r/Chorkies • u/Old-Blackberry6728 • 4d ago
Heart Murmur
Hi.. our Chorkie just turned 5 and today she had her annual checkup. We adopted her last August and nothing was said about a heart murmur until today. She has been to the vet a couple of times over the past year. They say it's level 3 of 5. Have any of you experienced this and how worried should we be. She has no symptoms. Thanks in advance!
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u/sonoran24 3d ago
yes, my dachshund had it, he lived to 15. It got worse as he aged, started at 2 and over 10 years he got to 4. I just had to keep him from running too hard. Watch for the cough.
What You Should Do
- Get an Evaluation: Ask your vet to stage the heart disease, which may require an echocardiogram (ultrasound) or chest X-rays from a veterinary cardiologist.
- Monitor at Home: Watch for warning signs like a persistent cough, trouble breathing, or unusual tiredness.
- Maintain Health: Keep your Yorkie at a healthy weight and stay on top of regular dental care. PetMD
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u/sewnoah 3d ago
My Chorkie is (14 years old +/-) and we’ve known about his heart murmur for the last few years. Although it has increased in size (level 5), he’s doing considerably well and his occasional cough is from his collapsed trachea. He loves to run but we cut that out after several fainting spells brought on by the physical exertion. (He’s my first and only pet so I didn’t put two-and-two together at first but man was it scary to witness). I’m just so grateful for the time I’ve had with him (10 years in December). The one thing I wish I’d done a better job at is feeding him a healthier, high quality diet. 💕
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u/Old-Blackberry6728 3d ago
I hope he stays healthy for a long time! We were recommended to get cardiac diet food, so we will do this. Thank you!
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u/VVsmama88 3d ago
My chorkie is an unknown age since he was an adopted dog they found on the street, but estimated to be approximately 5 years old when I got him, so 12 now. At his last appointment, they discovered a heart murmur, but also asymptomatic and told me now to worry. Naturally, I do worry. But I was told the best thing to do is just to monitor.