I work in Cardiology -- Heart murmurs are graded (in intensity - loudness) from 1/6 to 6/6.... with 6/6 being the loudest.
This may help.... (why don't vets and doctors explain this - it would take only a minute....) I'm afraid they all just assume we know more than we do..
Grade I: very faint, difficult to hear
Grade II: faint, but can be readily identified
Grade III: moderately loud
Grade IV: loud
Grade V: very loud, but still needs stethoscope to hear
Grade VI: audible without a stethoscope
---------------
With a grade 1 or grade 2 murmur -- your vet should only keep an eye on it.
Often these murmurs go away in time.
Your vet should check your pup's murmur again in a few months. If your pup's health and general sense of well being is otherwise normal, you probably have no problem at all.
And - you said that your pup's murmur is decreasing - this is good....
The terms "benign murmur" or "innocent murmur" mean that the murmur is harmless and not a problem. (As I mentioned - I have one - many of us do.)
With your pup's murmur already lessening - and if he appears to be active and healthy - just have the murmur checked in a few months - and I suspect you really have nothing to worry about.
Carol Jean |