My New Puppy Has A Heart Murmur :(

[Sarah86]

I'm so glad that others hear have helped put your mind at ease. Silver is a beautiful girl :wub: so cute :huggles: Hope we get to see more pictures of her

 

[Suerose]

Its worth having x-rays taken every few months to a year to check that the heart isn't becoming enlarged by working too hard. These are done under sedation and only take a few minutes.

But bear in mind that too much radiation (which is what an x-ray is) can cause cancer!

 

[whippetmad]

Sorry to hear she got a heart murmur,i know of a few whippets with the same problem and are living life to the full :teehee: :teehee: ......all the best to you both :wub:

 

[wild whippies]

Nothing worse than getting a puppy and being told they've got a problem which you think may be life threatening however, I suspect that even if the heart murmur is present, your dog will lead a full and happy life regardless.

Just to clarify, athletic heart syndrome is something that is acquired through prolonged endurance or strength training, it is more likely to be evident in a dog that is racing rather than a young pup. The anamoly causes a thickening and enlargement of the heart which may well be naturally congenital in sighthounds (as it would be advantagous) however it is not a defect of the heart valves. Even so to the unexperienced vet listening to a heart that is larger than normal within a large chest cavity, may well perceive sound reverberations that are mimicing what would sound like a heart murmur.

If it is a heart murmur and there is some defect of the valves, I personally wouldn't pursue the matter unless your dog is displaying symptoms of cardiomyopathy (heart problems) e.g. fainting, giddiness, excessive recovery period following exertion etc and then it would be with a cardiologist's input.

As for X-Rays, yes excessive doses of radiation can predispose an individual to cancer but the doses has to be very high and / or repeated frequently. To give you an idea, the average dental x-ray gives a lesser dose than a long haul flight on a plane. Whilst I appreciate there won't be many whippets going on planes, there may well be some watching telly who'd also be exposed to radiation equivocal to a dental x-ray.

I certainly wouldn't dispute a vet's wishes to have an x-ray provided they're a decent vet and their reasons for x-raying are justifiable. :thumbsup:

We have had a number of racing whippets diagnosed with heart murmurs, you may wish to read the thread below posted in the past as it should give you some reassurance. It's a little lengthy as other issues were being discussed but in a nutshell, we've had those diagnosed with heart murmurs investigated by cardiologists, they've suffered no ill health relating to their condition, they've lived long healthy happy lives and we also suspect that it is a natural phenomenom in the breed that gives the dog an advantage in sprint racing.

http://www.k9community.co.uk/forums/index....t=0&start=0

By all means notify the breeder but I suspect if they're an experienced one, they'll give you plenty of reassurance. :thumbsup:

 

[Seraphina]

I think it is very important that the breeder knows. To start with they will most likely be able to recomend vet who knows Whippets. IF this puppy really has a problem, even if it is mild and will not cause any problems to the dog, the breeder should know that they produced pup with heart murmur. How do breeders supose to breed dogs without problems if they are not told?

I did not mean to suggest that x-rays should not be taken if the dog really has heart problem and the vet considers it appropriate, but in this stage, before the diagnoses was confirmed, to subject little puppy to x-rays is not something I would consider.

As far as radiation goes; if taking x-rays is safe, why does the dentist puts lead bib on my chest and leaves the room when x-raying my teeth? The fact is that although the amount of radiation used in dental X-rays is very small, the effect is cumulative, so all radiation counts.

 

[wild whippies]

I think it is very important that the breeder knows. To start with they will most likely be able to recomend vet who knows Whippets. IF this puppy really has a problem, even if it is mild and will not cause any problems to the dog, the breeder should know that they produced pup with heart murmur. How do breeders supose to breed dogs without problems if they are not told?
I did not mean to suggest that x-rays should not be taken if the dog really has heart problem and the vet considers it appropriate, but in this stage, before the diagnoses was confirmed, to subject little puppy to x-rays is not something I would consider.

As far as radiation goes; if taking x-rays is safe, why does the dentist puts lead bib on my chest and leaves the room when x-raying my teeth? The fact is that although the amount of radiation used in dental X-rays is very small, the effect is cumulative, so all radiation counts.

It's only worth the breeder acknowledging a problem, if it is a problem and has been diagnosed by an expert. But yes like I already said, notifying the breeder is worthwhile if anything for the puppy owner's reasurance. :wacko:

With regards to radiation, I did recall me saying something about doseage and frequency. Which is why the dentist leaves the room. :wacko:

The bib and I quote from the National Radiological Protection Board with regards to pregnant women:

If the examination is undertaken, the fetal dosemust be kept to a minimum consistent with the diagnostic purpose. In such situations

the use of a lead apron is advised, principally because of the reassurance that it provides

http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1194947310610

 

[Rebecca Claire]

Congratulations on your gorgeous new whippet addition - she looks utterly adorable :wub: Great advice already given, just wanted to say that my dog Rocky has had a murmur all his life and he is now 12 years old and still fit as you like, he's had no problems and no operations (never even been brought up by the vets so I hadn't even thought of operating on him - no need)

Not all bad news, so try not to worry - you won't enjoy all the puppy stages otherwise :teehee: Enjoy your new whippet - they are the best :luck: :luck:

 

[bertha]

Sensible reply Rebecca, all the in depth stuff is really worrying for a new comer. Love and enjoy your puppy, I am pretty sure it will be fine.

:luck: :luck:

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Leabysea]

I too have just been told my 16 week old whippet puppy has strong heart murmur and he wants him to have scan which is not available at that vets would have to go to heart specialist. Also been worried sick. Mind working overtime, yes he sleeps a lot but plays a lot too, thought that was normal puppy behaviour, now reading all sorts into it. Can anyone recommend an expert sighthound vet, I live in Broadstairs Kent. Thank god for this site and all of you who offer such great advice and information.

 

[bigmac]

With my Ben I was told at first jab he had a squeak and that might be a problem. he still had the squeak at 1 yr old and so the vet said go ahead and enjoy him. so we have raced him and he is nearly 4 years old. even had heat stroke when we were in Scotland and the vet there said all whippets have a heart problem at some time and said nothing to worry about it. I have had whippets for over 40 years but it was the first one from an early age so I did worry until I saw him racing and knew he was ok. by the way my vet is an experienced greyhound and whippet person

enjoy your little sweetheart