title: Persistent left cranial vena cava causing oesophageal obstruction and consequent megaoesophagus in a dog.
abstract: A 2-month-old Brittany spaniel dog was presented for persistent regurgitation, first observed soon after weaning. Clinical examination and diagnostic imaging suggested megaoesophagus associated with a vascular ring anomaly. The normal location of the trachea on the X-ray was not consistent with a persistent right aortic arch. Post-mortem examination revealed a persistent left cranial vena cava that formed a non-elastic fibrous band enclosing the oesophagus and trachea, and causing constriction of the oesophagus. This uncommon congenital vascular defect has never previously been associated with megaoesophagus in the dog.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Larcher
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abadie
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Veterinary School of Nantes, BP 40706, 44307 Nantes Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Roux
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Veterinary School of Nantes, BP 40706, 44307 Nantes Cedex 3, France.
authors.forename: J-Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Deschamps
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wyers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D004931:Esophageal Achalasia / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004940:Esophageal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities*