Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Dogs

What is patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)?

The ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel small runts communication between the pulmonary artery and aorta. Pulmonary artery is responsible for brining blood to the lungs, while the aorta carries blood throughout the body dog. When the fetus is developed enough dogs, most of the blood from the heart through the lungs through the ducts arteriosus. The lungs are not fully developed until quite late in the process of fetal development. When the blood supply is cut off from the parent dogs at birth, the puppies will take the first breath and blood flow through the ductus arteriosus will decrease dramatically. After several days, the ductus arteriosus closes will be completely closed and no more blood will be able to pass through. In some dogs, ductus arteriosus will not close properly and the dog can maintain blood flow through the opening. This is called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Some dogs develop without symptoms at all, while others suffer from weight problems. Patent ductus arteriosus can cause heart failure and death.

Patent ductus arteriosus symptoms in dogs

The severity of the symptoms will depend on how big the disabled. In some dogs, there is only a small blind pocket of the aorta and the dogs rarely show symptoms of patent ductus arteriosus at all.

The type most often occurs from patent ductus arteriosus have a shunt left-to-right. This causes blood from the aorta - where the higher pressure - will continue to be driven into the main pulmonary artery. This means that the lungs are forced to accept more blood than normal, which in turn can cause fluid retention. Symptoms of this type of patent ductus arteriosus in dogs including exercise intolerance, cough, and weight loss. If left untreated, congestive heart failure is common and dogs suffering from this type of patent ductus arteriosus will often die an early death unless they receive surgical treatment.

Right-to-left shunt rare in dogs, but it does happen. Some dogs have this problem since birth, while others develop it over the patent ductus arteriosus is significant. Shunt in dogs with right-to-left some blood that leaves the right side of the heart will never reach the lungs. This means that the bad blood will circulate in the body oxygen dog. Symptoms of this type of patent ductus arteriosus in dogs include weakness, shortness of breath, and the collapse of the hind legs.

Patent ductus arteriosus treatment for dogs

If a dog with patent ductus arteriosus receive initial operation, the prognosis is very good. Cardiac surgery is risky but often dogs and many require medical stabilization before (and sometimes after) the procedure. If your dog is younger than 2 years and have a PDA shunting left-to-right, definitely organized operation. Surgeon will tie off patent ductus. This should ideally be done as soon as possible, before the patent ductus arteriosus from cause permanent changes in the liver. (Heart will try to compensate for the variation.) Puppies as young as 8 weeks can have this type of operation, and organized to perform the procedure when the dog is between 8 and 16 weeks of age.

Right-to-left shunt much less common than left-to-right shunt, and this kind of patent ductus arteriosus usually treated medically versus surgery corrected. In addition to drugs, the dog should be given plenty of rest, will not be affected by stressful situations, and sports should be limited.