[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Health Question , help......

  • From: "juel" <juel@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2006 20:34:56 -0500

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Pinehillgsds@xxxxxxx>
A barium x-ray showed PRAA in all three.  She was  advised that > surgery 
would be expensive, recuperation difficult and there was no  guarantee
> (dealing with heart surgery after all) they would make it or have a 
> decent quality > of life.
>
> It was an (sad) education for me; I would have thought it was mega. This, 
> if > possible, was actually worse.
>
> I'm sorry Brenda.
>
> Kathy

PRAA causes MegaEsophagus! PRAA causes the resulting MegaE condition, but is 
worse than the "average/basic" MegaE. PRAA means Persistent Right Aortic 
Arch - which like you say constricts across the esophagus. This arch is 
present in the fetal stages and not needed once born and breathing on their 
own and Mother Nature usually just causes this arch to break/dissolve. In 
PRAA cases it does not. And yes, surgery on a young pup is risky in and of 
itself and by the time you see symptoms, the damage (stretching/loss of 
elasticity and muscle tone) to the esophagus is already done and cannot be 
UNDONE...so prognosis for PRAA is extremely minimal.

There can be cases of Mega E without PRAA, but PRAA always causes 
MegaE....and yes it is hereditary so to avoid this being produced again the 
breeding pair should not be bred again to each other. the mode of 
inheritance is not known yet....SUSPECTED to be polygenic recessive......

I have seen both types of cases come into our vet office. Heartbreaking. 
Last week we had an 8 year old Lab come in who has always been the epitome 
of health up to two months ago. Barium X-rays showed MegaE.....his is caused 
by loss of elasticity of the esophagus, still megaE, just not PRAA.

Judy and Pixel in MN

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