Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Silent aortic dissection found in 2-year-old Great Pyrenees dog
By Melhorn, H et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2025·Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University 200 Westboro Rd, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Incidentally identified aortic dissection in a Great Pyrenees dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 2-year-old female spayed Great Pyrenees was found to have a serious heart issue called aortic dissection during a follow-up echocardiogram. This condition was confirmed with advanced imaging and linked to genetic factors that affect connective tissues. Thankfully, the dog showed no symptoms at the time and has been doing well since starting treatment with a medication called carvedilol and following exercise restrictions. Regular check-ups and careful management are important for her ongoing health.
People also search for: Great Pyrenees heart problems · aortic dissection in dogs · carvedilol for dogs · dog exercise restrictions heart condition
Abstract
A two-year-old female spayed Great Pyrenees dog was presented for an echocardiogram after a dilated aortic root and ascending aorta were found on a routine echocardiogram examination one year prior. A suspected aortic dissection was detected on the recheck echocardiogram, which was confirmed with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Subsequent genetic sequencing confirmed nucleotide variants of several connective tissue- associated proteins, of which three are known to be associated with connective tissue disorders in humans, including ADAMTS3, ADAMTSL2, and SMAD4. The dog was subclinical at the time of examination and has since been doing well with medical management on carvedilol and exercise restriction.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41172595/