Multiple congenital vascular anomalies in a lakeland terrier: computed tomographic angiographic evaluation

Abstract

A 3-month-old intact male Lakeland terrier was presented with recurring regurgitation after removing cervicalesophageal foreign body by endoscopy. Blood and urine analysis, radiography, ultrasonography, fluoroscopicesophagography, computed tomographic angiography (CTA) were performed. In radiography and fluoroscopicesophagography, vascular ring anomaly was considered as the primary cause of megaesophagus, and CTA with gasinflationof the esophagus was performed. Compressed esophagus, persistent right aortic arch (PRAA), aberrant leftsubclavian artery (LSA), and a venous structure which was confirmed in surgery to be incomplete type persistent leftcranial vena cava (PLCVC) connected with the left side azygos vein were observed. Left deviation of the tracheawas also revealed in CT, which implies the compression by left ligamentum arteriosum. Therefore, type 3 PRAA withleft ligamentum arteriosum and aberrant LSA, was considered as a prior differential diagnosis. Surgical repair wasperformed and the clinical signs improved. This report describes CTA characteristics of combination of PRAA withaberrant LSA, incomplete PLCVC and Lt. azygos vein in a dog. Although not every vascular anomaly does induceclinical sign, some types can complicate the surgical procedure, and cause clinical signs. Therefore, thorough evaluationof vascular anomalies in the thorax is important, and CTA is a useful method in identifying multiple vascular anomaliesin dogs.