Aortic Stenosis (Heart Murmur)

[Bunch]

A heart murmur is the sound produced when blood flow through the heart becomes turbulent. Murmur's are graded in severity from 0 to 6 where 0 is murmur free and 6 is severe. Aortic Stenosis is a congenital narrowing at the entrance of the aorta which supplies blood to the body. It usually takes the form of a fibrous ring below the aortic valve (Sub-Aortic Stenosis).

The left ventricle has to pump with greater force to push the blood past the narrow valve. This results in a thickening of the heart muscle wall, it enlarges just like any other muscle because it is working harder. As a result of the thickening, the narrowing is made worse. Blood supply to the muscle itself is restricted, thus the muscle is working harder but with restricted blood flow.

This apparently affects Boxers mainly but has been known to also affect many other breeds aswell as Lhasa Apsos and due to this, we need to be aware of this fact. SIgns can be one or all of the following...............Coughing, Fainting, Excercise intolerance, weight loss and weight gain, changes in breathing pattern and erratic breathing. Lets all be aware. Lia xx

[DAISYBELL]

My Daisy had this, which infact lead to heart failure, she was when first diagnosed a grade 4, she had as you all may remember a years treatment for this and also cushings disease, she used to pass out, each time looked like she had died, very hard times i kept a diary on my calander, which i always keep, saw it the other day when clearing out a drawer, couldn't read it all just saw the month it was open at. Apparently if a larger breed dog had the same as Daisy they would have been given 6 weeks to live from diagnosis!!., my Daisy had 1 year, ofcourse in the end on max. meds.,,. However puppies can be born with a heart murmur like my Lulu did, at her 1st check up at 8 weeks a heart murmur was diagnosed, my lovely vet was so upset for me knowing all that i had been through with my Daisy, so to have got a puppy with a heart murmur was the worst poss. sernario, he even said along with her tummy hernia, i could return her to the "breeder".NO WAY would i have ever done that, infact was even more sure she was meant to be., he said this was poss. just a puppy thing, which it turned out to be on the next check the murmur was gone so just an infant blip, hernia obv. still there, that will be repaired when she is spayed. But do you know at the time still grieving for my lovely Dais, felt like she had been sent back to me, but god still needed to repair her heart and was letting me know that!! Grief does do funny things to the mind...just reminded me of a new topic..........xx

[MITCHELLA]

when mum first got blue (from that bloody puppy farmer, sorry for swearing, we were none the wiser back then) we of course took him to the vet for a check up and to register him there, the vet told us blue had a heart murmur not sure what grade cant remember if she said or not as blue is now 6yrs old amongst other things such as ear mites and so on, the vet had told us to return blue to the person we got him from as she said when blue gets older his heart murmur will get worse and so vet bills are more than likey and so on, well dad phoned mrs x and told her what the vet had said and i wont mention what she said amongs all the cursing and shouting but if mrs x had taken him back he wouldnt be alive today, there was no way we were gonna take the chance and send him back (this is what the puppy farmers want, for inocent folks to keep the dogs knowing theyre not of sound health) so we are now prepared the best we can be for when blue gets older, got to stop now before i start crying xx

[Bunch]

Yvonne, yes I remember you saying this about Daisy and I have to agree that grief can play havoc with the mind - it can tear you apart too. And Pamela, I can understand you becoming all upset just even thinking about the future where Blue is concerned but you have cared for Blue with all your might and look at him now! He is gorgeous.

I for one could never return a pup if my vet advised me to...........once that pup is in your arms, there is no going back no matter what the circumstance or whatever costs would be involved further along the line. From day one, that pup becomes part of the family. xxxxxxxxxx

[DAISYBELL]

Ah Pamela, i don't know Blue's "story?" please if it is on here, this "new forum" please direct me if not.. if you can bear it, please tell me on here.xx

[MITCHELLA]

Ah Pamela, i don't know Blue's "story?" please if it is on here, this "new forum" please direct me if not.. if you can bear it, please tell me on here.xx
its not on here, but when ive more time ill tell the story of how blue came to be with us and stay with us, im heading off to bed soon as im up at 5am to walk the dogs before i start work, thanks for asking deers xxx

[Bunch]

Awww Pamela, I'd love to hear this story too when you can xxxxxxxxxxx

[Coco-Ben]

My Benji has a slight heart murmour, when I had him at 10 weeks old on the first trip to the vet to get him checked out and registered the vet suggested that he be put to sleep, there is no way that I could even consider such a thing. On his second visit, the murmour was hardly noticable. He's now 3 years old and apart from a couple of coughing bouts is very fit and loves long walks and running around.
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