Open AccessClinical Characteristics of Adult Dogs More Than 5 Years of Age at Presentation for Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Author(s) -
Boutet B.G.,
Saunders A.B.,
Gordon S.G.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/jvim.14689
Subject(s) - medicine , ductus arteriosus , furosemide , pulmonary hypertension , heart failure , heart disease , presentation (obstetrics) , shunt (medical) , cardiology , heart murmur , left atrial enlargement , surgery , sinus rhythm , atrial fibrillation
Background The median age at presentation for dogs with patent ductus arteriosus ( PDA ) is <6 months of age, and closure is associated with a decrease in heart size and increased survival time, which are not well described in older dogs. Objectives To describe the clinical characteristics of dogs with PDA ≥5 years of age at the time of presentation to a veterinary referral hospital. Animals 35 client‐owned dogs. Methods Retrospective case series. Results PDA was diagnosed at a median age of 7.4 years (range, 5.1–12.3 years). Females represented 23/35 (65.7%) of the patients. Concurrent heart disease included degenerative mitral valve disease ( DMVD ; 13), arrhythmias (11), pulmonary hypertension (7), and other congenital defects (2). Cardiomegaly was documented in the majority of dogs consisting of left ventricular enlargement (91%) and left atrial enlargement (86%). Median vertebral heart size in 24 dogs was 12.9 (range, 10.7–18.2). The PDA shunt direction was left‐to‐right in 33 and bidirectional in 2 dogs. Closure was performed in 26 dogs, including 4 with pulmonary hypertension. In 10 dogs receiving furosemide pre‐operatively for management of heart failure, furosemide was discontinued (8) or the dosage decreased (2) at the time of discharge. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Adult dogs can present with a left‐to‐right shunting PDA that results in cardiomegaly and clinical signs that can improve or resolve with PDA closure. This improvement is also apparent in dogs with PDA complicated by DMVD . Pulmonary hypertension that does not result in complete right‐to‐left shunting should not be considered a contraindication to closure.