PDA Surgery

• Minimally invasive surgery for PDA involves using a catheter to insert a device like a coil or a plug into the PDA, closing it off and stopping the blood flow. In open surgery, a dog's heart is exposed and a veterinary surgeon uses surgical ligation to tie off and close the PDA.
  
  

Aftercare

• Both forms of PDA surgery take about two hours to complete. A dog that undergoes open surgery could have a longer hospital stay. At home, it is important to keep the stitches clean and dry. Pain medication can help to manage a dog's discomfort during recovery.
  
  

Considerations

• While PDA surgery in dogs is usually safe, some complications can arise, including excessive bleeding. In dogs with PDA that do not receive surgery, death from heart failure occurs at a rate of 60 percent in the first year of life, according to Texas A&M University.