All Dog Breeds: Dog Heart Murmur Symptoms Dog Heart Murmur Symptoms ================================================================================ admin on 01 January, 2010 05:33:00 A Dog cardiac murmur is induced when the blood flows abnormally in the heart. The atypical change in the canine heart can result in the right side of the heart to not transmit easily with the left side, occasionally affecting the animal's health. Symptoms of a Heart Murmur in Dogs *The canine's heartbeat seems atypical or irregular *A hacking cough that doesn't appear to go away. *Breathing that appears strained (excessive panting) even though the canine is at rest *The dog exhausts easily *Lack of energy *Collapsing or fainting *The gums or tongue have a bluish color *A rapid pulse *Severe water retention *Loss of appetite All of these symptoms might signal health hazards that are grave, however not necessarily a cardiac murmur. Only a veterinarian can diagnose a heart murmur in canines. Causes of Heart Murmurs in Dogs Canines can acquire heart murmurs for a list of reasons. A lot of canines might acquire heart disease as they get old, causing them to have an atypical heartbeat. Blood leakage from the heart valves to the atrium or hypertension could also be a cause. Some puppies are delivered with a congenital abnormality that results in murmurs or they might be more genetically inclined to this disease. Canines that have anemia or an illnesses that impacts the heart or blood vessels might make a dog more inclined to acquiring a cardiac murmur. Mitral valve stenosis, a disease in which the dog's heart valves leak, can cause a cardiac murmur in canines. A disease where holes exist in the heart chamber that pumps blood, ventricular septal, can result in the blood to flood too quickly in puppies, leading to an atypical heartbeat. Pulmonary or aortic stenosis, the constricting of the pulmonary or aortic artery, can result in an atypical blood flow, leading to murmurs in canines. Diagnosing Heart Murmurs When there's suspicion of a cardiac murmur in a dog, veterinarians will execute various different tests to support their diagnosis. *Listening to the heart with a stethoscope *Chest x-rays *Heart ultrasound *Blood and urine tests *Electrocardiogram Treating Heart Murmurs in Dogs Cardiac murmurs in canines can be nothing to be concerned about or an illness that can increasingly get worse. If a puppy is ascertained to have a cardiac murmur, it might not be addressed until health troubles become present. Heart murmurs can't be healed, however they can be addressed surgically, with medicine, or dietary alterations.