Anomalous pulmonary venous return in a Great Dane

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Cardiology
• Comparative Pathology
• Congenital Heart Defects

Background:

• Complex cardiac anomalies can occur in domestic animals.
• Anomalous pulmonary venous drainage is a rare congenital heart defect.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a case of complex cardiac anomaly in a young dog.
• To detail the diagnostic process and post-mortem findings.

Main Methods:

• Clinical diagnosis using thoracic radiographs.
• Confirmation of diagnosis with cineangiocardiography.
• Necropsy for detailed cardiac examination.

Main Results:

• All pulmonary veins drained into the right atrium, deviating from normal anatomy.
• A large ostium secundum-type interatrial septal defect was identified.
• Stenosis of the pulmonic valve was also present.

Conclusions:

• This case highlights a complex congenital cardiac anomaly in a Great Dane.
• Diagnostic imaging, including cineangiocardiography, is crucial for identifying such defects.
• Necropsy confirmed the confluence of anomalous pulmonary venous drainage, interatrial septal defect, and pulmonic valve stenosis.