We got a boxer puppy from a family. Husband, wife and their 7 yr old daughter. They have 4 adult boxers, two females, two males. We drove to their house when their pups were 4 weeks old. We picked out the runt of the litter. A dark brown and black brindle boy with a white bib and paws. We came back to get him two weeks later(yesterday) and brought him home. We took him to the vet today and he has a heart murmur. She said a level 3. The breeder came to get him and took him to his vet, she said he has a murmur, a level 2 tops. What do we do? I have read alot on this and I am getting alot of he will be fine and he will most likely grow out of it or never bother him. We are torn whether to keep him or not. We dont have any guarantee from the family. With the money we have already invested in him, his toys, crate, bed, food, treats and first vet bill I think we should keep the little guy. Help us out please!
2007-10-15 11:09:40 · 7 answers · asked by we_luv_our_bxr_baby 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
We kept him. We love him. It is not his fault that he has a heart mumur.
He has a serious puppy attitude but he is going to be a great dog.
2007-10-18 04:25:29 · update #1
Many puppies have "innocent" puppy murmurs that are not indicative of a heart disease. But, a common heart problem in boxers,Aortic Stenosis (AS), or Sub Aortic Stenosis (SAS) is a developmental defect. By the age of one year, these innocent puppy murmurs will have mostly disappeared, while the aortic or sub-aortic stenosis will have developed fully. This means that a grade 3 heart murmur diagnosed when he is a puppy may or may not be a heart problem; but if the murmur is still there at one year, it is a sign something is wrong.
Its a tough call. I know I wouldn't want to be in your position. Falling in love with that puppy and then having to give it back. But give it back I would. There is a very high chance that you will have plenty of problems buying from a backyard breeder. Keep the stuff you already bought and look for a reputable breeder or get a rescue pup.
Good luck in your decision.
2007-10-18 02:47:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
MAYBE the breeder should have taken the pups to a vet before sale!!!!! This is why I hate BYB!!! This would have been avoided if they had done that. He never would have made it to you home and you would not have binded with him.
If you want to keep the pup, you should see a vet cardiologist and get a correct diagnosis. Only then can they tell you what is the cause and if and what the treatment would be. Some dogs with a grade 2 can drop dead suddenly just as a grade 5. You need to know what defect you are dealing with. You should get your money back also. Under the puppy lemon law, they should refund the purchase price.
If you cannot afford the cardiologist and testing...about $600 or so, then give the pup back and find a better breeder.
It is sad, but heart defects are nothing to fool with!!!!
Usually a grade 2 is not what they call an "innocent" murmur. But, a cardiologist can tell you that. Innocent murmurs are usually outgrown, but a grade 2 can get worse.
I also have a breed in which heart defects are not uncommon. A grade 2...maybe 3..is not something good. I would NOt even sell a pup with anything over a grade1. The last pup I had that was a grade 2 lived 9 months before complications required him to be euthanized.
2007-10-15 11:37:47 · answer #2 · answered by ARE YOUR NEWFS GELLIN'? 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
This is the first puppy visit and a puppy will often have a very soft (quiet) grade 1 murmur. It is good that the vet wants to see him back in 2 weeks. A lot of these murmurs actually do go away by themselves and the puppy will not have a problem. At this point just keep the appointment in 2 weeks to have him rechecked. If it is still there and/or gotten worse the vet is the best one to ask for the answers you seek. If needed the vet may refer you to a cardiologist but it is too early to even think about that. Try to relax, enjoy the puppies and go for the follow up exam.
2016-03-12 23:38:15 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Heart murmurs can be costly. If it's a grade 2 or 3, your pup may require daily medication. Even though you may be growing attached to the little guy, you may face even more heartbreak in the long run.
Usually the next step is to determine what is causing the murmur, which means a trip to the cardiologist, EKGs and ultrasounds.
Just getting the proper diagnosis beyond the initial grade for my dog cost over $2000. It was worth it to me because my dog was older when her murmur was discovered. It's a big investment of time to make sure she gets her meds twice a day.
If I were looking at this through your eyes, with a pup, I'd probably have to walk away and find a healthy animal.
Good luck.
2007-10-15 15:05:16 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Given the fact that Boxers are known to have heart defects....
As well as the fact that this breeder is NOT a responsible one (no responsible breeder sells a 6 week old puppy -2 weeks too young... and the puppy obviously had NOT seen a vet previously or the breeder would have already known)...
I would return the puppy and demand your money back. Unless you are prepared to deal with the heartache of an 18 mos old dog falling over dead in your backyard, I would return it.
I'll assume neither of the parents had hip or elbow clearances or heart and thyroid clearances... since it would take a responsible breeder to do that....
Get your money back and go buy a puppy from a responsible, reputable breeder.
2007-10-15 11:38:38 · answer #5 · answered by animal_artwork 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
You'd be surprised how many puppies and kittens have heart murmurs and the owners never knew. I would not let this discourage me from taking the puppy. Chances are, he will grow out of it and you will never see a issue and if you do, it will probably be years down the road. Now of course I cannot gurantee this but like I said, it wouldn't keep me from buying him at all.
2007-10-15 11:19:23 · answer #6 · answered by Boxer Lover 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Potential heart breaker for you. Run while you can. This is why one should have their pups checked by a vet within 24 hrs.
There is no right answer I'm afraid.
It sucks.
2007-10-15 11:42:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i was told my beagle puppy had a heart murmer. she is now 12 years old. its just an irrregular heart beat . most of the time its nothing to worry about
2007-10-16 05:01:01 · answer #8 · answered by tdashem 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋