Fatal heart murmur in dogs can show up unexpectedly

Dear Dr. Fox: My precious 10-year-old papillon dog died suddenly last Friday.

I took her to the 24-hour vet at 4 a.m. because she was in distress. They told me she had a heart murmur, and she died minutes later. The evening before was completely normal: She ate her dinner, was playful and went to bed as usual, but woke up later, unable to settle down.

As I looked back over the last couple of weeks, I remember a time when my alpha dog was lagging behind during our walk. I didn’t think anything about it at the time. Also, I had noticed a slight cough a few times, and thought I should mention it to the vet on her next visit. Then a couple of days before she died, I saw her panting when there was no reason.

I wish I had known these things were an indication she had a heart issue. Apparently a heart murmur can occur at any time. Her death was such a shock, both to me and to her vet. I was assured that nothing could have been done to help her, but I wish I would have been more prepared for her death.

She will be in my heart forever!

Please let other pet owners know to be aware of the subtle changes to watch for. — J.M.A., Ballwin, Missouri

Dear J.M.A.: You have my deepest sympathy over this sudden and unexpected loss of your beloved canine companion.

As I write repeatedly in my column, any change in normal behavior, such as being less active or developing a cough, call for immediate veterinary attention, even if they appear soon after the regular wellness exam. It is not wise to “wait and see,” but go for a thorough veterinary check-up. The socalled “cardiac cough” can be a signal of heart failure and fluid in the lungs. In chronic cases of heart disease, there is sometimes abdominal swelling with fluid accumulating in the abdominal cavity.

Your veterinarian was as surprised as you, and this is the challenge dealing with animals who cannot speak to us; their symptoms may not be evident prior to an acute, suddenonset instance of heart failure. No one is to blame, least of all you.

Pet food and treat issues

— The J.M. Smucker Company announced a limited, voluntary recall of specific lots of two varieties of Milo’s Kitchen dog treats, distributed nationally, because the products potentially contain elevated levels of beef thyroid hormone. Dogs consuming high levels of beef thyroid hormone may exhibit symptoms such as increased thirst and urination, weight loss, increased heart rate and restlessness.

— Consumers in Minnesota, California and Florida are suing Champion Pet Food (Acana and Orijen) for false advertising, violations of “feed law” and numerous other charges. The lawsuit includes results of heavymetal testing and data that this dry dog food contains BPA: a chemical typically not associated with dry/ kibble pet foods.