Double vena cava cranialis in a female Pug – a case report

Abstract

The purpose of the present case report was to describe an extremely rare variation of vena cava cranialis in a Pug dog observed during routine dissection. The right cranial vena cava was normally represented, while the left cranial vein was described as an exception and very rarely in mammalian orders with an asymmetric cranial hollow vein, while there are animal classes and orders in which the double, symmetrical cranial hollow vein is normally present. The different end in the right atrium of this extra vein, visualised by imaging methods, can be misinterpreted as pathology of the heart. The left cranial vena cava is an important finding during radiological examination, as well as for specialists dealing with breeding and hereditary anomalies.