Heart murmur

[Jeannie]

During a senior health check yesterday, the vet found my 12 yr old shepherd has a "level 1" heart murmur which he did not hear 4 months ago. He said we should re-check it in a month to see if it has progressed, and if so, he'll do an EKG and refer us to a specialist to determine what meds may help. Has anyone had some experience with heart murmurs? Thank you.

Jeannie

[Cindidoxiemom]

Yeppers...my Hunter who is an IVDD dogger has a grade III heart murmur. They say he has heart disease, but it doesn't seem to effect him, and he is almost 13 years old. Some murmur's are more significant than others. Is he showing symptoms?

[Paul Coover]

Our Riley has a grade 3 murmur. Our vet says that if he gets to a grade 4, he will need medication. If it progresses to a 5 or 6, he would need a pacemaker. I was fascinated with this, because my wife has a pacemaker-defibrilator. When we first adopted RIley 3.5 years ago, his murmur was a grade 2, so I guess he is tracking toward getting the meds or perhaps more. Despite Riley's heart condition, he is perfectly happy and healthy. By the way, Riley is 7.5 years old.

[Jeannie]

Thank you for answering. No, he is not really showing symptoms. He is a bit less enthusiastic about his walks lately, but he has some arthritis in his legs so I think it's due to that. He doesn't cough or breath heavily.

[Jeannie]

Thanks for answering. Wow, no medication till a grade 4? And I was concerned the vet didn't give us some medication yesterday for his grade 1.

[Diana R.]

Jeannie:

Heart murmurs go in grades from 1 to 6 with 6 being a "machinery murmur" and the worst. I have a cat Simba who has a grade 4---he has a ventricular septal defect or hole in the septa (the divide) between the two lower heart chambers. An ultrasound or echocardigram by a cardiologist is usually what is necessary to definitively tell what the problem is. Simba was first diagnosed when I got him as a foster in 2004. The hole has gotten smaller and the vet believes he can live a long life. He is not on any meds. Animals can still have heart disease even without any heart murmur and can die suddenly. Although a grade one is obviously very low you could have an echo done if you have concerns or see other signs like trouble breathing. Diana

[CarolC]

Same here. My 14-15 year old mini-dachshund has a "III/IV systolic murmur" with "cardiomegaly, mild left atrial enlargement". I was told the same thing, medication at grade IV. She is seems bouncy and happy. She sleeps a lot, but you would at her age.

[Jeannie]

Thank you to Diane and Carol. After hearing the concensus that drugs aren't generally given until there's a grade 3-4, I feel ridiculous that I wrote my vet a note and inquired why he didn't prescribe a med. now. Oh, well, he gets paid to answer my questions.

[SandyNY]

don't know if this is accurrate, but one vet told me a grade one heart murmur means ifyou have vet 1 and vet 2 in the same room, vet 1 hears it and vet 2 does not. Stage 2 means they both hear it and agree it is same they both hear.....
I was told some kits and pups born with slite murmur and it isok esp if it doesn't change as they grow up. it may disappear. when it develops as older, more need to follow up. I would just have them listen to heart at each visit and document any findings or lack of... some people i know have been told it is there this visit, but next visit no vet hears it...

[Paul Coover]

I have heard the same thing. Usually a grade one is barely noticeable. I guess the grade is just a matter of opinion.