PetCaseFinder

Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Puppy with esophagus blockage from left aortic arch and right

By Hurley, K et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1993·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, 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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Left aortic arch and right ligamentum arteriosum causing esophageal obstruction in a dog.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A 10-week-old mixed-breed puppy was brought to the vet because it was frequently regurgitating food. X-rays and a special swallowing test showed signs of a possible vascular ring anomaly, which can cause problems with swallowing. During surgery, the vet found a left aortic arch but couldn't identify the exact cause of the obstruction at that time. Unfortunately, after the puppy passed away, a post-mortem exam revealed that the combination of the left aortic arch and a right ligamentum arteriosum was causing the esophageal blockage.

People also search for: puppy regurgitation causes · dog esophageal obstruction treatment · mixed-breed puppy swallowing problems

Abstract

A 10-week-old, mixed-breed dog was examined because of persistent regurgitation. Results of thoracic radiography and fluoroscopy of the esophagus, using a liquid suspension of barium sulfate, were suggestive of a vascular ring anomaly. During left lateral thoracotomy, a left aortic arch was identified, but the cause of the esophageal obstruction could not be determined. Results of endoscopic examination of the esophagus suggested a compressive lesion originating from the right side of the esophagus. An anomalous artery could not be identified on an aortogram. Post-mortem examination revealed a left aortic arch and right ligamentum arteriosum that were causing the esophageal obstruction.

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/8226217/