That moment during your pet’s check-up when we mention a pet heart murmur can understandably cause a flutter of worry. But take a deep breath — it’s not always a sign of serious trouble. A heart murmur is simply the sound of turbulent blood flow within the heart. While some of these “whooshing” sounds are harmless, others may be early signs of underlying heart disease that need further attention.
What does a heart murmur sound like?
Imagine listening to a stream — sometimes the water flows smoothly, sometimes it swirls and gurgles around rocks. A heart murmur sounds like that: a soft, irregular “gurgle” in your pet’s heartbeat.
At Summer Hill Village Vet, we take every pet heart murmur seriously. But instead of jumping to conclusions, we approach each case with careful investigation. Some murmurs — especially in young, fast-growing puppies or slightly stressed cats — are completely harmless. These are known as “innocent” murmurs.
What could a pet heart murmur mean?
Sometimes, a pet heart murmur signals more than just an innocent sound. It could be the first sign of conditions like valve disease (when the heart valves don’t close properly) or cardiomyopathy (a disease of the heart muscle).
To get a clear and accurate picture, we offer on-site consultations with our visiting cardiologist. They can perform an echocardiogram — a painless ultrasound of the heart — right here in our clinic. This gives us a detailed view of your pet’s heart and helps us understand whether their heart murmur needs treatment.
Early detection makes a real difference
By picking up a pet heart murmur early through routine senior pet health checks, we often gain more time and options to treat or manage heart conditions. Whether your pet’s murmur is newly discovered or you’ve noticed subtle changes in their energy or breathing, our team at Summer Hill Village Vet is here to support you every step of the way — with clarity, compassion, and expert care.
So if your vet has mentioned a pet heart murmur, don’t panic. Let’s figure out what it means and take the right steps to protect your pet’s heart.
Book your senior pet’s health check today to ensure we don’t miss a beat when it comes to their well-being!
