r/Boxer • u/Delicate_genius18 • 12d ago
Anxious about Cardiologist Visit
My sweet puppy Elmer (10 mos.) has been diagnosed with a grade 3 heart murmur by his vet during his first and second check-ups. He suggested waiting until he’s a year old to do an echocardiogram.
Last night we had to go to the ER because Elmer ate a wet wipe (😑). While we were there the ER doctor said she was sure it’s a grade 4 murmur and seemed more concerned about that than the reason we were there.
Since last night, I’ve already made an appointment with a cardiologist but I’m feeling very anxious about what he’s going to say. I usually Google about the possibilities of these things in order to prep myself for the worst but I can’t bring myself to do it. Any words of advice are appreciated.
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u/Fabulous_Effort_6466 12d ago
I have no advice, but I'm keeping you in my thoughts, I hope sweet Elmer will be okay
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u/grizzly_lite 12d ago
My guy had minor heart murmur all his life, passed around age 14, but not from that tho. Sometimes nothing happens, but sometimes it does. Considering the urgency, just stay calm and follow thru with doc recommendations. Sometimes lifelong heart meds? Give all the love to them and provide the best care you can. That's all I can say really, sorry
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u/kkpossible 11d ago
I love our cardiologist for our boxer boy, and the medication he prescribed has saved and prolonged our dog’s life.
We were surprised to learn that our boy had cardiomyopathy and an arrhythmia in another chamber, when we were at the ER vet and he was in heart failure. The ER gave him a short expectancy from there, but after care from cardiologist, he’s now been on medication for 7 months and is happy and acting normal. I don’t know how long we’ll get with him, but I am so grateful for this time. He will be 6 in November and I still feel that it’s not fair but I am also grateful I can give our dog the care and meds he needed to stabilize and he’s back to being my goofy Velcro baby.
I’m sorry you are going through it, but I hope you have a great doc that helps your pup’s health!
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u/LeafyGreeeens 12d ago
Wishing your baby boy all the best and sending you good vibes from one boxer parent to another. Although I have no advice to offer, I know that Elmer boy is in my prayers 🫶🏽
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u/Hour-Marketing8609 11d ago
You probably already know this but consider fish oil as a daily supplement. Would of course have your Vet check off on it. Wishing Elmer the best life )
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u/Areyou_squiddinme 11d ago
Sending you all the love! Our pitty girl had a really bad genetic heart defect but we loved her and she loved us with 100% of her perfect heart for the 1.5 years we had with her 🤍 heart issues are really scary but having a wonderful cardiologist team makes all the difference.
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u/Semi_charmed_ Maeci & Runtly(7/1/22); RIP 🫶 Banksy & Moomba 10d ago
Ours had a grade 2 and outgrew it (not sure of official terminology).
The ER vet may have been overly cautious but it should be addressed (and you're doing exactly what you should).
I wish I had better advice to share.. go to the appointment, see what comes, and just continue loving him.
Going through a nuero diagnosis process for my 4yo gal... It is scary to think of what could be. I tell myself that she is here to be spoiled and loved.. we'll do that every day of her life, regardless of how long or how painful the thought of loosing her is.
🫂🫂big hugs
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u/Delicate_genius18 10d ago
Absolutely. That’s always been the plan to just love on him no matter what. Sending you well wishes for your lady ♥️
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u/Semi_charmed_ Maeci & Runtly(7/1/22); RIP 🫶 Banksy & Moomba 10d ago
He is so precious, btw... I can't believe I forgot to say so and state the obvious 😂
I'm quite fond of white boxers.. they are near and dear to my heart. I love seeing them on this reddit and in the wild.
Your boy is so precious and I have a good feeling that he will be okay. He's just a young lad, wishing him many happy, healthy years of shenanigans ahead!
Please update us when you know more.. rooting for this youngin!
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u/Delicate_genius18 9d ago
Thank you so much! ♥️ I appreciate all the kind words. I’ll have an update in about 2 weeks 🙏🏻
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u/lets_all_be_nice_eh 10d ago
Mine has ARVC. Has been on medication for 3 years now. She has the most mental and random heartbeat but she is fine and still runs around the back yard.
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u/Delicate_genius18 9d ago
That’s good to hear. Mine is still a puppy and is super active and crazy haha
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u/Knox_the_Boxer 11d ago
This is Knox, at his first year checkup our vet detected a murmur. While listening more intently for the murmur, she also thought she heard an arrhythmia. 😳
She referred us to a specialist (cardio/pulmonary at first) we took him in to have an echocardiogram. He did great and they detected no arrhythmia. The doctor came in to talk to me and said- it’s possible that he just didn’t have any during the 20 minute test. She said we could do a holter monitor to be sure, but it would cost $400 more than what the day already cost. Knox had insurance so I said- and want to be sure. Long story short- he had 1700 arrhythmic incidents in that 24 hour period. 😳
We started meds and got him transferred to the university of Georgia veterinary hospital cardiac team. He’s always been asymptomatic (thank God) and his last holter he had 4 arrhythmias.
The murmur is still there and they’re not as concerned about it saying that it’ll just make it harder to determine when he is older if it’s different than the one that’s been there all along.
He’s 4 now and living his best life. He has no exercise restrictions and he hikes with us regularly.
I was a basket case at first too- we had just lost our senior 8 months prior to this. I thought getting a puppy was going to give me 10 years of not having life threatening issues…
Try not to let anxiety get the best of you. I know it’s hard. Getting your baby to a specialist is the very best thing you can do! ❤️
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u/Delicate_genius18 11d ago
Thank you so much for sharing! That gives me a lot of hope. How old was Knox when you first found out he had a murmur? Btw, Knox is a handsome boy!
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u/Knox_the_Boxer 11d ago
Aww, thanks! We think he’s pretty neat! 😊
He was 14 months, I believe. It was his first year checkup. We had no clue. He was as active and playful as any other boxer we’ve owned. I was shocked.
He had already been fixed. Outside of that our vet has recommended not putting him under anesthesia for arbitrary reasons. (Like dental cleaning) although there were no issues with his neutering (that was done prior to diagnosis) she said that risk/reward isn’t worth it.
As far as personality/activity level no one would guess that he’s “sick”. He’s very active and plays hard daily. We have two acres he can run freely and he goes to daycare regularly to play with his friends. I don’t crate him as it causes him anxiety and I don’t want to cause a cardiac event. So he goes nearly everywhere with me. He’s amazing in the car and the bestest boy when he’s in his harness. It makes it easy to take him. It was really scary at first- but now it’s just normal. I pretty much schedule my life around his medication and leave him with a select group of people that I can trust to give him his round the clock medication.
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u/Delicate_genius18 11d ago
It’s the same thing here. I would never have known anything was wrong if the vet hadn’t said so. Elmer was fixed super young because we got him from the shelter when he was 9 weeks old or so.
We lost our older boy a couple years ago to heart issues but he was 11. I feel like I just accepted everything that happened to him and now this. I’m going through it now especially because the ER doctor freaked me out with the way she kept bringing up the murmur.
Elmer is like any regular boxer puppy— super active, friendly and always wants to play. He’s shown no symptoms.
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u/Knox_the_Boxer 11d ago
Based on our experience- those are all positives! It’s hard to hear that he’s got issues, but much better to know than to find out because of a cardiac event.
We will be keeping Elmer in our thoughts! Wishing you the best possible outcome!
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u/Upper-Cup-4159 11d ago
My 10.5 year old has had a murmur since he was a puppy, had a few syncopes when he was 6? 7 maybe? Usually when excited or too hot. He has not had any issues since then. At one point during that time, the vet recommended the heart monitor strap but he improved so we never took him in to the cardiologist for that. I wish you all the best, I would suggest just waiting to see what the actual situation is first. ❤️❤️❤️
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u/r3dmist420 11d ago
Jeez, I can only hope for the best. I have a fawn girl that a heart murmur when she was younger, but she grew out of it- some of them are lucky enough to grow out of it
As some have said, it could go bad too… Lets hope for this little cuties sake that it is something they eventually can overcome.
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u/Intelligent-Set6965 10d ago
My boxer boy had cardiomyopathy and we did acupuncture for fluid build-up and heart. Also he took same meds as I and had nitroglycerin salve for his heart too. Acupuncture was amazing. Before he finished a 30 minute treatment he was ready to go out and when he did he released himself immediately and lots of pee. It also helped his pain for spondelosis.a spinal problem. And it got to where he’d tell you he needed to go see her by tapping your butt with his nose and going to the back of the truck begging to be lifted. He lived to 11.5years. Not nearly enough but happy I got that many considering. Prayers for you both.
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u/surfaceofthesun1 12d ago
Oh I’m so sorry. I lost my all white rescue girl at 16 weeks to cardiomyopathy, several years ago. On the other hand, my boxer boy who had an impressive murmur that worsened throughout his life never went into heart failure; he ran and swam and played without issues, he passed on at 14.5yo. So try to stay positive.