# Please help - advice- my puppy has SAS



## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

Hi Everyone,

I just had my 11 week old puppy at the cardiologist because he had a level one heart murmur. He was diagnosed with mild SAS.  We were hoping it would be just a puppy murmur that would go away on its own. I understand that he has a good prognosis if it does not get any worse before he turns one. Does anyone have any experience with this. Any thoughts advice would be appreciated. I just feel very sad that we are starting out with this kind of issue so soon. My breeder offered to take him back, but we ( I have 3 young kids) already love him.


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## tannernoodle (Mar 19, 2008)

I'm so sorry to hear this. I don't know anything about it but I hope it goes away like you said. I always feel so bad when I hear these stories and the breeders offer to take them back. Well....how do you just do that? I couldn't  I hope they check out the other puppies as well and if it's an issue, they stop breeding.  I mean what do they do if they take them back???


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

I think Marsha and Maggie'sMom, just to name two members might be able to help you. I'm sorry you have the weight of the world on your shoulders right now. I'm hoping they can help lift some of the load for you.


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## allux00 (Mar 2, 2008)

That's horrible! I have no experience with this at all, but I just looked it up, and it says that mild case dogs can live perfectly normal lives. I'm sorry you have to deal with this during what should be a delightful time for your family.


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## HovawartMom (Aug 10, 2006)

Yes Maggiesmom has a boy that was diagnosed with a heart problem and it went away,by itself!.You could PM her!.


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## Celeigh (Nov 29, 2007)

tannernoodle said:


> I always feel so bad when I hear these stories and the breeders offer to take them back. Well....how do you just do that? I couldn't


I agree! While the dog was purchased, it's not like a stereo or something. It's a family member.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

Sorry to hear your baby is ill. I hope he outgrows it.


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

This is a subject very close to my heart so I'm sorry it's so long.

Feel free to PM whenever you need to. I understand the sadness, diappointment, and fear. When my Tinkerbell was 9 weeks old we were told she had a moderate heart murmur and probably had SAS our vet rated it a 2-3. We chose to wait until she was 6 months old to take her to a cardiologist hoping she would outgrow it.

The cardiologist rated the murmur a 4.5 out of 6. They also confirmed very severe SAS. They offered to put her down for us and when we said no told us there would be no questions asked if we changed our mind. They gave us a prescription for 6 months worth of heart meds and told us to treat her with kid gloves. No running, no playing, etc. 

When the 6 months were up my vet called the cardiologist to see if we should adjust the meds. The cardiologist could not believe that Tinkerbell was still around. They hadn't expected her to live to be more than about 8 months old.

I am very happy to say that she will be *2* on June 4. And there are several members on here that have met her and they can also tell you that she looks extremely healthy. And I have not regretted my choice to keep her and enjoy her. We allow her to run when she wants, we play fetch when she wants. She's made a 14 hour trip to the ocean twice and has played in the ocean. We've gone to dog parks to play with other dogs and to go swimming.

I don't know how much longer we'll have her, (nobody does) but I know she has had a wonderful life. And she has added so much to ours. I couldn't have given her back to the breeder I'd already had her 3 weeks, she was ours, (plus the breeder wouldn't take her back). But I can also understand if you were to make the choice to give him back. Maybe your breeder will let you do both keep the one you've got and love, and if something happens let you have a new puppy then.


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

marshab1 said:


> This is a subject very close to my heart so I'm sorry it's so long.
> 
> Feel free to PM whenever you need to. I understand the sadness, diappointment, and fear. When my Tinkerbell was 9 weeks old we were told she had a moderate heart murmur and probably had SAS our vet rated it a 2-3. We chose to wait until she was 6 months old to take her to a cardiologist hoping she would outgrow it.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for sharing this with me. I have cried, been frustrated, angry and every other emotion, but I could never give him back. We also found out that he has a small hole in his heart. I need to call the cardiologist tomorrow and ask more questions about it. I was just trying to hold it together in the office today -especially since I had my four year old daughter with me. I'm sure I missed things that he said. My husband and I feel the same way. Giving him back will not fix him, so we will be the ones to take care of him, whatever may happen in the future. If it does progress we will cross that bridge when we come to it. It's so good to hear about how much your dog has lived, despite her sas.


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

Goldbeau said:


> Thank you so much for sharing this with me. I have cried, been frustrated, angry and every other emotion, but I could never give him back. We also found out that he has a small hole in his heart. I need to call the cardiologist tomorrow and ask more questions about it. I was just trying to hold it together in the office today -especially since I had my four year old daughter with me. I'm sure I missed things that he said. My husband and I feel the same way. Giving him back will not fix him, so we will be the ones to take care of him, whatever may happen in the future. If it does progress we will cross that bridge when we come to it. It's so good to hear about how much your dog has lived, despite her sas.


Definitely ask more questions. When the vet told me the news I cried for hours. My mom went with me to the cardiologist and we cried there and the hour drive home. It took a while but we did get past that. The more information you have the better. Unfortunately there is not a lot of info out there. Especially that has a good ending. But I also know of another dog that has Severe SAS and is older than Tinkerbell.

And Maggie's mom has Cruiser who is not on any meds and he runs and plays with her other 3 goldens and whatever fosters she has. In fact Cruiser started out as a foster but she couldn't let him go anywhere else. He ended up with her for a reason.

I often think that we end up with these particular puppies because they know we will care for them no matter what that means.

A couple words of advice consider telling your children what may happen it doesn't have to be in detail but it may help prepare them (depending on age of course) My daughter was 10 and had waited 3 years to get Tinkerbell, we were completely honest with her and she handled it very well.

Secondly choose a quality food because weight will be a big factor in how well he does. And teach te kids now not to feed him their food.

third love him and let him be a puppy, quality of life is just as important as length of life.

Good luck and i hope to see you posting some pics!


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

marshab1 said:


> Definitely ask more questions. When the vet told me the news I cried for hours. My mom went with me to the cardiologist and we cried there and the hour drive home. It took a while but we did get past that. The more information you have the better. Unfortunately there is not a lot of info out there. Especially that has a good ending. But I also know of another dog that has Severe SAS and is older than Tinkerbell.
> 
> And Maggie's mom has Cruiser who is not on any meds and he runs and plays with her other 3 goldens and whatever fosters she has. In fact Cruiser started out as a foster but she couldn't let him go anywhere else. He ended up with her for a reason.
> 
> ...


Agreed, I did explain it to my 10 and 7 year olds. They already seemed to have an idea and I'm sure they have heard me talk about it. They just want to be the ones to take care of him. I have assured them we will do just that. Just got to get over the shock of the whole situation. I think we will be ok with time. Most important, Beau is as happy as ever.


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

tannernoodle said:


> I'm so sorry to hear this. I don't know anything about it but I hope it goes away like you said. I always feel so bad when I hear these stories and the breeders offer to take them back. Well....how do you just do that? I couldn't  I hope they check out the other puppies as well and if it's an issue, they stop breeding.  I mean what do they do if they take them back???


 
You know I was wondering the same thing. I wonder if she would just raise him on her own


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

You said "mild" SAS. Do you remember the score? If it truly is mild, you won't need to do anything. Just let him do anything and everything any puppy would.

The SAS, over time, might worsen......but that could be 6 or 8 or 10 years from now (if ever). Just make sure he has his annual checkups, and do watch for illness (other than heart issues). Infections can cause problems with his heart.

If he gets infected.....get him on antibiotics quickly. Also, ask the Cardio Vet about being around HUMANS with Strep or anything of the sort. He may need to be on antibiotics when he's exposed to it....and the same goes for if he has dental work. The valve isn't "seating" right and the backwash of the blood can allow bacteria in and cause endocarditis. (Same for humans with murmurs) See below:



> For mild cases, therapy is usually not indicated, as affected dogs are usually asymptomatic and can live a full and productive life. The only exception would be prophylactic antibiotics for potential bacterial problems, such as dental procedures, surgery, and wounds due to the established risk of endocarditis (bacterial colonization of the heart valves), causing damage to the valves and potentially worsening the severity of the clinical signs.


http://www.europa.com/~dshecklr/SAS.html

If it does worsen, he'll be put on medication, and still your dog can live many many healthy happy years. Hopefully he'll never need medication.

The MOST important thing is to not put him into a bubble. Let him play and run, and enjoy life. You may not ever see him act ill, or even tired. Let him be a puppy, just like any other puppy.

Mild SAS is not a death sentence. So try to enjoy him, without worrying too much.

Some breeders will put a SAS puppy down. Others will raise it themselves. Some will place it into a home that knows the pup has SAS and is willing to do whatever is necessary to keep the dog as healthy as possible. 

Hopefully the breeder never breeds that pair again, and each of the breeding pair gets Dopplered themselves. Of course they could be clear.....but carriers. They "believe" its inherited due to the tracking of Golden lines....but *how* isn't quite nailed down yet:



> Subaortic stenosis occurs most frequently in several breeds: the Newfoundland, Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, and Boxer (1,2). We have also noted an increased incidence in the Bouvier, Rottweiler and Bull Terrier breeds.
> 
> In the Newfoundland dog, this disorder is inherited (4,5).
> 
> The frequency of occurrence of subaortic stenosis in Golden Retriever dogs strongly suggests an inherited basis. It is likely that this disorder is inherited in the other breeds as well, although this has not been confirmed.


Here's the link......click on the underlined blue words "complete article".

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1681288

The heart medication isn't expensive at all. It's VERY cheap. The most expensive thing is the annual checkup with the Cardio Vet....and the doppler. That will probably run about $500 (give or take) per visit (once a year unless something is wrong with the pup).

However, if the pup gets sick.....then the care can get costly. But that's not usually the case with SAS dogs.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

An infantile murmur can correct. Dogs with SAS can live relatively normal lives. Meds are effective, and not expensive. Proper diet and exercise can make a huge difference. I showed a lovely dog who was diagnosed SAS at age two. She had been heavily conditioned - road work, swimming, and interval training - and never missed a beat. She lived to age 15 and never had any problems.


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

Hopefully you little one will outgrow these problems. But even he doesn't, he will have a great life with you and that is so important for him.


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

Ardeagold is right.

Tinkerbell is put on antibiotics while other dogs are not for the same condition. It's a preventative measure. It hasn't had to happen very often but our vet figures better safe than sorry.

We have not gone for a second doppler, part of the reason why we waited until she was 6 months old was so that it would be more definitive. But for the first year we were in the vet's office each month for a quick heart check. even now we go in every couple of months. there's been no change, if there is then we will consider doing another doppler.

And the heart meds are $4 a month at Wal-mart. $9 a month at the vets office.

Your pup will let you know if something is too much. Tinkerbell does everything a normal golden does. Just not always as much. That can be a good thing. when others are out walking their goldens in freezing tempertures for 5 miles, Tinkerbell just walks around the yard or down the street. I don't have to play fetch for 2 hours we might only do it for 30 minutes.


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

Pointgold said:


> An infantile murmur can correct. Dogs with SAS can live relatively normal lives. Meds are effective, and not expensive. Proper diet and exercise can make a huge difference. I showed a lovely dog who was diagnosed SAS at age two. She had been heavily conditioned - road work, swimming, and interval training - and never missed a beat. She lived to age 15 and never had any problems.


I am always so happy when stories like this are posted. People looking for information on SAS need to be able to find stories like this. And threads like these that offer hope. So much of what you find when researching SAS is very negative and offers little or no hope.


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## AtticusJordie (Aug 15, 2006)

Goldbeau said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I just had my 11 week old puppy at the cardiologist because he had a level one heart murmur. He was diagnosed with mild SAS.  We were hoping it would be just a puppy murmur that would go away on its own. I understand that he has a good prognosis if it does not get any worse before he turns one. Does anyone have any experience with this. Any thoughts advice would be appreciated. I just feel very sad that we are starting out with this kind of issue so soon. My breeder offered to take him back, but we ( I have 3 young kids) already love him.


Goldbeau:

It's 6 in the AM and I'm late for work already. Marshab was kind enough to PM me (you ROCK, girl!) and mentioned your thread. I can't write too much right now (the boss might get a bit p***ed if I'm late)--I promise I'll respond later this eve.

In a nutshell--we've had the same devastating experience that you are currently facing. Due to the lack of time, I'll just say this: SAS aside, our Atticus was diagnosed with several severe heart defects including a heart murmur when he was a pup. The vets (incuding OSU--a WONDERFUL GR hospital)--said he might have only a year or two to live--if we were lucky. With a little luck, we'll be celebrating his EIGHTH birthday in August. He's been almost totally asymptomatic--but is on some meds.

I'll write more later. Feel free to contact me here or by PM.

ANd thank Marshb for letting me know--she's the greatest!

SJ


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

What a bittersweet thread this is. All of your pups are in my thoughts and prayers. I


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

Ardeagold said:


> You said "mild" SAS. Do you remember the score? If it truly is mild, you won't need to do anything. Just let him do anything and everything any puppy would.
> 
> The SAS, over time, might worsen......but that could be 6 or 8 or 10 years from now (if ever). Just make sure he has his annual checkups, and do watch for illness (other than heart issues). Infections can cause problems with his heart.
> 
> ...


 
Thank you! This thread has really helped me and I appreciate it more than you all know. I'm not sure what score he had. He had a level one heart murmur. I do know his valve pressure was a 2.2 - 2 being the high end of normal. 

I was told that we would not know for sure if he would get worse until his next visit when he is one year old. The cardiologist didn't think he would get worse, but then again he originally thought it was an innocent puppy murmur. I really wanted the echo and just had a feeling something was not right. I had several friends tell me I was being too careful and it would go away by 20 weeks. I'm so glad I listened to my gut feeling. My breeder has been very responsible and payed for his cardio visit. Its good to know that the meds are not very expensive. That was a big concern for us. This is the first dog we have had ( I had a golden as a child) and it has been tough to deal with so much so soon. My guy also has an undescended testicle, but doesn't concern me compared to this. Just wish this had been all caught before....but it wasn't and we will take things as they come. He's like my baby and I want to do what is best for him.


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## Joanne & Asia (Jul 23, 2007)

I am so sorry you are dealing with this and what a tough decsion to make. Our vet thought Asia had SAS as a young pup and I cried and was anxious for the month it took for them to do more testing and discover it had gone away on it's own. During that time, we discussed what to do if she did have it and decided we could not give her back to the breeder as we were too attached. I hope that if you decide to keep your pup that with care and a good diet your baby should be able to lhave a good quality of life and bring you years of joy. My prayers are with you no matter what you decide and your only you can make the decision that is best for you and your family.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

My dog Cruiser has a grade 3/6 left basilar systolic murmur. The echocardiograph was done at 6 months old and the findings included mild subaortic stenosis(sas) and regurgitation at the aortic valve. His pressure gradients across the stenosis was less than 35mm which is very mild. His prognosis for a happy normal life is good. He just turned a year and is to go back for another echo at 2 years of age.. He is on no meds and he lives a normal happy life with my other goldens. If you were to watch him playing with the others you would never know he has a murmur. Here are a couple pictures showing he in action....(he is the one chasing the other dogs.)


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

AtticusJordie said:


> Goldbeau:
> 
> It's 6 in the AM and I'm late for work already. Marshab was kind enough to PM me (you ROCK, girl!) and mentioned your thread. I can't write too much right now (the boss might get a bit p***ed if I'm late)--I promise I'll respond later this eve.
> 
> ...


Thank you! I need to hear things like this. I look forward to hearing more!
Marshb - you are the best. Thank you so much.


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

Maggies mom said:


> My dog Cruiser has a grade 3/6 left basilar systolic murmur. The echocardiograph was done at 6 months old and the findings included mild subaortic stenosis(sas) and regurgitation at the aortic valve. His pressure gradients across the stenosis was less than 35mm which is very mild. His prognosis for a happy normal life is good. He just turned a year and is to go back for another echo at 2 years of age.. He is on no meds and he lives a normal happy life with my other goldens. If you were to watch him playing with the others you would never know he has a murmur. Here are a couple pictures showing he in action....(he is the one chasing the other dogs.)


 He's a beautiful dog. It makes me feel so good to see him playing like that. It sounds like his diagnosis was very similiar to Beau's.


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

Joanne & Asia said:


> I am so sorry you are dealing with this and what a tough decsion to make. Our vet thought Asia had SAS as a young pup and I cried and was anxious for the month it took for them to do more testing and discover it had gone away on it's own. During that time, we discussed what to do if she did have it and decided we could not give her back to the breeder as we were too attached. I hope that if you decide to keep your pup that with care and a good diet your baby should be able to lhave a good quality of life and bring you years of joy. My prayers are with you no matter what you decide and your only you can make the decision that is best for you and your family.


Thank you so much for your prayers. We definately will be keeping him and taking the best care of him that we can. I'm so glad your puppy had a good outcome. Sometimes the waiting is the hardest part.


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## Penny & Maggie's Mom (Oct 4, 2007)

Waiting is definitely the hardest part. I'm remembering you in my prayers. We actually have a human son that was very premature and has had several heart problems. He had a PDA (patent ductus arteriosis) surgery done when he was 2 days old ( when he weighed 1 lb 12 oz) and then years later while in high school was found with a mitral valve defect. He was treated with meds for a period of years and now is 27, married, has a dau., and is a pediatrician doing his residency. He eventually wants to do a fellowship in pediatric cardiology. All this being said, I hope your pup is one that can lead a completely normal life....... many pups ( and people ) do. Checkups, quality food, appropriate exercise will be most important...... just like is should be for all of us. Bless you for wanting your pup to stay where he belongs.... with you. Please keep us posted ( lots of pics too )....


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## LOVEisGOLDEN (Jan 4, 2008)

so sorry you are going through this, I will keep you in my thoughts! here's hoping your beautiful boy improves on his own!


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## bkalafar (Apr 4, 2008)

Our Murray had a 3/6 and was with us for 10 1/2 years. He went through all of the normal ups and downs of puppy/doghood, ALWAYS threw up on the carpet and not the hard floor, had a total hip replacement six years ago TODAY (4/15), went Kensington Metropark every day for a walk with his Dad and had a glorious life.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

I have very limited knowledge regarding SAS, but here is my story.

Danny was 5 months old when he was turned into the shelter. He not only had SAS, but he also had PDA. His SAS was a high 4, low 5. At 5 months old, he was in congestive heart failure and on blood pressure medication. During the time we had to wait for his surgery, we allowed him to be a puppy and run and play as much as he wanted to.

He had his surgery on May 24th last year (2007) when he 7 months old. They closed up the PDA, which relieved the pressure from the SAS. His now a low 1 and expected to have a normal golden retriever life span.

We are doing agility now, and he loves it. Matter of fact, he loves life in general!

Good luck!


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

fostermom said:


> I have very limited knowledge regarding SAS, but here is my story.
> 
> Danny was 5 months old when he was turned into the shelter. He not only had SAS, but he also had PDA. His SAS was a high 4, low 5. At 5 months old, he was in congestive heart failure and on blood pressure medication. During the time we had to wait for his surgery, we allowed him to be a puppy and run and play as much as he wanted to.
> 
> ...


Wow, what a great recovery he made! I would like to do agility with Beau one day. Here are a few pictures I took today. I wanted to share them with all of you... oops cant seem to get the pics to work!


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Do you have the pictures uploaded to a hosting site like Photobucket?


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## Debles (Sep 6, 2007)

This forum is so great. What a wealth of information and support for us golden lovers and our babies! Thank you everyone for being here!


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## AtticusJordie (Aug 15, 2006)

Goldbeau:

Looks like you're getting a lot of good support from the gang here at the Forum--and I'm glad to see that you're supporting your little one through thick and thin.

Our story goes something like this: Atticus, our first Golden, was diagnosed with a mild heart murmur by our breeders vet. Upon check-up several weeks later by our vet (who is now NOT our vet), he indicated that Atticus was fine--no murmur. For reasons I won't go into, we went to another vet (who has two Goldens herself) and upon listening to Atticus's heart--remarked that Atticus had such a serious heart murmur......  ?????What?

The second vet (the one we no longer use!) had completely missed the heart murmur. Our current vet (the one who noted how serious it was) suggested taking him to OSU since they originally had a program specifically dealing with SAS in Goldens. (The program has now been discontinued). We went there in late 2000 or thereabouts. After his exam, the vet told us that his mitrial valve deformation--among several other cardiac problems--was extremely bad. She suggested that with a little TLC, he MIGHT make it to 1 year--maybe two years old at best. I won't go into detail how we felt--you already get the picture. 

We've taken him back to OSU every year. The first several years were pretty rough--his heart continued to enlarge at an alarming rate. But OSU kept giving him varying meds and after several years--around 2005-6--he stabilized. His heart hasn't grown much in a few years, his dysrhymias have disappeared and he still maintains an active lifestyle.

In august we hope to help him celebrate his 8th birthday! You and your little fella are invited to the party!

Hell--EVERYONE is invited!

Give him some TLC and meds when necessary--and if you are of that mind--send a prayer upstairs--it'll all work wonders!

Good Luck!

Scott J.


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

AtticusJordie said:


> Goldbeau:
> 
> Looks like you're getting a lot of good support from the gang here at the Forum--and I'm glad to see that you're supporting your little one through thick and thin.
> 
> ...


That is amazing! It shows what good care and some help from above can do. Thats going to be one heck of a party. He should have a big "dog food" cake!!  Also the original vet that examined Beau missed the murmur also. Whats with that?!


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

fostermom said:


> Do you have the pictures uploaded to a hosting site like Photobucket?


Yes, I do! Every time I try to insert them into the email it just gives me a little box with a red X in it. Any suggestions??


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I load my pictures into the gallery that copy and paste the BB code to the thread. I use this instead of photobucket.


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## arcane (Sep 18, 2007)

Goldbeau said:


> Also the original vet that examined Beau missed the murmur also. Whats with that?!


I am not going to repeat all that has been posted prior ...very sound advice. I will say that upon vet evaluations at 7 wks, sometimes murmurs are missed, sometimes they come and go, some vets just have a better ear, most innocent murmurs do correct, just keep evaluating your boy at routine puppy visits and then if needed after 6 mos you can do further testing if warranted. 

Best to you and little Beau. 

added as a breeder: If I took back an sas pup it would remain with me and I would raise/treat accordingly, for the lifetime of the pup.


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

My vet is great about doing the heart checks. They don't charge me office visits when I'm just running Tinkerbell in for a heart listen. And they encourage me to come in whenever I feel the need. (when she was really young there were times that was every week) Our regluar vet is the one that always listens to her heart, and then she normally has 1 or 2 of the other vets in the practice come in and listen also. Just to get a another opinion and so that there is always someone at the clinic that knows what it should sound like and if there has been a change.

And I have to say it is wonderful to hear all the good stories.


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

Yeah!! I figured it out. Here is Beau and one of him and my little girl. We ALL thank you so much for your advice and good wishes.


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

Oh they are both adorable!


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## marshab1 (Aug 28, 2006)

bkalafar said:


> Our Murray had a 3/6 and was with us for 10 1/2 years. He went through all of the normal ups and downs of puppy/doghood, ALWAYS threw up on the carpet and not the hard floor, had a total hip replacement six years ago TODAY (4/15), went Kensington Metropark every day for a walk with his Dad and had a glorious life.
> View attachment 24555


Welcome! He was gorgeous and how lucky you were to have him for 10 1/2 years.

Thanks for posting. I hope we see more of you.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Aww, geeze... what a beautiful little girl!!!! And a perfectly darling puppy. They both look very happy!


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## Ardeagold (Feb 26, 2007)

Oh my, what a beautiful picture of two beautiful "kids"! 

Thanks for posting that.....it's a great shot!


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## AtticusJordie (Aug 15, 2006)

Goldbeau said:


> That is amazing! It shows what good care and some help from above can do. Thats going to be one heck of a party. He should have a big "dog food" cake!!  Also the original vet that examined Beau missed the murmur also. Whats with that?!


I fault the vet for missing something that should have been loud enough to come out and smack him across the face. But he missed it and we'll have to live with that.

That was around the time our cat Charley was dying of cancer. It was a very ugly time with losing Charley then learning that Atticus had a life-threatening illness-and just a puppy to boot.

Life is a series of ups and downs. That time was a serious downer. Having lived with, cleaned up after, 'Roooooed' with, and loved Atticus over the last 7+ years along with our golden, a rescue, Jordie--has been a continuous "up". 

As many times our hearts were broken and we cried like babies, we wouldn't trade even a second of our time with Atticus. We hope he lives forever.....



And thanks for posting the pics of your two "kids"--they are just perfect.

SJ


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

Beautiful family you have there!


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## arcane (Sep 18, 2007)

Beautiful photos ! your daughter is so cute and Beau is just scrumptious!!


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

marshab1 said:


> My vet is great about doing the heart checks. They don't charge me office visits when I'm just running Tinkerbell in for a heart listen. And they encourage me to come in whenever I feel the need. (when she was really young there were times that was every week) Our regluar vet is the one that always listens to her heart, and then she normally has 1 or 2 of the other vets in the practice come in and listen also. Just to get a another opinion and so that there is always someone at the clinic that knows what it should sound like and if there has been a change.
> 
> And I have to say it is wonderful to hear all the good stories.


My vet doesnt charge me either...Dont need an appointment just go in. Your daughter is beautiful.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

What a precious picture! Your daughter and Beau are adorable.


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## Goldbeau (Mar 29, 2008)

You all are too kind..... :kiss:


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