A 10-year-old castrated male papillon presented with nasal discharge, coughing and chronic dysphagia. On physical examination, the dog exhibited sneezing, gurgling and movement of the throat with repeated attempts to swallow fluids. A diagnosis of cricopharyngeal achalasia (CPA) was made based on video fluoroscopic demonstration of failure of relaxation of the upper esophageal sphincter. This report describes the diagnosis of CPA in an old dog, which is rarely diagnosed in older animals.

A 2-year-old, female, American cocker spaniel dog presented for a 1-year history of severe ascites, exercise intolerance, tachypnea. At that time, she was in an emergency state. First, the dog was stabilized with oxygen therapy. A diagnosis of cardiac problem was made from history, auscultation, radiograph, ECG, and echocardiography. Jugular pulsation was palpated and a harsh, systolic murmur of tricuspid regurgitation was prominent at the right cardiac apex. Tricuspid valve dysplasia (TVD) was confirmed with echocardiography, accompanying enormous myocardial hypertrophy.

Tricuspid dysplasia (TD), with or without Ebstein’s anomaly, is an unusual congenital malformation in dogs (Liu; Tilley6, 1976; Eyster et al.4, 1977; Netter9, 1978; Moise8, 1994). It is characterized by focal or diffuse thickening of the leaflets, underdevelopment of chordae tendineae and papillary muscles, incomplete separation of valve components from the ventricular wall, and focal agenesis of valvular tissue. Simultaneously or not to the tricuspid dysplasia, the downward displacement of the leaflets into the right ventricular’s wall may occur, and this condition is known as<br />Ebstein’s anomaly (Liu; Tilley6, 1976; Eyster et al.4, 1977; Moise8, 1994). The authors relate a case of tricuspid dysplasia associed to Ebstein’s malformation in a male Weimaraner, 3-months aged, whose diagnosis was based on physical, electrocardiographic, radiographic and echocardiographic exams. The dog did well the following 15 months<br />after diagnosis but died suddenly; the congenital alterations were confirmed at necropsy.<br /><br /> | A displasia da tricúspide, associada ou não à anomalia de Ebstein, não é das cardiopatias mais freqüentes em cães (Liu; Tilley6, 1976; Eyster et al.A, 1977; Netter9, 1978; Moise8, 1994). A displasia da tricúspide caracteriza-se pelo espessamento focal ou difuso dos folhetos valvulares, subdesenvolvimento das cordoalhas tendíneas e músculos papilares, separação incompleta dos componentes valvares da parede ventricular, além da agenesia do tecido valvular. Simultaneamente ou não a esta valvulopatia congênita, pode ocorrer a inserção mais baixa do aparelho<br />valvar na parede do ventrículo direito, condição esta conhecida como anomalia de Ebstein (Liu; Tilley6, 1976; Eyster et a i*, 1977; Moise8, 1994). No presente relato, os autores descrevem um caso de displasia da tricúspide associada à malformação de Ebstein, em cão Weimaraner, macho, de 3 meses de idade, cujo diagnóstico clínico foi estribado no<br />exame físico, eletrocardiográfico, radiográfico e ecocardiográfico. O animal apresentou uma sobrevida de 15 meses após a realização do diagnóstico, vindo a óbito de forma súbita e natural, e a existência das alterações congênitas foram confirmadas no exame necroscópico.<br /><br />