Echocardiographic diagnosis and surgical correction of aortopulmonary window in a Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois)

Abstract

A 20-month-old, female Belgian Malinois Dog was referred for evaluation on exercise intolerance. A high-grade machinery murmur, tachycardia, and cardiomegaly were observed. An aortopulmonary window was diagnosed by a color-Doppler echocardiography showing a turbulent blood flow shunting from the proximal part of ascendance aorta to the main pulmonary artery. This cardiac anomaly was corrected by surgery. Dog was treated by furosemide, pimobendan, and enalapril during post-operative 7 days. 1-year after the surgery, life quality of the patient was perfectly good. This is the first report of this rare congenital heart disease and its successful outcome of surgically correction in Belgian Malinois Dogs.