Canine Heart Murmur

canine heart murmur





A canine heart murmur can be a serious problem...

Discover ways to prevent heart disease in your dog or puppy with our fact by fact guide.

We have provided a complete list of heart diseases, what causes it, ways to prevent it and how to treat it with canine medications or alternative treatments

Canine Heart Murmur


It's currently estimated that 1 in 10 dogs which is equivalent to 3 million dog every single year who are diagnosed with canine congestive heart failure.

Although symptoms of canine congestive heart failure are sometime difficult to spot, a common symptom and method to diagnose heart disease in dogs is for a vet to listen for a heart murmur.

Canine Heart Murmur - The Facts
  • A canine heart murmur is a cardiac disorder that is caused by changes in the heart valves and also changes in their function.
  • Inherited heart disease is classed as congenital and heart disease that develops is called acquired.
  • If the disorder is acquired it may have been acquired through disease, age, anemia and/or high blood pressure.
  • The disorder also relates to an abnormal activity in a dog's blood flow.
Symptoms of a Canine Heart Murmur
 
Symptoms can include...
  • Breathing difficulties.
  • Your dog may develop a blue tongue, mouth and gums.
  • Your dog may appear weak.
  • Sluggish behavior.
  • Your dog may even faint
  • Your dog may struggle with exercise
  • Coughing is another symptom
Diagnosis

We advise you to take your dog straight to the vet if you have any concerns about his health, it's better to be safe than sorry.

A common way to diagnose this problem is for the vet to perform certain tests including an...
  • Chest X-Rays
  • Blood tests
  • Ultrasound on the heart
  • Echodiagrams

Canine Heart Murmur

Conventional Treatments

canine heart murmur

  • The treatments, therapy and medications can vary depending on the age of your dog and how serious the problem is
  • If the heart murmur is benign your vet may encourage a better diet that will counteract any nutrients that maybe lacking in your dogs nutritional plan.
  • If a better diet is advised by your vet, the vet may advise a diet that includes nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids a low sodium diet, Coenzyme Q10 and Vitamin A also being added to the diet.
  • Your vet may prescribe medications like Enalapril, Lasix or Benazepril to lower your dog's blood pressure.
  • If the vet has concerns about fluid building up in the organs they may prescribe diuretics.
  • If the problem is very severe, your dog's vet may need to perform surgical procedures, but this is normally done in older dogs with diseased and damaged heart valves.


List of Heart Disease in Dogs


Acquired Heart Disease.
  • Chronic valvular heart disease.
  • Dilated cardiomyopathy
  • Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.
  • Myocardial disease 
  • Pericardial disease
Congenital Heart Disease
  • Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
  • Subaortic stenosis
  • Pulmonic stenosis (PS)
  • Subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS)

Benefits of a Good Diet


  • Your dog may also have allergies which you can also cater for varying the ingredients depending on what your dog is allergic to.
  • If you are making your own dog food it is important that you make sure you are providing your dog with the appropriate nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
  • Some dog owners recommend that dog food should be made up of 40% meat, 30% fiber and 30% starch.
  • It is very important that you leave out certain ingredients as grapes, onions and chocolate are very dangerous to dogs.

If you are after a guide to making dog food then check out our recipes for homemade dog foods.


  • Most commercial dog food that you purchase over the counter will not contain Omega Fatty Acids, but they are an essential part of your dog's diet.
  • Tuna, Cod and Salmon are a good source of fatty acids, but if you are unable to find the right ingredients, supplements are fine.
  • Although you can purchase natural fish oil from most good vet stores, it is very difficult to store as it should be placed in the fridge straight after opening and then used within 3 months.
  • Fish oil or omega fatty acids are also really good for a dog's coat, skin and autoimmune system.


    • We have provided a quick video below on the secret ingredients in some dog food that may be harming your pooch.

A Short Video on The Secret Ingredients in Some Dog Food



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