The story of Ang Pao

Ang Pao was merely 13 weeks old during the first examination, and she weighed only 1.3 kilograms. She was experiencing difficulty breathing due to pulmonary edema. After the examination, it was discovered that she had patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), one of the congenital heart diseases.
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a relatively common congenital heart disease in dogs, caused by the failure of the connection between the aorta and the pulmonary artery to close after birth. Consequently, blood that should be transported throughout the body flows through the “patent ductus” to the lungs and then into the left heart, causing the left heart to enlarge.
The severity of the condition depends on the size of the “ductus.” The larger the ductus, the quicker the dog shows signs of heart failure. The author had diagnosed two senior dogs with a small PDA but never showed clinical signs. Among small dog breeds, PDA is commonly seen in Poodles, Pomeranians, and Corgis.
After learning that their dog Ang Pao had PDA leading to pulmonary edema, I gave her owners two options: medical treatment or surgery. Due to her small size, cardiac interventional therapy was not an option.
Generally, medication can extend the dog’s life. However, 70% of dogs usually die before the age of one if left untreated. While surgery carries certain risks, her owners decided to proceed with the operation after stabilizing the pulmonary edema with medication and understanding the associated risks.
Ang Pao showed remarkable resilience. Despite unstable blood pressure during the surgery, the ligature procedure was successful.
Subsequent check-ups showed no residual shunt between the arteries, indicating a successful surgery. However, Ang Pao needs medication to improve her left ventricular systolic function. As of today, seven months later, her heart’s systolic function has not returned to normal, and she may require lifelong medication. Nevertheless, Ang Pao remains playful and lively, and her weight has increased to 3.75 kilograms.

dogs, Malaysia, patent ductus arteriosus

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