Congenital cranioventral abdominal wall, caudal sternal, diaphragmatic, pericardial, and intracardiac defects in cocker spaniel littermates
Bellah, J.R.; Spencer, C.P.; Brown, D.J.; Whitton, D.L.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 194(12): 1741-1746
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-1488 PMID: 2526803 Document Number: 338257
5 littermate Cocker Spaniels were born with concomitant pericardial, diaphragmatic, caudal sternal, and cranioventral abdominal wall defects. In addition 3 of the 5 pups had ventricular septal defects. A sixth pup with a cranioventral abdominal wall defect died 4 days after birth. No history of teratogen exposure was reported, and none of the pups from previous litters of the dam was affected. Each pup underwent successful surgical correction (without median sternotomy) of the diaphragmatic and cranial abdominal wall defects when they were 10 to 12 weeks old. The ventricular septal defects were not corrected. In 2 of 3 pups with ventricular septal defects, thoracic radiography 6 months after surgery revealed moderate generalized cardiomegaly. All pups were healthy one year after surgery.