Grade 2 VSD Diastolic Heart Mumur

[jenmac_85]

Can some one please break this down for me.

Was advised our 3.5 year old shetland has this and although there is no real concern, I wouldnt mind knowing exactly what all this means

 

[GreedyGuts]

VSD is a ventroseptal defect, a hole between the two pumping chambers of the heart. It's a congenital defect, it's especially common in Welsh mountain ponies, but is seen in all sorts of breeds. Grade 2/6 would be quiet for a VSD.

Also VSD murmurs are systolic (occur during the heart cycle i.e lub-shhh-dub) not diastolic (occur between heart cycles i.e. lub- dub-shh).

If your pony does have a 2/6 diastolic murmur I would be suspicious that his aortic valve, or less probably his pulmonary valve isn't closing properly. This has a better prognosis that a VSD.

If you are curious to find out the abnormality that is causing the murmur then you could have his heart scanned, but to be honest it's not going to change what you do with him. Minimise strain on his heart by not allowing him to be come overweight, monitor him for any changes in exercise tolerance/signs that he's slowing down a bit, and get your vet to have a listen every so often to see if his murmurs changed at all.

Hope that's useful.

 

[jenmac_85]

Thanks very much. That is definately useful

I understand that better.

It is definately a diastolic so I have perhaps heard 'VSD' and slotted in in there without need to.

He is currently used perhaps 1-2 times a week to allow the O's grandaughters to ride him, walk and trot, but other than that he is in a field that is grazed down. She did suggest an echo, but as he is asymptomatic I have said I woudl prefer to wait and see how he goes first.