Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Abnormal blood vessel connections in a puppy with heart defect
By Bernardin, Fanny et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2013·Department of Companion Animals, France·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Shunting between the CVC and both the azygos vein and thoracic duct in a dog with CTD.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-month-old female Rottweiler was brought to the vet because she was not eating, had trouble exercising, and was losing weight. During the examination, the vet found she was having difficulty breathing, had pale gums, and weak pulses. Tests showed she had fluid in her chest and abdomen, anemia, and a heart condition called cor triatriatum dexter (CTD), along with abnormal connections between blood vessels. After treatment with diuretics, iron supplements, and surgery for the heart condition, her breathing improved, she could exercise better, and her anemia resolved.
People also search for: puppy not eating · Rottweiler exercise intolerance · congenital heart disease in dogs treatment
Abstract
A 5 mo old female rottweiler was referred for evaluation of a suspected congenital heart disease. Clinical signs included anorexia, exercise intolerance, and severe loss of body condition. Clinical examination revealed dyspnea, pale mucous membranes, and weak femoral pulses. Pleural and abdominal effusions and iron deficiency anemia were identified. A distended intrathoracic caudal vena cava (CVC) visible on thoracic radiographs suggested that the modified transudate abdominal effusion was the result of improper venous return to the right side of the heart. Cor triatriatum dexter (CTD) was diagnosed via echocardiography but did not explain all the anomalies detected during a contrast echocardiography. Abnormal communications between the CVC and azygos vein and the CVC and thoracic duct were subsequently identified by abdominal ultrasonography and angiography. Medical management with diuretics, iron supplements, and surgical treatment of CTD resulted in normalization of the respiratory rate, the exercise intolerance, and the anemia. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of CTD associated with shunts between the CTV and both the azygos vein and thoracic duct in dogs. This report emphasizes the importance of presurgical assessment of concurrent thoracic and abdominal congenital vascular abnormalities.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23325592/