Colts Heart Murmur

[stormydog]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

I had the big fella at a specialist earlier as i needed a second opinion. turns out hes got a grade 3 category murmur. 1 being mild and 6 being a serious condition.

She asked me how he breathed after racing and was he outve breath for long...nope and nope, she was quite shocked. he wasnt given any medication as yet but he has another appointment 3rd oct..day before his 4th birthday.

obviously i have to use common sense and keep an eye on him especially after races. I have no problem pulling him from a race if i see anything untoward.

so as it stands and all things being equal hes racing in Scotland this weekend...MGF in 2 weeks..week after at Scottish Champ of Champs..2 week break then 4 & 5 Oct @ Belvoir the Lurcherworld Finals 12 Oct !

Anyone else race their woofer with dodgy ticker ? id love to hear.

john....with the travelling woofing machines

 

[hely]

aww poor colt

sounds like he's doing ok though :thumbsup:

i hope he continues to stay well :luck:

 

[Towzer]

heyup john, i had storm in just for a routine check over about 4 months ago an guess what the vet said he had a murmur category1, theyre just gonna keep an eye on it for now , hes the fittest dog ive had the pleasure of owning ,he never has his tongue out even after a night out , personally id let them keep an eye on it but i wouldnt be overly concerned :cheers: keith

 

[peppermint lady]

my sisters bitch has one john and she is 8 yrs old now and has enjoyed a full racing career, w.c.r.ch, v.c and sporting champ :thumbsup:

my sister found out she has hers when jade went for a check up as a pup :thumbsup:

 

[dazgail]

Come on you....tell the truth....the problem isn't with Colt....it's YOU!!!!! All the excitement/stress/pressure of racing has left you with a dicky heart (w00t) . Just look at our Billy and Fletch...wot it's done to them (w00t) . I met Graham Pendleton a few years back.....he had a full head of hair then, and Gary Farmer...i'd swear he must be close to 65.

A health warning ought to be issued to those who wish to purchase sighthounds :blink: .

Seriously though I hope it corrects itself.

 

[dukie]

Might sound like a daft question John, but is this vet used to working with running dogs? The reason I ask is that as pups several of our whippets were showing up as having murmurs, until the vet decided he wasn't used to that type of heart beat!! He obviously did his homework and ever since that we've had no problems.

Janet

 

[jgear]

One of my grehounds has a grade 1 heart murmur, which nearly broke mine with worry for him. The vet explained that he must be allowed to run and enjoy life, he is only 2 years old and the vet says it may get worse as he gets older, but then again it may not, if it does there is medication that can control it.

He is a terrible nervous ninny which probably doesn't help but he is fit and healthy in every other way. We try not to worry about it.

 

[stormydog]

Might sound like a daft question John, but is this vet used to working with running dogs? The reason I ask is that as pups several of our whippets were showing up as having murmurs, until the vet decided he wasn't used to that type of heart beat!! He obviously did his homework and ever since that we've had no problems.
Janet

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

well im not sure janet, but i did mention that id heard about "heart beat echoes.." she knew of that stuff so i have to accept her professional opinion.

im just so relieved she didnt call "time" on his career, god knows hes probably only got this year to compete due to his age.

I know this much..when he gets beat by an average dog its time to hang up his muzzle !

thanks for your concern folks :thumbsup:

 

[ADAM R]

IF I WANTED AN OPINION ON A GREYHOUND OR LURCHER I WOULD GO TO BRIAN JONES IN NEWRY. I HAVE ACCOMPANIED A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WHOM I USED TO WALK RACING GREYHOUNDS FOR TO HIS USRGERY A NUMBER OF TIMES HE IS A GENIUS, HE DIAGNOSE A FRACTURED HOCK WITH OUT X RAY THAT HAD BEEN MISSED BY A COMPETENT BUT NOT SPECIALISED LOCAL VET. IF I HAD A CONCERN ABOUT MY LURCHERS HEALTH I WOULD TRY TO GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH HIM.

 

[BlueNoise]

One of my dogs has a grade 3 heart murmur John

My vet gave the all clear to run him over short distances (no more than 150 yds for now) I just have to keep an eye on him. So far he has been okay no over panting or bleeding at the nose !!

 

[lurcher lover]

Hiya John,

Am sure Colt will be fine.

Our little beddy has got a dicky ticker and it never stopped her racing. Unfortunately the copper toxicosis is what's put a stop to that.

See you next week.

Debs

 

[whippetsrus]

Sorry to hear that news John. I hope Colt continues to stay healthy and well. Lots of :luck: to you both.

 

[stormydog]

Sorry to hear that news John.  I hope Colt continues to stay healthy and well.  Lots of  :luck:   to you both.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

thanks, also for your pm.

Hes doing fine and to be honest i dont think anyone couldve told he has a heart condition without a stethoscope. he seems to be getting fitter week by week ...so obviously nobodys told him yet

 

[affieluver]

sory to hear that stormy but like you said hes as fit as he can be so just continue doing things as you are he will tell you if he cant cope good luck :luck: :luck:

 

[coatsy]

couldnt hold back mate but if i thought my dog wasnt rite with this complaint i wud not have run him 2 days at the last show :thumbsup:

 

[Shadow-Hunter]

couldnt hold back mate but if i thought  my dog wasnt  rite with this complaint i wud not have run him 2 days at the last show  :thumbsup:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

I feel the same I would never run any of my dogs if I thought they wernt 1oo% if in doubt Its not worth winning a title and ending up with a sick dog !

 

[jinnyfizz]

Hope all works out for Colt, John :thumbsup:

It's amazing how the body, be it animal or human, copes with slight disabilities. And, in fact, being an athlete can cause a heart murmur ......................

Athletic Heart Syndrome

Athletic heart syndrome refers to the normal changes that the heart undergoes in people who regularly do strenuous aerobic exercise (for example, very well conditioned athletes) and, to a variable extent, in those who do extensive weight training.

 

In a person with athletic heart syndrome, the heart is larger and its walls thicker than in a nonathlete. The chambers inside the heart get somewhat larger. This increase in size and thickening of walls allow the heart to pump substantially more blood per heartbeat without much increase in heart rate. The large volume of blood flowing through the heart results in a slower, stronger pulse (which can be felt at the wrist and elsewhere on the body) and sometimes in a heart murmur. These murmurs, which are specific sounds created as blood flows through the valves of the heart, are perfectly normal in an athlete and are not dangerous. The heartbeat of a person with athletic heart syndrome may be irregular at rest but becomes regular when exercise begins. Blood pressure is virtually the same as in any other healthy person.

 

The enlarged heart can be seen on an echocardiogram and sometimes on a chest x-ray. A variety of changes are detectable on an electrocardiogram. These changes would be considered abnormal in a nonathlete but are perfectly normal in an athlete.

 

When an athlete stops training, the athletic heart syndrome slowly disappears—that is, heart size and heart rate tend to return gradually to those of the nonathlete.

 

Athletic heart syndrome is not thought to affect health in any way. The rare sudden deaths of athletes are usually due to underlying heart disease that was not previously detected rather than to any danger resulting from athletic heart syndrome.

Last full review/revision September 2007 by Brian D. Johnston

Can't see any reason why this should not be the same with dogs ............. guess there just hasn't been as much research done into the racing dog's physiology and therefore it is generally not so well known :thumbsup:

So good luck Colt - you are a top athlete :cheers: :luck: :luck:

 

[June Jonigk]

It's amazing how many running dogs are diagnosed with a heart murmur - when really it's just that their hearts are bigger (well they are a muscle afterall), and we all know that when muscles are exercised they get bigger, and they sound different.

I doubt Colt would run as well if he had a problem with his heart :thumbsup:

 

[peppermint lady]

It's amazing how many running dogs are diagnosed with a heart murmur - when really it's just that their hearts are bigger (well they are a muscle afterall), and we all know that when muscles are exercised they get bigger, and they sound different.
I doubt Colt would run as well if he had a problem with his heart  :thumbsup:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

june i bet you wouldnt of guessed that wrch.vc.sp deadly nightshade had a heart murmur......never held her back :thumbsup:

 

[TTT]

Stormy - what caused you to worry and take your dog to the vet in the first place - was he showing signs of not being 'right' or was it picked up on a routine visit to the vet?

Do you think he has maybe had this condition all his life? Hope he is in good form and none the worse for it.