[Cheryl Pepper Millie Sophie]

Liz,
It breaks my heart to hear your story,
A few pieces of advice-do you live in a town or city? Is there a veterinary teaching hospital that isn’t too far away?
Why, If you don’t mind me asking and if you know wasn’t an ultrasound suggested 1st an MRI seems like the last step not the first.
In my experience with my schnauzer, when i got her 3 yrs ago her teeth & gums were so bad and infected I cried when I saw them,no one ever cared for them and it was a disaster, I still say to this day 3 yrs later this is why her immune system is so bad. But I am getting off topic.
My Pepper has mild mitral valve prolapse, what I would do is ask to have an ultrasound done find out what grade the murmur is I-IV ( i think it may be grade 1-4 not 5 ) then go from there, ultrasounds are not cheap, but they are less costly and less invasive to Qtips-all they do is shave her tummy a bit, put jelly & pass the thingy(sorry forgot what’s it called) along the heart area. Then & only then with a detailed explanation get an MRI done. I can’t put Pepper under anymore because of her age and her pulmonary hypertension,so I use a product called Oravet that I get on Amazon( I can tell you more about that if you decide not to do the dental) Also ask if a course of antibiotics might help her-to get the infection under control-if she has a bad infection & there is bleeding you don’t want her to get sepsis, or a bad infection circulating through her entire body
I hate to say this but someone wants your money-you must be very forthright and question,question everything-if i told you how many vets I have taken my angel to how many disagreements i have had your jaw would drop.
I look at it like this-I have her for a reason, she came into my life for a reason I am her caretaker ,advocate , guardian & I will fight for her to get the best that is possible.
I shouldn’t say this but vets are in it for the money (most vets are)-they can size a person up in seconds & see who treats there pets as pets or as a fur-kids as a child with 4 legs, and then the bleeding starts. Stay strong.
Please keep me updated, I will offer any help I can, because believe me in the last 3 yrs I feel like I have been through so much with my baby girl.
Good luck.