Hi , my friend has two Cavaliers , one is 1 and the other is 6 (both male and neutered )Her older boy has always had a heart murmur but just lately she has noticed him slowing right down and sometimes looking like he is struggling to keep up on walks , her vet has recomended heart tablets and water tablets for him but she is a little dubious as in the past one of her dogs had these and did not fair well on them, and she felt it made not too much of a difference to her dog   .If she reduces the amout of free running(Ie .not chasing the younger dog) he does do you think it may help him or is it best to get him on the tablets .

My Cavalier went from no heart murmur to a grade 6 within months and was put onto tablets straight away. That was when he was 7 and the vet said he would only live a few months. He is now 14 years and almost 9 months old! There is no way on earth he could have lived as long as this without medication. But you can't expect any dog to go on heart medication and instantly be better -the dosages etc will need tweaking until the amount and type that suits that particular dog is found. Just limiting exercise won't do any good -and surely what we all want for our dogs is to have a happy life, being able to do normal things and have some fun? I've never restricted what my dog does, ever. He gets to do what he wants as far as exercise goes, because only he knows what he feels up to. Some days that means walks, other days it means staying in and sleeping. When he was 9 and I was training another dog indoors one day when it was raining he joined in and clearly showed he wanted to train as well (he used to love training classes). I let him and then took him back to classes. I explained to the trainers there was always a possibility he might have a heart attack and drop dead, but I'd rather he did that and had fun than be bored for the rest of his life. In just 3 weeks he passed his KC Good Citizen Silver and Gold both. When he was 10 I bought a Papillon puppy and that really changed his life as he so loved having younger company.

I have a very similar story to Marianne B.  Happy healthy dog one day, the next Grade 6 murmour and couldn't get off the sofa.  She was put on vetmedin, fortakor and frusimde and I was warned she only had weeks to live and off lead walking was a huge no no.  That was two years ago, she will have her 9th birthday next week.  I'm not one to ignore my vets, I'm lucky to have one I trust, but this time I did.  She goes for the same off lead walks on the beach and in the fields.  I am well aware that one day she will have a heart attack chasing a seagull and I will have to cary her body home.  But it would be utterly selfish of me not to give her freedom and enjoy her favourite activities.  I got fed up of the dirty looks when I took my other dog to training, and so started taking the cavalier back as well.  Sitting at home for the last two years would have been no life, so why bother saving it?  I'm also convinced not allowing her fitness level to drop has kept her heart as strong as it can be.  I dont push her, she has the odd down day when she doesn't want a walk.  (Normally when its raining!)

I would strongly urge your friend to give her dog the tablets.  They are flavoured these days as well so no more pushing them down the dogs throat, mine goes nuts everytime I pick up the pill box!

Henrieke how lovely to hear another story almost identical to my Rufus!

Cavaliers are little fighters!  My vets only explaination is that she is too stubborn to die!

And just because their bodies give out, their spirits dont.  6 months ago jumping on the sofa became a task too much of her, but she is perfectly clear in her head that just because she cant do it it doesn't mean she has to stop getting on her favourite spot.  She's well aware that if she continues to ask to get up by pawing my brand new leather sofa omeone will come running to lift her up......6 or 7 times an evening.  Good job shes loved!

My first cavvie also went from nothing to a high level murmur within a short space of time.  My vet likened it to drowning in her own lungs as her heart couldnt get rid of the fluid in her body quickly enough.  It was not an option to delay meds when I heard that She passed away three months later.  She managed to get to ten years old, and her parents and grandparents all tested heart clear at 5 and 7 years old, so I think we did quite well.