How is a murmur typically detected during a physical examination?

A murmur is typically detected during a physical examination through auscultation, which involves listening to the sounds made by the heart using a stethoscope. During this process, a veterinary assistant or veterinarian will place the stethoscope on the animal’s chest to identify abnormal heart sounds that may indicate issues such as valve mutations or turbulent blood flow.

This method is essential for assessing heart health, as it allows the examiner to hear not just the regular heartbeats, but also any additional sounds that could be classified as murmurs. Understanding the nuances of these sounds can help in diagnosing potential cardiac conditions early on, which is crucial for effective treatment.

Other methods, like palpation, are more focused on feeling the heartbeat or pulse but do not provide the auditory information needed to identify a murmur. Observation might include watching for signs of distress or abnormal behavior but lacks the specificity required to detect the subtle sounds of a murmur. An electrocardiogram, while useful for assessing the electrical activity of the heart, does not measure or identify murmurs directly. Thus, auscultation is the gold standard for detecting murmurs in a physical examination.