Pulmonary hypertension in dogs: an overview

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension is a complex syndrome that can be caused by congenital or acquired disease. Congenital conditions include cardiac shunts, such as ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus. Acquired diseases that eventually lead to pulmonary hypertension include cardiac, systemic and pulmonary pathologies, for example late stage myxomatous mitral valve disease and interstitial lung disease such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. It can be a challenge to identify pulmonary hypertension because the diagnostic process usually requires advanced imaging tools, such as echocardiography, and a good understanding of the animal's history. Pulmonary hypertension can have a profound effect on a dog's quality of life and can lead to severe respiratory distress and damage to the cardiovascular system. Therefore pulmonary hypertension needs to be identified and addressed promptly. Pulmonary hypertension can be reversible in the early stages, but it is generally not reversible when chronic changes to the pulmonary vasculature have occurred. The article reviews the definition of pulmonary hypertension and its pathophysiology, its diagnosis and treatment in canine patients, and discusses the most common congenital and acquired causes.