What's new
Mastiff Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • Welcome back!

    We decided to spruce things up and fix some things under the hood. If you notice any issues, feel free to contact us as we're sure there are a few things here or there that we might have missed in our upgrade.

DDB puppy with pectus

Goose_the_DDB

New Member
I have a DDB puppy thats almost 11 weeks now and seems to be in good health and is gaining weight ok. I was told by the breeder that he has a umbilical hernia and his chest is a little too narrow to show. It didn't take me long after he was with me to notice something weird with his chest near his sternum. I have experience with cardiac defects in children and it looked and felt to me like pectus (excavatum), which is different than swimmer puppy. I contacted the breeder immediately and she had never heard of it but offered to make it right however she could if this meant something serious. When I took him to my vet he thought I was putting a Harry Potter spell on him when I mentioned the pectus. Of course he wanted to to an ECHO and which I was not excited about and we agreed to put it off till he's symptomatic. There is limited info out there on this. Does anyone know about it? treatment or prognosis?
 

Yamizuma

Well-Known Member
Sorry to say I have no idea what that's all about. Responding to bump it to others who may. What is your baby's name?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

sjdavenport

Well-Known Member
Honestly, I would go ahead and go with the echo. Dogs with pectus excavatum sometimes also have concurrent primary heart problem, or enough cardiac dysfunction to warrant intervention right away. I myself have pectus excavatum. I did ok until I was about 18 or so before the exercise intolerance and impaired cardiac function (simply due to the mechanical compression of the chambers of my heart) began to have a big impact. I had surgery, and feel so much better for it. I wouldn't hesitate to go through with any procedures to correct it now while he's young (surgery, external coaptation, whichever). That's just me. I really wouldn't want to wait to see if it's going to cause severe enough pulmonary and cardiac dysfunction before intervening. But again, that's just how I do things, I'm not very good at being conservative. Even so, I think the fact that he's not exercise intolerant, losing weight, dyspneic all point to a better prognosis for him. The ones that I've seen that did poorly already have pretty significant clinical signs before this age. Good luck!
 

Joao M

Well-Known Member
I have seen a couple of pupps with umbilical hernias and if it is just that, I would not be very concerned about it UNLESS IF it is large enough for the intestine to get trapped in it (if you can fit ~2 fingers in it).
Most of these hernias (when small) disapear by themselves; others require a small cirurgy to correct. Usually that is when the pupps are 4 to 6 months
 

Goose_the_DDB

New Member
Thanks for your replies and you seem to know from personal experience sjdavenport, I am going to have the hernia taken care of when I get him neutered if not before. I am more worried about the pectus, I was very excited to be getting a new puppy after my previous DDB died of bone ca. Goose is a great looking boy and I've become attached to the guy. I will get an echo in the next month or two and make an informed decision. The vet didn't hear a murmur but distant heart sounds on the left which I'm sure is caused by the pectus mechanically displacing the heart to the right. I have read of a corrective surgery for dogs but I don't know how common this is to have repaired.
 

DennasMom

Well-Known Member
Wow. I didn't know this was a thing. Sounds like Goose found exactly the right home! Glad you recognized it and know how to look after it.
Please share some pictures of your puppy when you get a chance. :)