[Gpdd] Health-Heart Murmur

[warmbreath at comcast.net]

Hi  I have had a aortic valve murmur myself since birth or childhood. It's 
due to malformed leaves, the flaps of tissue that allow blood to through the 
valve. Eventually I will probably have to have my aortic valve replaced but 
they wait until your blood doesn't flow adequately anymore and at 63, mine 
still works fine although it worsened slightly a few years ago. I have had 
many piggies but none that I know of with a heart murmur.  But the point to 
take over to piggy care is that it all depends on the severity of the 
leakage, maybe which valve it is. If slight and not progressive she can live 
long and prosper, if not I'm not sure their is any correction that can be 
done on a piggy. Watch for signs of congestive heart failure, make sure she 
exercises and go to the vet at any change in her habits or health. I'm not 
convinced what a specialist could do for you. Make sure the vet you have now 
tells you exactly what he hears, with people they assign it a number so if 
they do that for piggys, get it, that way each vet can tell if its getting 
worse. Ask your vet and the specialist if there is anything that can be done 
before she is symptomatic or gets heart failure, if not I wouldn't go 
because it would be useless. Keep her diet excellent and her weight trim to 
give her the best chance, and dont let her have babies. Keep a record of her 
weight so you can spot a loss or gain quickly, a gain when no change in diet 
or exercise level could mean she's retaining water which might be your first 
sign. Also if your vet isn't a rodentologist or exotics specialist I would 
find one, the difference is amazing.
best regards, Sandy and Shipwreck Sam