HEART MURMURS



Several cases have been brought to our notice but only one breeder has had consultations with a heart specialist when further tests were undertaken. Unfortunately the equipment necessaiy for assessing heart problems is very expensive and so the fees for such an investigation are high.

Also, until a fair number of normal Cairns have been assessed in depth no basic criteria are available to the specialist - a Catch 22 situation.

Breeds such as Cavaliers and Boxers now have severe heart problems probably due to ignoring irregularities such as murmurs years ago. The problem in Cairns seems minor at present but Ruth Wadman Taylor would beg earnestly that puppies which have murmurs are not bred from.

In fact, no animal with a definite defect should be kept in the breeding programme. That is common sense.

Return to Health Watch Page