Dog with tumour and heart murmur

[caroline123]

My 11 year old Jack Russell has a tumour on the inside on his leg, its a form of cancer and he had a tumour removed in exactly the same place 18 months a go. I was told it would probably grow back and it has.
I took him to vets this morning to get him booked in for the op to have his tumour removed but was told he now has a heart murmur and fluid on his chest. He is on heart tablets for 10 days with anti biotics to try to clear the fluid which they think may be an infection.
Got to take him back in 10 days to see if he has improved enough to have the op. Was told he might not be well enough to have the op but if he doesn't have the lump removed it will ulcerate.
Does anyone else have a dog with a hear murmur and has it ever been under anaesthetic?

[09rebel99]

Haven't had a dog with a heart murmur but did go through the cancer/tumour thing with our old dog just over 12 months ago and its a very upsetting time. Fingers crossed for you but the cancer may just be to much for his little body to take but I hope not. Thinking of you xx

[brindlerainbow]

I have Boxers, who as a breed are prone to heart murmers and the breed are graded from 0 ( no murmer ) to 6 ( very serious murmer ). I have 1 bi*ch graded 0/1 and my other bi*ch is graded as a 2 ( both were heart tested by a heart specialist ). My girl ( aged 4 at the time ) that is graded a 2 had to have sedation as she had to have an x ray on a suspected broken leg. After the x ray was completed she was given the sedation reversal drug to bring her round which should take around 10 mins for her to be awake again.An hour and a half later she was still unconcious with no responses at all. Vet were very worried I was beside myself because I thought she was going to die. Vets had to ring the drug manufacturers to ask them what to do. They advised another dose of the reversal drug which did then bring her round. It is now on her notes that she had an adverse reaction to sedation which may ( or may not!! ) be due to her slight heart murmer. I would now be extremely worried about her being sedated again and would only let her have a general anaesthetic if it were a matter of lifer or death. Speak to the vets again and see what they advise. If it were my dog and it was a case that she would die without the operation then I would have it done even though there was a chance that she wouldn't survive the anaesthetic. Good luck and hope you get a happy outcome

[caroline123]

After speaking to my OH we have decided to give him a chance by having the tumour removed, at least then I have given him every chance I possibly can. Hopefully he responds to the drugs he has been put on for the next 10 days so that he is well enough for the op. To look at him you would never think that he has anything wrong with him, he is still very happy and runs like the clappers around the stables. He does sleep a lot more than he did but I put this down to old age but told by the vet today it may be a combination of old age and his heart.

Thanks guys.

[wilbs]

We have a small staffie cross with a heart murmur and she also has a large tumour on her hip. She had a lump removed from the same place years ago pre heart murmur. The vets won't operate on the lump and indeed we don't think we want her to go through another op anyway. She is 15 and I must say seems quite fit. She races around but is perhaps a bit slower than she used to be but then she is an old lady.
Also had another dog with a heart murmur as he got older. It did not cause him any undue problems for a number of years but eventually his heart just gave up.

[baggygirl]

I had a black lab who was 12 that had a tumour in his mouth, starting from the bottom of the mouth and we knew to take him to the vets as he couldn't eat or lap water very well, the vet said it was cancer which would get worse and we couldn't remove the tumour because it was on the tongue, so after a few weeks, he had to be put down

[caroline123]

Thats really sad Baggygirl.
I asked the vet if we could leave the tumour alone and not operate but because of the speed it is growing (doubled in size in 2 weeks) we have no option to leave it beacuse it will ulcerate.
I feel like its a case of d**ned if I do, d**ned if I don't.
He's not a very good patient either and last time his tumour was removed ( pre murmur) had to have his leg wrapped in vet wrap and spend 10 days with a lampshade collar on to stop him trying to get stitches out.

[baggygirl]

Hope he gets better soon and fingers crossed for your decisions

[Arab Crazy]

Poor baby. Hope he makes a good recovery bless him, good luck x

[caroline123]

Took my dog back to the vets this evening, slight improvement with his crackling chest so they are operating on Monday. Whilst he is under they are going to x ray his heart and see what condition it is on. Slightly worrying is that the vet said 2nd removal of tumours tends to speed them up and he would expect it to have grown back within a year next time. :-(