Ask Dr. Paola- Help! My Puppy Has a Heart Murmur! (February 16, 2026) – Dogster

Welcome to our “Ask Dr. Paola” sequence, the place each Monday we convey professional recommendation straight from Dr. Paola Cuevas (MVZ) to assist our readers higher perceive their canine’s well being and well-being.

Whether or not you’re a brand new pet mother or father or a seasoned canine lover, Dr. Paola is right here to offer solutions to your most urgent questions. From vitamin suggestions and preventive care to troubleshooting widespread behavioral points, Dr. Paola is able to supply insights that can maintain your furry buddy comfortable and wholesome. Keep tuned for professional steering on a variety of matters that matter most to you and your canine, so you can also make knowledgeable selections and supply the very best care to your canine companion. ‎Have‎ a ‎question? Send it in here!

Assist! My Pet Has a Coronary heart Murmur!

“Hello Dr. Paola,

My new 9-week-old Sheltie pet was simply identified with a coronary heart murmur with a grade of 5/6. On our vet’s suggestion, we are attempting to get an appointment with a heart specialist at Auburn College, whom she is aware of. Within the meantime, how can we assist Blondie to be her finest? She loves tough home taking part in with our different two sheltie puppies. She’s a troublesome little cookie and often begins it. Is that this harmful for her with the murmur? No one has ever damage anyone. I watch to verify she’s not panting or passing out. And he or she hasn’t. What do I do if she did? I feed them an excellent pet food, dry, freeze-dried with solely good components, together with ginger and chicory. Recent water all day. What else can I do? Do I have to be conscious that this situation could also be deadly? How
probably? Thanks.”  – Becky

Pricey Becky,

That is understandably scary information, particularly with such a younger pet, and you’re doing precisely the proper factor by pursuing a cardiology analysis promptly. A grade 5 out of 6 heart murmur in a 9-week-old pet is taken into account loud and clinically important, which implies it is vitally probably related to an underlying structural coronary heart situation relatively than a benign pet murmur. That doesn’t robotically imply it’s deadly, however it does imply Blondie’s coronary heart is working underneath totally different guidelines, very like an engine with a loud knock that wants a specialist to find out whether or not it’s fixable, manageable, or progressive.

Till she is evaluated by a cardiologist, exercise ought to be moderated relatively than eradicated. Quick, calm play is often acceptable, however intense roughhousing that results in sustained pleasure, heavy exertion, or extended chasing is finest restricted for now, even when she initiates it. Puppies don’t self-regulate effectively, particularly assured ones. Awaiting indicators like extreme panting at relaxation, weak spot, coughing, pale gums, or sudden collapse is necessary. If she had been to break down or seem faint, she ought to be saved calm and funky and seen by a veterinarian or emergency clinic instantly, as these indicators recommend her coronary heart will not be maintaining along with her physique’s calls for.

Vitamin and hydration sound applicable, and at this stage, there isn’t any evidence-based complement or ingredient that can appropriate a congenital coronary heart defect, so avoiding pointless additions is smart. Essentially the most useful issues you are able to do proper now are defending her from overexertion, minimizing stress, and holding that cardiology appointment a precedence. As soon as a definitive prognosis is made, you’ll have a a lot clearer image of prognosis and choices, and lots of canines with early-detected heart disease can nonetheless take pleasure in an excellent high quality of life with correct administration.

Greatest needs,

Dr. Paola

Assist! How Do I Know if Giardia Has Cleared?

“Since checks for Giardia are unreliable and diarrhea can persist for weeks following elimination of the Giardia, how do I decide if a 3-day therapy with fenbendazole has cleared it? Is a repeat 3-day therapy in 7-10 days wanted?“ – Karen

Hello Karen,

You might be appropriate that Giardia will be irritating to evaluate, as a result of each testing and stool high quality can lag behind what is definitely occurring within the intestine. It could assist to know what fenbendazole is definitely doing to the parasite, as a result of that explains why follow-up selections are hardly ever simple. Fenbendazole interferes with the parasite’s means to kind microtubules, that are important buildings Giardia wants to soak up vitamins and divide. In easy phrases, it starves and disables the organism relatively than killing it immediately, which implies clearance is gradual and depends upon repeated publicity over time. Because of this a brief course will be efficient, but additionally why lingering intestinal irritation doesn’t essentially imply stay parasites are nonetheless current.

As a result of fenbendazole acts on the parasite’s biology relatively than flushing it out, the gut nonetheless has to recuperate after therapy. Giardia damages the floor of the intestine that absorbs water and vitamins, so even as soon as the organisms are gone, diarrhea can persist whereas that lining heals. That delayed restoration is what makes post-treatment testing and stool look troublesome to interpret. Because of this, many veterinarians repeat a three-day course seven to 10 days later, not as a result of fenbendazole is weak, however as a result of Giardia cysts can survive within the surroundings and reinfect the canine earlier than the gut has absolutely recovered.

The choice to repeat therapy is often primarily based on danger elements reminiscent of age, publicity to different canines, and environmental contamination relatively than stool high quality alone. Cautious hygiene, bathing at the end of treatment, and immediate feces elimination are simply as necessary because the medicine itself. If indicators persist past the anticipated therapeutic window, you will need to widen the lens and take into account different gastrointestinal contributors as an alternative of assuming therapy failure. I hope this helps!

Dr. Paola

Assist! I Wrestle to Brush My Canine Tooth!

“Are dental chews useful? I discover it onerous to brush my Sammi’s tooth.“ – Henry

Hello Henry,

Dental chews will be useful, however you will need to consider them the identical method we take into consideration chewing sugar-free gum for folks. They will help oral well being, however they don’t exchange brushing. The first good thing about dental chews comes from light mechanical abrasion towards the tooth floor, which may also help gradual plaque accumulation and scale back the bacterial load within the mouth. Products which have been evaluated by impartial veterinary dental organizations are probably the most dependable alternative as a result of they’ve demonstrated measurable reductions in plaque or calculus underneath managed situations. That stated, chews primarily contact the chewing surfaces and the outer sides of the tooth, whereas periodontal illness typically begins under the gumline, the place chews can not attain.

If brushing Sammi’s tooth feels difficult, you aren’t alone. Many canines want time and gradual coaching to accept toothbrushing, very like kids studying to tolerate it. Utilizing constructive reinforcement, beginning with very transient periods, and specializing in consistency relatively than perfection could make brushing really feel extra achievable over time. Dr. Karyn’s step-by-step tips could also be useful. Even brushing just some occasions per week supplies considerably extra safety than counting on chews alone.

For canines that actually can not tolerate brushing regardless of cautious, affected person coaching, a mix method works finest. This will embrace authorized dental chews, applicable dental diets when indicated, and common veterinary oral examinations to watch development. Many canines will even profit from professional dental cleanings as a part of a long-term oral well being plan.

Variety regards,

Dr. Paola