Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
German shepherd puppy with multiple heart vessel defects causing
By Christiansen, K J et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2007·Department of Clinical Studies, 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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Multiple vascular anomalies in a regurgitating German shepherd puppy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A German shepherd puppy was brought in for regurgitating food and was found to have multiple heart and blood vessel issues. The vet discovered a condition called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), which was confirmed with an ultrasound, and also identified a persistent right aortic arch (PRAA) through X-rays. Surgery was performed to correct these vascular problems, which involved careful management to avoid harming the puppy's blood supply. After the surgery, the puppy's condition improved, and it was able to eat without regurgitating.
People also search for: German shepherd puppy regurgitating · PDA treatment in dogs · persistent right aortic arch surgery
Abstract
Five cardio-thoracic vascular anomalies were detected in a German shepherd puppy. The patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) was detected on physical examination (5/6 continuous murmur) and confirmed by echocardiogram. The persistent right aortic arch (PRAA) was suspected by the signalment and history of the patient, and confirmed by survey thoracic radiographs (leftward deviation of the trachea cranial to the heart on the ventrodorsal projection). The ventrally deviated trachea cranial to the heart on the right lateral thoracic radiograph was suggestive of a persistent retroesophageal left subclavian artery and confirmed at surgery. The persistent left cranial vena cava and the left azygous vein were detected at surgery. This case report gives a thorough description of the clinical signs, diagnostics and treatments required for the detection and successful resolution of PRAA. The report describes the importance of having experienced surgeons who can recognize vascular anomalies associated with PRAA in order to successfully alleviate the arch and the coinciding oesophageal stricture without compromising vital blood supplies.
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/17212746/