Greyhounds have Big Hearts ♥ (yes, literally)!

Because greyhounds are bred for sprinting, they have larger and heavier hearts (about the size of a clenched fist) and lower heart rates (60 – 90 beats per minute) than other breeds.  Like most well-conditioned athletes, the wall of the left ventricle (the compartment that pumps blood out through the aorta to the body) is relatively thick.  Greyhounds also tend to have higher blood pressure (systolic BP up to 170-190 mm Hg) than other breeds.  Low grade heart murmurs (Grades I and II) are fairly common in greyhounds and are almost always benign.  An ultrasound can help differentiate between clinically significant and benign murmurs if there is any doubt.