

As soon as you know the causes of the heart murmur or the co-existing conditions you can start treatment for it. There are medications that can help. Some puppies will grow out of it as well. So there is lots of hope. The key is to invest in the proper testing. Don't skip this part - it could save your dog's life.


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## *Sarah* (Apr 19, 2005)

I was going to say get your vet to check for MVD, a lot of small breeds have murmur's it isn't uncommon but you really need to know what the grade is before you can really think about a course of action. If it's low grade she could grow out of it, if it's high grade you may need to think about how to give her the best quality of life. I hope the breeder informed you of the medical expenses you may have to incur over her life time, as it appears your breeder hasn't told you much about murmurs which is rather troubling.

With murmur's they can deteriorate over the years and in later life there is an increased risk of major health problems. We lost one of our previous dogs with a murmur to a stroke, we're not sure if her condition contributed to that loss or not. 

As for showing, you don't breed from a dog with a defect hence why would you wish to show it? Dogs should only really be shown with clear hearts anyway as the point of showing is to ascertain future breeding lines. In all honesty that really should be the least of your worries.


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## Rosiesmum (Oct 14, 2007)

OrchardLane said:


> Also look for additional symptoms:
> exercise intolerance
> collapsing episodes
> bluish mucous membranes
> rapid heart rate that's not stress related



You can add to that ~
Poor appetite and associated weight loss
Panting at rest


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## Pupy (Feb 1, 2008)

Hello we haven,t got to the scan stage and i do not intended at all to show her or breed her.
I Brought her for this purpose and wasnt told about her condition at all.
She wasnt vet checked at all before coming to me, Yes i stupid for not making sure this was done.
I guess i just had faith that Dealing with a NZKC breeder i would be safe etc.
I had the impression the person was a top breeder.
I have never owned a dog with papers nor do I know how this should all work its a learning curve and I guess i have learnt the hard way This is my second desaster, and yes im partly to Blame.
As i trust to much.
My vets say it will cost at least 4000 to get a heart scan etc, who knows what i will do take each day as it comes.
She will be Pet only, Now I have only owned her now 4 days today.
Im looking at the scan option and asking other vets if tests can be done localy.
Rather than going half way down NZ to get them done.
That may help with costs.
So far all I have been told is its a servere murmur, they havent graded it yet, Im waiting for a medical cert.
The scan will be I would say the only way to fully find out.


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## OrchardLane (Aug 30, 2008)

Pupy said:


> Hello we haven,t got to the scan stage and i do not intended at all to show her or breed her.
> I Brought her for this purpose and wasnt told about her condition at all.
> She wasnt vet checked at all before coming to me, Yes i stupid for not making sure this was done.
> I guess i just had faith that Dealing with a NZKC breeder i would be safe etc.
> ...


Have you had blood work done on her yet? Full blood count and organ function panels?

When you say "scan" what procedure are you referring to - the echocardiogram?

You vet should be able to at least rule out a few thing with an x-ray - which is something I would suggest doing.

I would definitely contact other vets and check out your options. Check into veterinary teaching colleges/universities too as they usually have the best equipment and sometimes can offer discounts etc.


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