
Originally Posted by
Pat
I think the most important baseline test to have performed for a dog with a low grade murmur is a two view chest radiograph (x-ray). This is done so that you have a record of the dog's normal heart size to use for comparison later to see about changes in heart size, etc. It's important to use a vet who is good at taking x-rays because they will look different depending on whether the dog is inhaling or exhaling. I've even done baseline chest x-rays for Tucker (who is still murmur free) when he was 9 years old just so I had a "record" of heart size since he was past middle age. I'm taking him in next week to see if he is still clear at 10 years old. I keep all my pets' x-rays at home so that I can take them to visits with specialists and I have them accessible in case of an ER visit, etc. I also keep copies of blood chemistry reports and other test reports at home for the same reason.
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