What are heart murmurs primarily characterized as?

Heart murmurs are primarily characterized as abnormal heart sounds that occur during the heartbeat cycle. These sounds are produced by turbulent blood flow within the heart, often due to structural abnormalities in the heart's valves or walls, or from other conditions affecting blood circulation.

Unlike the regular sounds associated with normal heartbeats, which are represented by the standard "lub-dub" sounds, heart murmurs might be described as soft whooshing or swishing sounds. They can vary in intensity and can sometimes be indicative of underlying cardiac issues, making their identification important in veterinary medicine and dog grooming practices that involve understanding the overall health of a pet.

In contrast, unusual breathing sounds, irregular heart rhythms, and normal heartbeats do not accurately describe heart murmurs. Unusual breathing sounds pertain to respiratory issues rather than cardiac ones. Irregular heart rhythms suggest arrhythmias—not simply murmurs—indicating a more complex electrical issue within the heart. Normal heartbeats reflect healthy function without any anomalies, distinguishing them clearly from the abnormal sounds of murmurs.