Puppy with rare heart defect causing trouble breathing and sudden

Abstract

ABSTRACT The anomalous origin of the pulmonary trunk in the ascending aorta, defined as arterious hemitruncus, is a rare congenital malformation in dogs, caused by a defect in the spiral septum. Thus, given the unusual occurrence in the canine species, the systemic severity and the high lethality, the aim of this study was to describe this heart disease in a three-month-old male German Spitz puppy, emphasizing clinical changes of the necropsy and microscopics. The animal had cyanosis, dyspnea and weakness and was forwarded for necropsy after sudden death. Numerous changes were detected in the post-mortem examination, including in the heart, as cardiomegaly and absence of the arterial ligament, which was replaced by the complete fusion between the ascending aorta and the pulmonary trunk, after leaving both the left and right ventricles, respectively and, among the microscopic findings, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy stood out. The association of these findings with the history indicated the diagnosis of arterious hemitruncus followed by cardiorespiratory failure, emphasizing the importance of out complementary cardiological exams in young symptomatic patients for the survival of those affected. Arterious hemitruncus, although rare, must be added in the differential diagnosis of other heart diseases that cause similar clinical signs.