Patent ductus arteriosus

A patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a common congenital heart defect where a foetal blood vessel (“ductus arteriosus”) fails to close after birth.

This creates abnormal blood flow that overloads the heart and lungs, and—without closure—often leads to heart failure.

The good news: PDA is one of the most treatable congenital heart diseases.

When closed early, many pets go on to live normal lifespans.

In modern veterinary medicine, definitive closure is recommended in almost all left-to-right PDAs, using either:

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- Minimally invasive transcatheter device closure (often preferred in dogs) but at a high cost,

- Open surgical ligation (especially when devices aren’t possible, and still a very effective option)