Studs with Health Concerns
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Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public, support dog breeders, and promote canine health so we can give our dogs the world they deserve.
Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public, support dog breeders, and promote canine health so we can give our dogs the world they deserve.
Good Dog is on a mission to educate the public, support dog breeders, and promote canine health so we can give our dogs the world they deserve.
Stud with heart murmur
Q: I have a stud that developed a heart murmur at age 7, should I use him as a stud? He is otherwise healthy. I have not used him yet.
A: I would first make sure that you have an echocardiogram done on your dog by a board-certified veterinary cardiologist. Doing this will let you know what you are dealing with as far as a correct diagnosis. By following best practices for diagnosis of your dog’s heart murmur, you will have the tools to make sure that he will have a continued healthy life. I have learned the hard way that just because no veterinarian heard the murmur before does not mean that it was not there. Some murmurs resulting from heart issues, start small and grow as the dog grows. This is why many breeds require an OFA Heart clearance that includes an echocardiogram. It is important to remember that we want to use best practices when breeding, including not using dogs with issues that could impact the lifespan and health of their puppies. My primary breed is Labradors, and we test their hearts starting at 1 year of age, so that we will know if there is a problem and if they should be in the breeding pool or not. Dogs with heart issues such as TVD (tricuspid valve dysplasia), MVD (mitral valve dysplasia), or Aortic/Subaortic Stenosis should not be bred as these conditions appear to be genetic in nature. Good luck with getting a diagnosis, and I hope your boy has a continued wonderful life despite his heart murmur.
