Heart murmurs puppies are produced because the young strong heart is beating in close proximity to the chest wall, and therefore the turbulence produced from blood flowing in the heart and large adjacent vessels can be heard. Heart murmurs can be identified at the first check up, and may vary in intensity depending on the dog's health and physical state.
Heart murmurs can occur in puppies or young dogs during their rapid growth phases. Puppies in the one to four month range require a high cardiac output during their period of rapid growth. The type of heart murmur, the cause and severity of it, as well as its effects on your dog are all factors that determine whether or not a diagnostic evaluation and treatment are required.
A heart murmur is simply an abnormal heart sound produced when the blood flow into and/or out of the heart becomes turbulent. Heart murmurs in dogs can occur for a variety of reasons, and the signs of murmurs are not always evident or easy to detect. In many cases, dogs with heart murmurs show no clinical signs at all, and the murmur is only detected during a routine physical examination.
Often a thorough physical examination will allow your veterinarian to identify the source and severity of the dog's heart murmur. However, other times more information is required and may include an EKG, chest x-rays, blood testing, or a heart ultrasound.
A heart murmur is caused by abnormal blood flow within the heart. It typically results from a heart valve that is not sealing completely when it closes, allowing some blood to leak through the defect. Treatment measures for heart murmurs in dogs vary depending on the severity of the condition.