[Sevenine]

Hello everyone,
I am from Melbourne Australia here. My new puppy DoDo has just got her vet visit last week and we have been told her is having heart murmurs. The vet said hers is 3 out of 5, we have been so worried and cannot rest properly during the whole week. The breeder said she was completely fine and really healthy while she is doing the first vet visit when she was 7 weeks. However, the vet said because she could hear from both side of her chest, so it may not be a innocent heart murmurs. The news even freak us out more. As she is too young and tiny, I am not sure shall I let her go through the echocardiogram as she need to be sedated (according to the vet). Just want to ask if anyone have any suggestions about this. Shall I wait while she is a bit older.
thanks a lot.

 

[Snuggle's Mom]

I just read about your new 10 week old Maltese Puppy and I am sorry to see that at 10 weeks, it already has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 Heart Murmur. The Breeder that you got your Puppy was not wise considering that no tiny bred Dog should be allowed to leave their Mother until he/she is at lease 12-14 weeks old. And I cannot imagine that at 7 weeks of age that the Breeder was not aware of this serious issue since you apparently got your Puppy soon afterwards. As far as having her sedated for an echocardiogram, I would consult your Vet and let he/she give you that answer.

 

[mss]

I have had a couple of dogs that got echocardiograms as adults, and nobody told me they were sedated.

You might want to consult, in advance of any procedure, with a cardiologist who has specialized training and and some credentials to show recognition of expertise (in the US, we would say "board certified" -- I don't know if it's the same in Australia).

 

[Sevenine]

I just read about your new 10 week old Maltese Puppy and I am sorry to see that at 10 weeks, it already has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 Heart Murmur. The Breeder that you got your Puppy was not wise considering that no tiny bred Dog should be allowed to leave their Mother until he/she is at lease 12-14 weeks old. And I cannot imagine that at 7 weeks of age that the Breeder was not aware of this serious issue since you apparently got your Puppy soon afterwards. As far as having her sedated for an echocardiogram, I would consult your Vet and let he/she give you that answer.

Thanks for the reply, I am now bring her to some other vet to see if there is better suggestions we could have. I am also writing letter to the breeder to check what exactly her first vet visit said. Only wish it was not there when she is 7 weeks. Someone said I could return puppy back for refund if there is a serious health issues. However, as she is already part of my family, I don’t think I will return her to breeder(they may just simply put her down). I want her to be happy no matter how life treat her.

I have had a couple of dogs that got echocardiograms as adults, and nobody told me they were sedated.

You might want to consult, in advance of any procedure, with a cardiologist who has specialized training and and some credentials to show recognition of expertise (in the US, we would say "board certified" -- I don't know if it's the same in Australia).

Thanks, I shall check with other vets hospital and choose the safest option.

 

[Snuggle's Mom]

I was happy to read that you will be bringing your little Puppy to another Vet for a second opinion. I will be very honest with you I can completely understand that you would not want to give the Puppy back to the Breeder since you have already become attached to he/she. When we got our little Yorkie Laci at 15 weeks old, I was told that she had a Grade one luxating patella and my Vet assured me that she was ok. I did get some more $$ back from the Breeder. However, at seven months old, and just before her spaying, our Vet diagnosed her with a Grade four!! Well, at almost three years (in June) is is doing very well, but we do keep a very watchful eye on her. She weighs only 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 pounds and is very quick on her little legs. It still bothers me that since we got her from a very reputable Breeder, that she has to live with this for her entire life. Please keep us posted as to what the outcome is of your visit to the oher Vet.

 

[The A Team]

I am also happy that you are getting a second opinion. Do you have a guarantee for your pup? If it truly is a heart murmur, I'd be worried about her future.

 

[Sevenine]

I was happy to read that you will be bringing your little Puppy to another Vet for a second opinion. I will be very honest with you I can completely understand that you would not want to give the Puppy back to the Breeder since you have already become attached to he/she. When we got our little Yorkie Laci at 15 weeks old, I was told that she had a Grade one luxating patella and my Vet assured me that she was ok. I did get some more $$ back from the Breeder. However, at seven months old, and just before her spaying, our Vet diagnosed her with a Grade four!! Well, at almost three years (in June) is is doing very well, but we do keep a very watchful eye on her. She weighs only 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 pounds and is very quick on her little legs. It still bothers me that since we got her from a very reputable Breeder, that she has to live with this for her entire life. Please keep us posted as to what the outcome is of your visit to the oher Vet.

Thanks a lot for the reply, yes we have been to other vet last week and DoDo has booked with a echocardiography specialist for her condition. She may have PDA as she is a pure breed Maltese and particularly high occurs in female puppy. I have searched a lot on-line regarding to her condition, and this time the vet is really caring and nice. She checked with several other experienced vet and specialists for us and told us it was a good timing for DoDo get treatment. There is a high changes she could be fully back to normal live after that. The vet check her last week said although she had a loud murmurs, but everything else is all good, not other symptoms shows yet. All we wish now is she shall be fine soon.

 

[Sevenine]

I am also happy that you are getting a second opinion. Do you have a guarantee for your pup? If it truly is a heart murmur, I'd be worried about her future.

Yes I believe so. I have been contact with the breeder, she sound really care of the puppy. If DoDo is having PDA (as common in female Maltese), then at this age it is still great chance she could completely healed after surgery. I shall spend my whole life to monitor her health and love her. I hope after an imperfect start she shall have a perfect and long journey with us

 

[Goldiemomma]

Hello everyone,
I am from Melbourne Australia here. My new puppy DoDo has just got her vet visit last week and we have been told her is having heart murmurs. The vet said hers is 3 out of 5, we have been so worried and cannot rest properly during the whole week. The breeder said she was completely fine and really healthy while she is doing the first vet visit when she was 7 weeks. However, the vet said because she could hear from both side of her chest, so it may not be a innocent heart murmurs. The news even freak us out more. As she is too young and tiny, I am not sure shall I let her go through the echocardiogram as she need to be sedated (according to the vet). Just want to ask if anyone have any suggestions about this. Shall I wait while she is a bit older.
thanks a lot.

Hello. I wanted to reply to your post immediately but I was waiting for an appointment with a cardiologist for a second opinion on my 10 month old maltese Co-Co.
My breeder gave me Co-Co a few months ago because she had a grade 4/5 heart murmur. Co -Co was diagnosed with a genetic condition called PDA which is Patent Ductus Arteriosus. In the U.S. a breeder is not allowed to sell puppies with this condition or continue to breed the same dogs who produced puppies with this condition.
As a result dogs have a hole in their heart vessel that requires a very expensive surgery to close it up as it will not close on its own. In Co-Cos case her body is too small to endure surgery at this time and luckily the hole is exceptionally small but her heart murmurs are evident and she may need surgery in the future. She went to two different cardiologists and she was not sedated for the echocardiograms. In your case a grade 3 heart murmur is not considered critical, and she is young enough to perhaps outgrow it if it is not a congenital malformation related to PDA. For your own peace of mind I suggest an appointment with a reputable cardiologist. It took me over 3 months to get an appt in my area with one. I look forward to learning the outcome of your little one. Hope this helps.

 

[Sevenine]

Hello. I wanted to reply to your post immediately but I was waiting for an appointment with a cardiologist for a second opinion on my 10 month old maltese Co-Co.
My breeder gave me Co-Co a few months ago because she had a grade 4/5 heart murmur. Co -Co was diagnosed with a genetic condition called PDA which is Patent Ductus Arteriosus. In the U.S. a breeder is not allowed to sell puppies with this condition or continue to breed the same dogs who produced puppies with this condition.
As a result dogs have a hole in their heart vessel that requires a very expensive surgery to close it up as it will not close on its own. In Co-Cos case her body is too small to endure surgery at this time and luckily the hole is exceptionally small but her heart murmurs are evident and she may need surgery in the future. She went to two different cardiologists and she was not sedated for the echocardiograms. In your case a grade 3 heart murmur is not considered critical, and she is young enough to perhaps outgrow it if it is not a congenital malformation related to PDA. For your own peace of mind I suggest an appointment with a reputable cardiologist. It took me over 3 months to get an appt in my area with one. I look forward to learning the outcome of your little one. Hope this helps.

Hello Coco’s mum, I have just got DoDo’s heart ultrasound report yesterday. I hope it could be PDA (if there is an heart issues) at least it is treatable. However we have been told she is having Ventricular septal defect (VSD), which is congenital heart defect, it is caused by abnormal development of the puppy before birth. I was in in total shock when I heard that, because the vet said she won’t have long healthy life and advised I returned her to the breeder. After a straggling consideration, we decided to keep her even there is a risk to lose her so so . We contact the breeder and told her the situation and our decision, they said they only can offer half refund for the puppy or fully refund for puppy returned. When I asked what they gonna do with the returned puppy, they said they would reselling to other people but with clear notification about the health issues. I know it is a lie, as they knew we could not our baby go through that way. At the end we decided to take the half refund and keep DoDo. Hope her condition could better, although the luck normally won’t turn to that way. Now I am just seeking mentally support from everyone, and give her all my best to live a great life.

 

[wkomorow]

It is heartwarming you are giving her the care and love she deserves. Hope she beats the odds and lives a long life.