I bought my Malamute a week ago (his name is Nahnuk), and he is 12 weeks old. I had him vet checked last week & they detected a heart murmur. I took him back today and they can still hear it and said it's a grade 3, and they want to do a scan which will cost me around £300!!!! My problem is that when I bought him, he had been checked by the breeder's vet and was given the all clear and was also fully vaccinated. We spoke to the breeder last week to tell them about this, and they were very shocked, and told us to let them know when he has been graded. I am also a little shocked and worried and feel like I really dont know what to do for the best.
I have read other questions and answers from other forums and they advise to get a second opinion from another vet, and also that these murmurs can go away as that Nahnuk is so young.
I really dont want to take him back, as he is sooo cute, but I also dont know what the future holds for him and what would be best in the long run for him???
I feel a little out of my depth, so any answers would be very very grateful, to put my mind at rest!
Thank you

Is the vet who says the mummer is a grade three a specialist cardiologist?  If not then I definitely would want a second opinion with one.

As others have said it could be an innocent flow mummer, especially as nothing was previously found.  As far as I am aware there are no breed specific heart issues in the breed????  Any Mal people know different.

No, they have advised me to see the cardiologist who works at their practice on a Thursday. I as said in the other post I feel a little put out as I had faith in the breeder when I bought the dog and the vet who examined him, and I am totally unprepaired for this kind of news!!!!

I think at this stage I am probably best getting a second opinion and I was thinking of maybe leaving the scan untill he's a little older and then seeing if it has gone or downgraded....but then I'm worried that if I do leave it too long and he becomes poorly I would be devastated.

I also read that pup's with heart murmur's have a cough & shortness of breath and Nahnuk is displaying neither of these symptoms????

A cardiac ultra sound will give you and your vet a better idea on the heart murmur and blood flow back to the heart and where it is being misdirected.If your puppy is insured then this cost less excess will be covered.Heart murmours are graded from 1 to 6 and less serious one can improve significantly.Most vets are willing to refer for a second opinion.Factors for you to consider at the moment is your puppy gaining weight,eating,playing and energetic without tiring easily. if all is well most vets will adopt a wait and see policy.Fingers crossedall works out well.My Alaskan Malamute puppies are  also 3 months.Try not to worry.Heart defects are not a breed specific issue in Mals, and From your breeders surprise I presume the parents have no issues.Only testing that is advised is for hip dysplasia(though more are having elbows x rayed as well,and congenital cataracts.

Thanks for your replies....Nahnuk seems fine, he has put on another 2kg this week and runs around the house playing all the time, so I'm hoping all will be well.
He is insured as I got 4 weeks free insurance with him from the kennel club when I bought him, and have another policy which is due to start when this one expires....but I'm not sure I can claim as this hasn't been reported to the insurance company?????
This is my first dog, I have wanted a Mal since I was 15 years ols ansd I am now 38!!!!! So this is quite devastating to me :0(

Feel so sorry for you, it is a common occurrence where a vet will scare the life out of a new owner and breeder and that the pups heart will settle as it grows, in the meantime hundreds are spent on tests and sometimes even medication, not to mention return check up fees for all to be well between 6-12 months.

I once spoke to a retired vet, old school who said it was all to make money, and that vets today don't allow for the heart to settle with age.

I'd love to say don't bother take the pup back in 6-12 months and don't be drawn in, if there is a problem it will still be there later or hopefully gone away and cost you nothing.

However, I know if there really were a problem and the heart murmur got worse and worse that would be a mistake and I wouldn't wish such a mistake to happen, your vets have you over a barrel. :-(

So unfortunately I will agree with everyone else and say get a second opinion at a different practice and if that vet spots nothing, change vets and thank your lucky stars you found a vet who is not after every bit of money they can get from you.

I take it you will be on the free KC/petplan insurance right now, but that will run out soon so before your free insurance runs out get to a new vet for hopefully an all clear so that nothing will show up when you start new insurance as it will up the costs.

Feel so sorry for you and the breeder, I'm sure the pup is a stunner and I'm cynically sure he will have nothing showing up by the time he is 12 months.

A word about insurance:

Ideally you want your new policy to start on the day your pup comes home - even then, anything that occurs within the first 14 days will not be covered. If you want to be sure that he has cover for this condition you'll now need to continue the insurance you've been given by the kennel club.  Anyone else and it's going to be classed as a pre existing condition.

You can so easily get caught out by not starting your insurance early enough so do check your dates ie When did you free insurance start?  When did you first go to the vet? What is the insurers exclusion period?

I don't know whether you will be able to claim but if this is an eligible condition and you think that diagnosis and/or treatment is likely to cost you money for then do not let this free insurance lapse

Hope everything is OK :)

Thanks for your post....I will defo get another opinion.....Everyone has been so helpful & supportive and I dont feel like I'm on my own with this problem anymore!!!!!!

I will get a second opinion and go from there and let you all know the outcome....Thanks again!!!!

That really helps thankyou...I will look at the small print and see what I can do!!!!

>Ideally you want your new policy to start on the day your pup comes home - even then, anything that occurs within the first 14 days will not be covered.

Not always true; if the covernote has been issued by a vet, for example, then the animal is covered from the moment it leaves the surgery.

Your policy document will tell you when the cover started. It's quite right that only the KC insurance you have will now cover any heart condition in the future; all other insurance companies will exclude all heart conditions because it is a pre-existing condition, even if it all turns out to be fine.

Nic it really is common for a pup of 12 weeks to have a murmur I would wait till he is 6 months and check then providing that he is in no way unwell.

Also get confirmation in writing from the breeders vet that all was fine before eh left the breeders as that will cover the insurers 'pre-existing condition' opt out.

Also the kind of murmur is i important.  A friend had a rescue doberman who was found to have a mild heart murmur on health check, and she lived longer than any of her other dogs to over 13 1/2 with never any heart issues or problems connected with it.

I am taking him to a different vet this afternoon for a second opinion, so I will see what they say & advise as I may adopt a "wait & see" policy, as he seems fine, he's running and playing and definately eating!!!!!

Thanks again for all your encouragement!!!!

Let us know how he gets on,I have sent you a pm.
Jude

will do.
Have just sent you pm back.
x

nic - I have recently had a heart scan done on one of my dogs, and the cost was nowhere near what you have been quoted.  My own vet recommended that I wait until a visiting expert was at the veterinary hospital, so I did.  It was over £100 (and I do appreciate that I am often given a discount) but even allowing for that, your quote sounds a little high.

I agree that most 12 week old pups have their murmers disappear!  My eldest collie has a mild murmer, and has done for years, so please try and be optimistic (hard I know.)   Good Luck.  :-)

Have to agree with everyone regarding the not panic at the moment.  Maxy was also diagnosed with a heart murmur at his first vet check when we bought him home.  We too were worried and though what does this mean and we got a scan done - covered by his free insurance think it was only about £50 - so where £300 comes from (although this was 7 years ago) - the heart showed no issues - we were just told he may show symptons of problems or he may be perfectly fine.

When I got his hips scored at 18m - the vet advised there was no sign of a murmur!  Subsequently I learnt that alot of puppies display flow murmurs - its hard not to panic but please try not to worry yet.

My girls is 13 mths and just has been seen by cardiologist after an enlarged heart showed up on her xrays (health tests)
My vet did not hear any murmur at all but the cardiologist did and on the appointment she had ECG, ultrasound scans etc... It was £500
As it turns out the murmur is only a 1 her problem is hardly even noticeable and will not restrict her in anyway.

A 2nd opinion as to the grade of murmur, but I think a 3 I'd be looking to see a cardiologist as soon as poss, but then I tend towards paranoia :)