Congenital heart defects in dogs vary widely in severity. Advances in veterinary cardiology have improved surgical correction rates and quality of life for affected animals.
Congenital heart disease ranges from conditions that never affect quality of life to those causing death within weeks of birth. Moderate to severe defects cause exercise intolerance, breathlessness, and progressive heart failure in young animals. Untreated, affected dogs may spend their entire lives in cardiac compromise. Surgical correction, where possible and affordable, transforms welfare outcomes — dogs with corrected PDA, for example, can have normal lifespans and activity levels. The ethical challenge lies in the cost and accessibility of advanced cardiac care, which may result in unequal welfare outcomes based on owner resources. Breed societies have an obligation to reduce prevalence through screening programmes.