Vetgirl Veterinary Continuing Education Podcasts

In today's VETgirl online veterinary continuing education podcast, we review Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) in German Shepherd Dogs (GSD). While this isn't a common problem, GSDs seem to be over-represented. When diagnosing a PDA, it's important that a board-certified veterinary cardiologist perform appropriate diagnostic work up (e.g., echocardiography). Angiographic classification of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) based on anatomical characteristics is important to determine treatment options. Traditional variations of a conical-shaped PDA (described as types I, IIa, and IIb) allow for successful closure via catheter-based transvascular techniques, whereby a device (such as the Amplatz canine ductal occluder, or ACDO) is used to occlude/embolize the PDA through arterial or venous access. Recently, type IV (multiple narrowings) and type V (all other variations) have been added to the list of anatomical classifications. Type III designation has classically been used to describe a tubular-shaped PDA which does