Your pet has a murmur. Now what?
Here’s what that actually means and what to do next.
A heart murmur can sound scarier than it is, but it can also be more serious than it sounds.
A murmur is common, but it’s not a diagnosis. It’s a signal that we need to take a closer look. Here’s everything you’re probably wondering right now.
What is a Heart Murmur, really?
A murmur isn’t a disease. It’s a sound. An extra whooshing noise your vet hears between heartbeats when they listen with a stethoscope. It means blood is moving through the heart differently than expected.
That’s genuinely all a murmur tells you on its own. It’s a sign that deserves a closer look, not an automatic emergency. Sometimes that closer look finds nothing to worry about. Sometimes it finds a heart that needs help right away. Either way, you’ll want to know which one you’re dealing with.
Does this mean my pet is sick?
Not necessarily. A murmur can show up years before any symptoms, or it can show up alongside a heart that’s already working hard to keep up. The murmur alone can’t tell you which one you’re dealing with.
That uncertainty is uncomfortable. But you don’t have to stay there. Following up with a veterinary cardiologist can help you get a better idea of what is actually going on. That’s why we’re here – getting you a real answer, not a guess.
Can't my Vet just tell how bad it is by listening?
Not really, and that surprises most people. Murmurs are graded on a scale of 1 to 6 based on how loud they are, but loudness and severity aren’t the same thing.
A loud murmur can turn out to be minor. A quiet one can be masking something more serious. The grade tells you how loud it is, not how sick the heart is. You can’t eyeball this one, because volume was never designed to measure severity in the first place.
That’s why the next step isn’t “wait and see.” It’s getting a clearer picture.
Why does catching it early matter?
Heart disease that is caught early often gives you more options than heart disease caught late. When we know what’s happening before the symptoms show up, we can often start managing it in a way that keeps your pet feeling like themselves for longer.
Waiting doesn’t make a murmur go away. It just means finding out later, usually after there are fewer options available.
What to expect when I bring my pet
Nothing scary, and nothing that requires an overnight stay. Here’s the visit, start to finish:
We talk.
A thorough history – when the murmur was first heard, any changes you’ve noticed, anything at all that’s been on your mind.
We complete diagnostics.
We start with an echocardiogram – a non-invasive ultrasound that allows us to evaluate the heart’s structure and function. We also perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor the heart’s conductivity and blood pressure measurements to evaluate function. All of this is usually done in under an hour.
We get real answers.
The diagnostics show us exactly what’s going on: which part of the heart is affected, how significant it is, and when or whether treatment makes sense.
We tell you straight.
No guessing games. You’ll leave knowing what’s happening and what happens next, whether that’s “nothing to do yet, let’s just keep an eye on it” or a clear treatment plan.
Real Pets, Real Answers
You don't have to sit with not knowing.
One visit gets you a real answer instead of a guess. Call us to book an evaluation.
