Grade IV heart murmur in new puppy

[Alaaya]

Hi

I posted before in a sleep dep'd haze and everyone was lovely and helpful and things have got better but sadly another issue has come up and I am posting for more advice.

We picked up our OES pup last week at 10 weeks old from a KC registered breeder. She seemed lovely - home environment, pups clearly well socialised, no concerns. She said when we picked him up that her vet had picked up a minor innocent heart murmur but his dad had had the same and that had cleared up.

I took him to the vet today and was told that it looks more serious - our vet thinks a grade IV heart murmur and recommended a scan at the hospital as it may be indicative of something more serious. She also did say that as it's a pre existing condition it wouldn't be covered by our pet insurance and the scan alone would be £500 plus. We don't have thousands of pounds available for a puppy. We did get pet insurance as soon as we picked him up but that has a two week bedding in period which we're not out of.

I have talked to the breeder who has been a bit odd - she started off claiming it was fine, and then rapidly switched to insisting that she didn't want to sell us a sick pup and would come and collect him today and give us a full refund. Totally opposed to us keeping him and her helping with any bills or even waiting for another week for his follow up scan and wants to refund and collect ASAP.

DH thinks she wants to resell him while he is still a puppy. He also thinks from her tone that she knew he was sick. He is quiet for a puppy, and has been unwilling to eat, and is slightly thin according to the vet so I could believe he's poorly but he's also smart and affectionate and I love him to bits. I don't want to let him go but this situation is really concerning me.

What do I do? Any advice?

I am very sorry. It must be very difficult for you but it was the sensible thing to do.

So sorry.Take care.

That must have been heartbreaking. So sorry to hear, OP.

It's awful. The pup was only with us for a week or so, and he's been gone for days now, but I still feel this weird massive bruise - like he ought to be here - and all this guilt like we've failed horribly as dog owners.

I think getting a new puppy, staying up with them, holding them when they cry, starting training etc is just such a weird bonding experience and having that cut short is surprisingly painful.

You poor thing. The whole experience sounds very traumatic.

Don’t think that you’ve failed. It’s just terribly bad luck and could happen to any puppy buyer.

So sad for you, but you did the right thing. Only twice in 23 years have I heard murmurs that made me suggest returning pups to the breeder. In one case they did, got another puppy and still happy with it seven years later. The other pup sadly passed away three weeks later. Hard as it was to give up your pup, it would have been harder to watch his health deteriorate, in some cases despite lots and lots of money being thrown at the problem. I know it sucks just now, but there will be another happy healthy pup out there for you