Here’s Chance’s very first real meal. He did great! He is only 8 weeks old, and has a condition called Persistent Right Aortic Arch (PRAA). Rescued Rollers is fostering him due to his special care requirements for 10 days, at which time he will be transferred to his destination rescue for surgery.

Underneath all that fluff, he is underweight at 10.6 pounds and requires special feeding. He cannot eat solid food and tends to vomit frequently. We made a slurry of goat’s milk and wet puppy food. He has to eat upright and remain upright for 20 minutes after eating. Noel was kind enough to act as his Bailey Chair since we don’t have one small enough for Chance.

PRAA is a congenital vascular defect where an embryonic vessel (aorta) forms on the right instead of the left, creating a ring that compresses the esophagus. It causes chronic regurgitation, especially after weaning onto solid foods, stunted growth, and a high risk of aspiration pneumonia.

Key Aspects of PRAA in Dogs

Symptoms: Affected puppies typically show signs, such as regurgitation, weight loss, and difficulty eating, shortly after being introduced to solid food.

Breeds Affected: Common in large breeds like German Shepherds, Irish Setters, and Greyhounds, though it can occur in any dog.

Diagnosis: Veterinarians typically diagnose PRAA using barium contrast radiographs, which show dilation of the esophagus before the heart.

Treatment: Surgical correction (ligation/transection of the ligamentum arteriosum) is usually required to relieve the constriction, with higher success rates when performed early.

Post-Op Management: Even after surgery, some dogs may still have a permanently dilated esophagus, requiring special feeding techniques—such as upright feeding in a “Bailey’s chair”—and a soft diet.

Prognosis

With prompt surgical intervention, >70% of dogs often show significant

improvement in their quality of life, say experts, according to data from AVMA Journals.

Watch this video of 8 week old German Shepherd Dog puppy, Chance dive into his bowl of food.