Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Imaging diagnosis of rare heart artery defect in adult dog
By Molli, A et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2023·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Advanced imaging in an adult dog with anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery and extensive collateral coronary circulation.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old spayed female Bichon Frise was diagnosed with a rare heart condition where the left coronary artery was incorrectly connected to the pulmonary artery instead of the aorta. This condition was identified through advanced imaging tests after an initial ultrasound. Although the dog had an extensive network of alternative blood vessels that helped supply her heart, these adaptations could not prevent serious heart problems over time. Sadly, she passed away suddenly at the age of 6 due to complications related to her heart defect.
People also search for: Bichon Frise heart problems · dog coronary artery disease · sudden death in dogs · heart defect in dogs · dog heart arrhythmia symptoms
Abstract
A three-year-old, spayed female, Bichon Frise was diagnosed with an anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery, a rare congenital coronary artery defect which has only been reported in two other dogs. Echocardiography was initially performed, though the final diagnosis was made with angiography and computed tomography angiography. An extensive network of collateral coronary circulation allowed for communication between the dilated, tortuous right coronary artery, and the anomalous left coronary artery. Though collateral circulation likely prolonged the patient's life, it is suspected that coronary steal phenomenon and chronic myocardial ischemia ultimately led to fatal ventricular arrhythmias. The dog died suddenly at the age of six, three years after initial diagnosis.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37379743/