Heart murmur - possibly caused by virus

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Ahrena

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My mare came in last night from the field shaking like a leaf (despite feeling warm and rugged according to the weather) and very quiet. Her temp was fine but I called the vet.

Vet took bloods (waiting for results) and suspects a virus. The concerning thing was she detected a heart murmur.

This was not picked up at her vetting as an unbacked 4 year old 2.5 years ago, nor anytime since - although she has always been healthy so can't remember if anyone has listened before.

The vet said it could possibly be caused by the virus. It was on the left side, quite loud but couldn't hear it on the right, and her heart rate was fine.

They will come next week to listen again and see if it's still there and if so she will be referred for scans.

My research tells me the implications
Completely vary according to which heart valve it is...but I was wondering if anyone has any experience?

She's a very talented young horse, my pride and joy and is supposed to be an up and coming event horse, aimed a intermediate/advanced level.

If it doesn't go away is there any chance she would still be capable of that?
 
My first horse had a heart murmer caused by equine flu. We knew of it when we bought him. He was also a roarer, from the same illness. Vet's advice was against serious eventing activities, but I jumped him and dressaged him without a problem. And there was nothing he liked better than a good pipe opener up the gallop field!

Agree with Vodkagirly, though, wait to see what the vet says.
 
fatty came to me with a serious heart issue believed to be caused by a virus .
We could not ride him to handle him in a confined space and where told to be prepared to find him dead .
We turned him away and in time started a exercise programme based around lunging and leading from another horse .
In time his heart came right and he's still going six years later .
Two vet recommended PTS and the insurance company paid LOU to his owner who gave him to me .

Even if you are in a worse case scenario all is not lost .
Get the best specialist advice quickly .
 
I've experienced heart murmurs twice.
Both older horses, the first mine. He was on loan long term/permanent to a lady who's vet diagnosed it during a routine check up. I had him back, scared he was going to go downhill or suffer and never had any problem. He came back out of retirement and my own vet couldn't find any thing wrong with his heart.
Same with one at work. Diagnosed, but carried on his normal life and 7 years later was pts for a completely unrelated issue.
 
I had this happen with an older mare, she was 27 and vaccinated when she contracted equine flu. Neatly lost her twice and the vet found a severe heart murmur, caused by the virus. we were warned she could collapse suddenly and stopped riding her.

However, after a year, the murmur was 95% gone, and we started leading her out from another horse and riding gently in the school. We were two months into a fitness programme when she broke her leg in the field.

So, although she was elderly and had been very ill, we nearly got her back and if not for the accident, she would have been back to hacking and veteran showing.

Your mare is young and not nearly as ill, so there's every chance she'll come good. Also, look up Night Nurse - his heart murmur didn't stop him winning two Champion Hurdles!

Fingers crossed for you both.
 
There was nothing at all irregular in her bloods. I suspected this this morning as she seemed very well in herself and creating mischief.

They're going to come on Monday to test her White blood cells and if that's okay then they'll book her in for a scan.

Ughhhhh
 
One of mine a few years ago was diagnosed with a mild heart murmur & chest infection, few weeks of medication for the chest infection and a few checks later the heart murmur seemed non apparent any more :) 4 years later and no negative implications, and continued eventing.

Hopefully things will all work out for you too!
 
So sorry. I hope it's not a serious murmur. My mums horse had a really bad virus and it gave him a murmur. It was a bad murmur and we had to retire him as the vet said riding him would be Russian roulette as to if his heart would cope.... He was an old horse though not a young fit one like yours.
 
sorry can't help too much technically but just wanted to say - a very, very similar thing happened with a friend's horse recently, it was so scary (so similar I had to check this wasn't an old post from her!) - but the mare is now back to full health and competing like nothing was ever wrong. So there is the possibility that it will all resolve and be fine. Fingers crossed for you it's a similar story for you.
 
Heart mumur can also be caused by iron deficiency. It can be bad news, but I have heard of several that have had heart mumurs and recovered and back in full work, so don't get too upset.
 
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