Reporte De Caso: Hallazgo Incidental De Estenosis Pulmonar Valvular E Hipertensión Pulmonar Secundaria En Un Bulldog Francés De 1 Año.

Abstract

We present the case of a 1-year-and-7-month-old, intact, male French Bulldog initially referred to the diagnostic imaging service for suspected gastric foreign body. Clinical evaluation revealed signs of brachycephalic syndrome (nares stenosis, elongated soft palate, tracheal collapse (Navascués & Galarza, 2021)); however, no evident cardiac symptoms at the time of consultation. Abdominal ultrasound revealed gastric trichobezoars, hepatomegaly, and dilated hepatic veins, prompting additional cardiological studies. Cardiac auscultation was difficult due to the "rales" characteristic of his brachycephalic condition, which limited the initial clinical evaluation. A chest X-ray revealed cardiomegaly with cranial displacement of the heart and dorsal deviation of the trachea, findings suggestive of a mass effect of cardiac origin. The electrocardiogram showed QRS complexes with wave inversion, indicating abnormal electrical conduction. Finally, the patient was referred to the cardiology department. Echocardiography confirmed severe valvular pulmonary stenosis, characterized by hypoplasia and almost immobile valves, along with signs of right ventricular hypertrophy and elevated pulmonary pressure. Pulmonary stenosis is a congenital heart disease with an approximate incidence of 20% in brachycephalic dogs. It presents with narrowing of the valvular, subvalvular, or supravalvular orifice (Bahr, 2018). In this patient, pulmonary hypertension secondary to valvular pulmonary stenosis increased the workload of the right ventricle, making early diagnosis crucial for adequate risk stratification and therapeutic planning.