Congenital pericardial diaphragmitic hernia and multiple cardiac defects in a litter of collies

Four Collie littermates had multiple cardiac and diaphragmatic anomalies. Ventricular septal defect was found in 3, pulmonic stenosis in 2, atrial septal defect in 1, mitral regurgitaion in 1, and pericardial diaphragmatic hernia in 3. Five additional littermates died within 72 hours of birth but were not necropsied. On the basis of available evidence, it was believed that the defects were congenital but not hereditary.