Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Puppy heart defect fixed by general vets with surgery
By James, L et al.·Published in Journal of the South African Veterinary Association·2011·Saint Francis Veterinary Hospital·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Patent ductus arteriosus repair in general practice.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-month-old female German Shepherd puppy was brought in for her routine vaccinations when the vet discovered a serious heart issue: a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), which is a condition where a blood vessel fails to close after birth. The veterinary team successfully performed surgery to close the PDA using a technique called the Jackson-Henderson method. After the surgery, the puppy received pain management and was monitored closely. Six months later, she showed no signs of heart problems and the murmur had disappeared, indicating a successful recovery.
People also search for: puppy heart murmur treatment · German Shepherd PDA surgery · dog heart problems symptoms
Abstract
A 3-month-old female German Shepherd puppy was presented for routine vaccination. Clinical evaluation revealed a grade 5/6 continuous murmur with the point of maximal intensity over the left 4th intercostal space. Echocardiography revealed a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). The PDA was closed by a team of general practitioners using the Jackson-Henderson technique, via a standard 4th intercostal thoracotomy. A multi-modal approach to analgesia and premedication was employed. A successful outcome was achieved with no murmur or evidence of cardiac disease present 6 months after surgical occlusion. The literature is reviewed with an emphasis placed on choosing techniques that are appropriate to the level of expertise of the surgical and anaesthetic teams, as well as the surgical facilities available.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22616439/