16wk golden retriever puppy with grade 3 heart murmur

[PeskyPiskie]

My MIL has just bought a pedigree golden retriever puppy who is lovely and was given a clean bill of health by the breeder (Kennel Club member). However, on the journey home in the car (about 2 hours) he developed a cough. She took him to her vet who (after a couple of visits) said he had a level 3 heart murmur. Does anyone know anything about this in dogs? Is it possible to develop a murmur in such a short space of time? Is it worth her contacting the breeder to at least get her money back. I don't think she would want to give the puppy back because I think she would be concerned about the level of care he would receive. She thought the breeder seemed great the first time she went to visit but when she went to pick up the dog she spotted that there were actually alot of different breeds being kept (and breeded) and that maybe the lady wasn't quite what she thought . Any advice is gladly received.

Yes, it's certainly possible for a new pup to have heart murmur. Many do. I know of a number of labs who have been diagnosed with them at much the same age as your DMs dog - and in many cases, the murmur has just disappeared with no treatment and in others it has needed surgery or medication to correct. More often than not, they do disappear of their own accord.

It isn't necessarily a disaster, so don't panic.

Neither is it a reason to demand your money back from the breeder. She has done nothing wrong. It is impossible for a breeder to do anything other than try their hardest to ensure they breed a healthy pup and she cannot be accused of being negligent because one of her pups as a heart murmur at 16 weeks.

Has your DM got good insurance for the dog? And what did the vet recommend? Has he referred the puppy to a cardiologist? I would seek a second opinion from a different vet too. Costs for the necessary tests are likely to be about £500 if the murmur needs investigating, or gets worse.

Thank you daisy. This sounds like better news than I was hoping for. I don't think my DMil would go back to the breeder anyway, its just my idea. I think she is struggling with insurance. The puppy came with one free month but the insurance company has said (so far) that he is not covered because he had an existing condition.

She is going to a cardiologist shortly and fully trusts her vet, which she's used for her cats over the last 20 years. Hopefully the puppy will be fine, he is such a lovely little thing and adores my DS.

Personally, I would return the dog to the breeder - they have previously said the dog is healthy and it now may not be. The fact there are multiple breeds there is a huge red flag, and suggests that what you have is a dog from a puppy farm (many of whom are licensed by the KC). How did your MIL find this breeder? What health tests were carried out on the bitch and sire? Please check with the local authority in the area from whom you bought the pup to see if the breeder is licensed, and report the pup's heart murmur to them. The Labrador Forum have an excellent guide to choosing a lab breeder here - it may be worth your MIL having a look at this.

Thank you Scuttle. I have to admit that I don't know the answer to your questions. I'll check with DMil, but I very much doubt she will do anything about it. I have just looked at the Labrador Forum and I don't think the breeder passed many of those tests! I might show this to her though and point out that there are some puppies up for rehoming not too far from where we live. I might even try on my husband too , I would love a dog.

I have seen several young puppies with murmurs the outcomes have been across the full range from no problem to euthanasia. The only person who can answer this question is a cardiologist. I also would advise returning the puppy to the breeder.

It does sound as though the breeder isn't a 'good' breeder and with that in mind, may not provide a refund or take the puppy back. Only a good breeder will do that, and I fear this lady sounds unlikely to be one.

In fact a good breeder will do both - full refund and take the puppy back. I can't imagine a breeder offering a refund and allowing an owner to keep the pup in any circumstances.

If your MIL does want to go back to the breeder, in view of the type of breeder I've assumed the lady is, I would persue a full diagnosis and would research the best/most experienced cardiologist for the breed before I went back to her. With a good breeder, I'd be working with the breeder on the problem from the outset.

Personally, I couldn't return a dog to the breeder under any circumstances that I can think of.

Visit Labrador Forums and do a search on murmurs and you'll find a recent thread about a lab pup of the same sort of age as your MIL's Golden which includes a lot of advice on claiming on the free insurance that is given with a puppy. The OP on that thread encountered the same problem as your MIL.

Thank you all again for your help. I'll look up that thread daisy. To be honest I don't think my MIL would want to give the dog back, I think she would be concerned about how long it would live at the breeder .

I know she will do her best for this little boy and will make sure he has the best care he can. All her previous pets have had lovely long lives!

Op you have had some really good advice here. Hope everything works out well for your family and the puppy . If the pup is a golden Retriever as you said in your post,you need to visit Golden Retriever forums because although both retrievers , Goldens are a different breed and you will get expert advice. Good luck x