• Have symptoms of a heart murmur checked out by a veterinarian.dog image by veronika from Fotolia.com
  
  A heart murmur is caused by the abnormal flow of blood within the valves of the heart, and it can be the first sign of heart disease in dogs. A dog may have a heart murmur due to inherited problems or it might develop a heart murmur due to disease or advancing age. While heart murmurs may be benign, it is important to take a dog to to the veterinarian as soon as you suspect that there might be a problem. Learning to identify the symptoms can be instrumental to preserving your dog's health.
  
  

Loss of Energy

• A dog whose heart valves need to work harder to pump blood is going to have less energy than it once did. More of the dog's resources are being put towards forcing the heart to pump correctly and the dog may appear to be constantly exhausted, even if it has not been exercising or playing.
  
  

Labored Breathing

• A dog who is dealing with a heart murmur may have difficulty breathing. It might pant excessively even when it has not been visibly exerting itself. Because more resources are going to forcing the heart to pump, the dog's lungs might suffer.
  
  

Bluish Gums or Tongue

• A bluish tinge to the dog's gums or teeth is a sign that the blood that is getting to those parts of the dog's body is not rich in oxygen. This can be a serious sign that something is wrong with your dog. Take the dog to the vet immediately if you notice this symptom.
  
  

Racing Heartbeat

• A heart with a murmur must work harder to pump adequate amounts of blood to the body. The result can be a racing heartbeat that occurs even when a dog is reclining or has not been exercising.
  
  

Fainting

• A dog may suddenly faint due to a heart murmur. Fainting may appear as a sudden loss of strength, and it may or may not be accompanied by a loss of consciousness. Fainting can be associated with a number of serious issues beyond heart murmurs, so immediately bring a dog that has fainted to see the veterinarian.