Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Beagle puppy with breathing and swallowing trouble from rare double
By Du Plessis, C J et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2006·Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Symmetrical double aortic arch in a beagle puppy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-week-old male beagle puppy was brought in for regurgitation and breathing problems that had been happening for three weeks. Tests showed that his esophagus was severely constricted due to a rare condition called double aortic arch, where both aortic arches persist and can trap the esophagus and trachea. The puppy underwent surgery to correct the issue, but unfortunately, he worsened afterward and had to be euthanized. This case highlights the importance of advanced imaging techniques to better understand such complex vascular issues before surgery.
People also search for: beagle puppy regurgitation · dog breathing problems · double aortic arch treatment · puppy surgery complications
Abstract
Double aortic arch denotes the persistence of both fourth aortic arches and has been reported as 'very rare' in the dog. Most reported cases have been seen in German shepherd dogs. An eight-week-old, male, 1.5-kg beagle presented with a three-week history of regurgitation and dyspnoea. A barium oesophagram showed severe oesophageal constriction cranial to the base of the heart, and a provisional diagnosis of a persistent right aortic arch was made. A left-sided fourth intercostal thoracotomy was performed. The ligamentum arteriosum was ligated and divided. The oesophagus was seen lying on the right-hand side of the aorta. Postoperatively, the puppy deteriorated and was euthanized. Postmortem revealed a double aortic arch entrapping both the oesophagus and trachea. The inexperienced surgeon could consider computed tomography or angiography to determine the exact vascular ring, and other possible concurrent vascular anomalies present, before surgery.
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/16417608/