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Chest Bone Deformity in Dogs
Written By hannah hollinger
Published: 03/24/2016Updated: 12/14/2021
Veterinary reviewed by Dr. Linda Simon, MVB MRCVS
What is Chest Bone Deformity?
This deformity almost always shows up in puppies when they are born, and it may get worse or it could fix itself during growth. Your puppy’s chest should form an outward curve, rather than a flat or sunken chest. Chest bone deformity is a deformation of the chest and ribs, which can cause a smaller space for the heart and lungs. This may lead to serious breathing and heart abnormalities, so the deformity should be treated as soon as possible. It the deformation is mild, there is usually no need for treatment of any kind, but you should set an appointment with your veterinarian if you suspect your puppy may be suffering from pectus excavatum or pectus carinatum.
A chest bone deformity is a genetic malformation in the chest. There are two types of chest bone deformities: pectus excavatum (funnel chest) is a separation of the sternum and cartilage, thorax narrowing, and unusually shaped ribs causing a flat or sunken chest. Pectus carinatum (pigeon breast) is a chest bone and rib disfigurement causing the chest to bow outwards into a point instead of a curve. Both of these disfigurements can cause serious compression of the lungs and heart.
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Symptoms of Chest Bone Deformity in Dogs
Symptoms of chest bone deformity depend on whether your puppy has pectus excavatum or pectus carinatum.
Pectus excavatum
- Narrowing of the chest on one or both sides
- Flat or sunken chest
- Panting or heavy breathing due to compressed lungs
- Coughing
- Heart murmur
- Erratic heart rate from compressed heart
- Blue tint to skin and mucus membrane (cyanosis)
- Curving of the spine (scoliosis)
- Loss of appetite
- Throwing up food and water
- Losing weight
- Exhaustion
- Unable to walk
Pectus carinatum
- Bump or point on chest
- Chest that bows outwards
- Difficulty walking
- Breathing difficulty
- Disfigured limbs
- Umbilical hernia
- Dental problems
- Appetite loss
- Wheezing
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
- Inability to exercise
- Digestion problems
- Blue tint to skin and mucous membranes (cyanosis)
- Depression
Types
Pectus excavatum is a genetic deformity of the chest bone, which causes the narrowing of the ribs and an indented or flattened chest. Pectus carinatum describes the congenital deformity of the chest bone causing the breast to bow outwards.
Causes of Chest Bone Deformity in Dogs
Chest bone deformity is almost always a hereditary disorder, which shows up more often in males rather than females. Both pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum are already present at birth, but may not be visible until your puppy shows symptoms of breathing difficulty and failure to thrive. Pectus excavatum is much more common than pectus carinatum, which is quite rare in puppies. Those that are most affected by these disorders are:
- Boston Terrier
- English Bulldog
- French Bulldog
- Shih Tzu
- Pekingese
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Diagnosis of Chest Bone Deformity in Dogs
If available, it is helpful to give your veterinary caregiver a complete medical background and history of illnesses of the mother and father of the puppy. The veterinarian will do a complete and comprehensive physical examination on your puppy to determine the extent of the deformity and whether it is causing the symptoms you have described to him. Although your veterinarian can usually tell just by looking at your puppy, he will need to get some tests done for a concrete diagnosis. These tests can include:
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Packed cell volume
- Blood gas and chemical panel
- Glucose analysis
- Urinalysis
- Urine specific gravity
- Digital radiography (x-rays) of the chest and abdomen
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Echocardiogram (EKG)
Some other tests that may be done are an ultrasound to check for heart disorders, a CT scan and MRI to further investigate the chest deformity.
Treatment of Chest Bone Deformity in Dogs
The treatment that your veterinarian chooses for your puppy depends on which type of chest bone deformity he has and how severe it is. If the deformity is mild and is not compressing any major organs such as the lungs and heart, there is no need for treatment. The veterinarian will just want to monitor your puppy to make sure the lungs and heart do not become compressed as your puppy grows.
Corrective splints can be used if the deformity is not severe enough for surgery. A surgical procedure to remove the deformed part of the chest bone and replace it with a cast made of fiberglass may be performed. The cast will be made by fitting it to your puppy’s chest and then attaching it to your puppy’s sternum with sutures. This surgery is relatively new and is usually only done on puppies if they are over three months old and the deformity is severe.
Physical therapy is usually necessary whether your puppy has surgery or not. This kind of deformity can correct itself as the puppy grows so the veterinarian may suggest you wait and try physical therapy for a few months before getting splints or surgery.
Antibiotics and pain medication are usually prescribed if the veterinarian suspects any kind of infection.
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Recovery of Chest Bone Deformity in Dogs
An important part of any treatment is to follow your veterinarian’s instructions and to bring your puppy back for check-ups. If surgery has been done on your pet, providing a quiet place to rest will be an important part of his recovery. As with any medical condition, be sure to contact your veterinarian if you have any concerns or feel that your dog is not well.
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Chest Bone Deformity Average Cost
From 367 quotes ranging from $200 - $5,000
Average Cost
$2,500
Top
Chest Bone Deformity Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
English Cocker Spaniel
Maggie
4 Years
2 found this helpful
2 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Enlarged Lymph Nodes
Heart
Hearing Problem
I have noticed the right side bone is bent inside exactly above the heart, and recently she was diagnosed with enlarge heart which extend up to 5 ribs. Is it due to chest deformation? Please advice and what can we do as diagnosis.
Regards,
Ravi
April 28, 2018
2 Recommendations
Normally deformities of the chest whether it be the ribs or the sternum are usually palpable and are visible easily on x-rays; if you think that there is a deformity you should consult your Veterinarian for an examination and possibly have some x-rays done (will also show heart enlargement too) to assess the severity. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
April 29, 2018
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Shih Tzu
Ted
9 Weeks
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Heavy Deep Breathing
I brought a male shih tzu just over a week ago he is nearly 10 weeks old took him to the vet for injections few days ago upon examination she told me he has pectus excavatum? I asked her what could be done but she didn't seem very positive..... He is eating well and playing well.... When asleep his breathing does seem a bit deep but I don't know if she's just made me paranoid.... I have booked in with another vet for a few days time..... For a second opinion.... I'm so worried at what could happen in the mean time :(
March 3, 2018
1 Recommendations
Conditions like pectus excavatum can vary in severity with some cases being mild (resolving themselves as a dog grows) to others being more serious (requiring surgery); without examining Ted I cannot give you any indication of the overall severity. A second opinion with another Veterinarian is a good idea to get another point of view, an x-ray may be useful to assess the condition and to track progress over the months. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
March 3, 2018
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French Bulldog
Mantis
5 Months
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Mass
This evening, my boyfriend was sitting with our dog and noticed a lump towards the bottoms of his rib cage on his chest. It's soft, and doesn't seem to be causing him any pain or effecting his breathing. I didn't notice it until he told me so not sure how long it has been there. He had surgery for a broken right hind leg last week, so we don't know if it is relates to that or an independent issue. We have a follow up on Friday. Is it safe to wait until then for the vet to look at it or should we take him sooner?
Dec. 17, 2017
1 Recommendations
If Mantis is in no pain and the lump is not causing any problem I would just keep a close eye on it for now; sometimes lumps may appear due to inflammation of fat, some fluid accumulation among other benign causes. Obviously if the lump grows in size, becomes painful, Mantis has trouble breathing or any other symptoms visit your Veterinarian immediately. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Dec. 17, 2017
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English Creme golden retriever
Dave
6 months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Coughing
Fast Breathing
Accidents
Swimmers Chest
Trouble Gaining Weight
I have an almost 6 month old English Creme Golden Retriever. He has swimmer's chest as a puppy. He walks and runs just fine now but his chest never fully corrected. We know from the breeder that his ribs grew too closely to his heart and lungs and that it would impact his life. He breaths fast and hard and tires easily. We are just concerned things may be worsening because he is peeing in his crate often and coughing. He has always had a strong appetite and still does even with these new symptoms.
Nov. 7, 2017
0 Recommendations
I would highly recommend getting x-rays done of Dave’s chest to determine the extent of the deformity and whether surgical intervention is necessary; also you should plan on neutering Dave as there may be a genetic component to this condition. Urinating in his crate may be unrelated to this condition and should also be checked (for protein, bacteria, glucose etc…) when you visit your Veterinarian. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Nov. 7, 2017
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Daschund
Chloe
3 Years
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Enlarged Ribcage
We just rescued a 3 year old daschund .. her rib cage is huge! She doesn't appear to be bothered by it but it's definitely abnormally large. Should I be worried?
July 26, 2017
0 Recommendations
Some ribcages (or other bones) may be deformed or enlarged. If the deformity doesn’t seem to be causing any problems, I wouldn’t worry about it and have your Veterinarian take a look at the next checkup, if you notice any breathing or movement problems, speak with your Veterinarian sooner. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
July 26, 2017
Hello,
I have a 6 year old male Dachshund. We have noticed he is "coughing" a lot and is breathing from his lower stomach more so than his chest.
We have ran various tests and taken him to specialist. He has been on prednisone and is being treated for a possible immune intolerance, but he continues to cough.
Last year he collapsed and had bruising on his lungs and bleeding. We watched our cameras back and nothing happened to cause this? The coughing started not long after this episode. I am sure that the base of his rib cage (that expands outwards) became more "flicked up" on the ends and was protruding more so than I recalled it ever.
The Vet didn't think much of my observation. It is just now I thought I would google if the ribs cage being funny and the coughing are connected and the more I read this post I feel it ticks so many boxes.
He has began to lose weight and when he coughs, it is either like he is struggling to breathe, honking or gagging as if to vomit.
July 26, 2017
Alysibeth J.
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Chest Bone Deformity Average Cost
From 367 quotes ranging from $200 - $5,000
Average Cost
$2,500
Get a free pet insurance quote in less than 60 seconds!
Easily compare quotes from the most trusted pet insurance companies in the United States.
