Esophageal obstruction caused by a left aortic arch and an anomalous right patent ductus arteriosus in two German shepherd littermates

Objective-To present details of surgical management of an unusual vascular ring anomaly in two German Shepherd littermates. Study Design-Clinical case report. Study Population-Three-month-old intact male and female German Shepherd littermates. Results-In each dog, the esophagus was obstructed by a vascular ring comprised of the left aortic arch, an anomalous patent right ductus arteriosus, and the pulmonary artery ventrally. Surgical treatment consisted of dividing and oversewing the patent right ductus arteriosus. Neither dog has clinical signs of esophageal disease one year after treatment. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance-This vascular ring anomaly should be considered a possibility in any young dog with esophageal obstruction and a machinery murmur. (C) Coyyright 2000 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.