title: Clinical Characteristics of Adult Dogs More Than 5 Years of Age at Presentation for Patent Ductus Arteriosus.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the clinical characteristics of dogs with PDA ≥5 years of age at the time of presentation to a veterinary referral hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  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
  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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and the Michael E. DeBakey Institute for Comparative Cardiovascular Sciences and Biomedical Devices, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Boutet
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and the Michael E. DeBakey Institute for Comparative Cardiovascular Sciences and Biomedical Devices, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
authors.forename: A B
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9908-3894
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and the Michael E. DeBakey Institute for Comparative Cardiovascular Sciences and Biomedical Devices, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Gordon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021721:Balloon Occlusion / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D004285:Dogs; D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Canine; Congenital; Mitral valve; Pulmonary hypertension