PDA in Dogs Vet Med Explained 🫀🐶

Today we are talking about patent ductus arteriosus, or PDA, in dogs! 🐶🫀 We break down what the ductus arteriosus normally does during fetal life, why it should close after birth, and what happens when it stays open. We also cover the classic left-to-right shunt, continuous machinery-like murmur, bounding femoral pulses, pulmonary overcirculation, left atrial and ventricular volume overload, congestive heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and the development of reverse PDA. We then walk through diagnosis using thoracic radiographs, ECG, echocardiography, color Doppler, spectral Doppler, and agitated-saline contrast studies, including what normal findings should look like compared with PDA. Treatment includes transcatheter occlusion with an Amplatz canine ductal occluder, surgical ligation, furosemide, pimobendan, sildenafil, phlebotomy, and hydroxyurea, with mechanisms of action explained along the way. This video is intended for veterinary education and may be useful for veterinary students, veterinary technicians, pre-veterinary students, veterinarians, and anyone interested in veterinary cardiology. It is not intended to replace the decisions made by your primary care veterinarian. 🎮 Check out Dogtor’s Game for another way to study veterinary medicine. ❤️ If you would like to donate to our video and game development, reach out to dogtorsgame@gmail.com.