Simple Summary
Congenital malformations in newborn dogs are still largely poorly understood and are inadequately treated, which leads to high mortality rates in these patients. This report describes the clinical signs, diagnosis and two types of management for the treatment of pectus excavatum in puppies, a malformation of the chest wall that can lead to progressive cardiorespiratory changes and progression to death. This case study assists veterinarians in the clinical approach of pectus excavatum to perform adequate medical conduct and ensure greater neonatal survival.
Abstract
Pectus excavatum is a deformity of the thorax characterized by ventrodorsal narrowing of the sternum bone and costal cartilages, which can lead to compression and cardiopulmonary alterations in dogs, presenting a high prevalence in brachycephalic breeds. The aim of this report was to describe two types of management for the noninvasive treatment of pectus excavatum in newborn puppies of the breeds French Bulldog and American Bully. The puppies presented dyspnea, cyanosis and substernal retraction during inspiration. The diagnosis was performed by physical examination and confirmed by chest X-ray. Two types of splints were performed (a circular splint with plastic pipe and a paper box splint on the chest), aiming at thoracic lateral compression and frontal chest remodeling. The management was effective for the conservative treatment of mild-grade pectus excavatum, resulting in the repositioning of the thorax and improvement of the respiratory pattern.