Heart murmurs in horses — what's important and what's not

Cardiac murmurs are a common finding in horses. In the great majority of cases they represent a normal cardiac event or non-significant pathology, but on some occasions they can indicate serious cardiac disease. Determining the significance of a murmur and whether it can affect the horse's performance or even increase the risk of sudden death can be challenging. A more specific cardiac examination (including palpation of peripheral pulses, assessment of jugular filling and/or pulse, assessment of mucous membranes and detailed cardiac auscultation) should be carried out in order to gain as much information as possible to be able to provide an accurate prognosis and the correct advice. This article will review a series of recommendations for horses in which a murmur is detected.