Pulmonic stenosis is a congenital condition with narrowing of the pulmonary valve and obstruction of blood flowing through it. The heart's pulmonary valve connects the pulmonary artery to the right ventricle. Depending on the severity of the obstruction the condition could turn into a murmur to an arrhythmia to congestive heart failure.
There are three types of pulmonic stenosis:
Valvular pulmonic stenosis occurring in the valve
Subvalvular pulmonic stenosis occurring below the valve,
Supravalvular pulmonic stenosis occurring just inside the pulmonary artery.
Valvular pulmonic stenosis is the most common form seen in dogs.
Mild stenosis could be asymptomatic while severely affected patients may collapse with exertion or suffer from congestive heart failure (CHF). Other signs of pulmonic stenosis include:
Abdominal distention
Difficulty breathing
Exercise intolerance.
