A retrospective study of tetralogy of Fallot in dogs

Authors

URSZULA PASLAWSKA
AGNIESZKA NOSZCZYK-NOWAK
ALICJA CEPIEL
MACIEJ STASZCZYK
ADRIAN JANISZEWSKI

DOI

10.3906/vet-1108-30

Abstract

Tetralogy of Fallot is a rare congenital heart defect; however, it is the most common cyanotic heart malformation in humans and animals. It consists of a ventricular septal defect, pulmonic stenosis, displacement of the aortic root, and hypertrophy of the right ventricle. At the Department of Internal Medicine Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs, and Cats at the Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, patients with Fallot syndrome constituted 4.44% of all patients with congenital heart diseases. There was no breed predisposition found. The most common clinical signs were exercise intolerance, dyspnea, and cyanosis of the mucous membranes, but it can also be asymptomatic. Echocardiography is considered to be the best method for diagnosing this congenital heart disease. Contrast angiocardiography can be used to confirm the diagnosis or as a complement to diagnosis. Surgery is the only effective method of treatment; however, for animals, we only provide palliative treatment.

Keywords

Tetralogy of Fallot, cyanosis, congenital heart disease

First Page

57

Last Page

60

Recommended Citation

PASLAWSKA, URSZULA; NOSZCZYK-NOWAK, AGNIESZKA; CEPIEL, ALICJA; STASZCZYK, MACIEJ; and JANISZEWSKI, ADRIAN (2013) "A retrospective study of tetralogy of Fallot in dogs," Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences: Vol. 37: No. 1, Article 11. https://doi.org/10.3906/vet-1108-30
Available at: https://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/veterinary/vol37/iss1/11