Mvd

Hi
Daisy is doing well so far on her seizure meds. Just a little sleepy. After everything that happened the neurologist said he heart a heart murmur grade 2!! I was surprised because my own vet has not heard anything so far. The neurologist of course said to see a cardiologist because that's not his area of expertise. Do they usually need meds with a hurt murmur of 2?
Tami

I think it depends on the dog. My dog was first diagnosed with a murmur of 2-3, but was symptomatic and therefore put on meds. Others who are asymptomatic are often monitored without meds.

I've had Cavaliers, usually in packs of 5 or 6, since 1982. All except 2, mother and daughter, have had mvd in varying degrees. Angus and Emma were my original breeding pair who lived to ripe old ages. Suffice it to say that at round about 15 yrs and 14 respectively, Angus with a grade 5 and on enalapril with Emma who was mvd clear, saw and chased a cat in the park for a lengthy run without ill effects. The only person who showed shortness of breath was me who had been trying to keep up with them and failed.

In my experience it all depends on the age of the dog when the murmur is first heard. There is early onset mvd which sometimes occurs in puppies and disappears without treatment by their first birthday and then there is the mvd which shows up in the under 5s, which progresses to a grade 5 or so and causing the dog to be gasping for breath, putting on fluid and in obvious pain. That is the one to worry about and which requires Doppler investigation and the services of a cardiologist.

In my experience most Cavaliers develop a low grade mvd somewhere between the ages of 5 and 6 years old. The vet can barely discern it, there are no symptoms and no medical intervention is required. It is regularly monitored by the vet but rarely progresses much further. The dog's quality of life is not affected.

In comparatively few others a murmur is found which does progress and carries discernible symptoms along with it. This is another incidence of needing the services of an experienced neurologist who has many diagnostic, monitoring and treatment options available, all or any of which are capable of enhancing quality of life and of prolonging it. Life can be good for many of these dogs for quite a while too. A few others may not do so well.

So it all comes down to what grade the murmur is combined with the age of the dog when the condition is first diagnosed. Can you tell us a little more about Daisy, such as how old she is and whether one or both of her parents were mvd screened; if so, with what results at what age(s).