![]() ![]() The purpose of the study reported here was to evaluate clinical, clinicopathologic, and radiographic findings in dogs with aspiration pneumonia. 5,7,10–13Īlthough aspiration pneumonia appears to develop quite commonly in dogs, little information is available on specific features of the disease, hematologic changes, or the specific radiographic changes seen in dogs with naturally occurring disease. Various underlying disorders associated with aspiration have been identified in humans and other animals, including dysphagia, laryngeal disease, decreased consciousness, and neurologic disease. Similar criteria appear to be applied in veterinary medicine, although identification of respiratory tract signs, risk factors, and newly developed lung infiltrates in a patient is often problematic. 5–9 In humans, aspiration pneumonia is a clinical diagnosis based on the presence of respiratory tract signs and radiographic evidence of a newly developed pulmonary infiltrate in a patient at risk. 4,5 Definitive diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia is difficult to obtain because of the lack of specific identifying features. In people, aspiration events are categorized as aspiration pneumonitis or aspiration pneumonia depending on whether injury is related to aspiration of sterile gastric contents that results in acid-induced damage or related to pulmonary inflammation that develops in response to infectious organisms contained within the aspirant. 3Īlthough aspiration pneumonia is encountered commonly in humans and other animals, definitive diagnosis of the disorder is challenging. Acid injury adversely impacts pulmonary resistance to infection, 2 and the presence of oral or gastrointestinal bacteria in aspirated fluid can result in development of severe bacterial pneumonia. 1 Subsequent bronchoconstriction increases airway resistance and the effort required for breathing. Gastric acid aspiration directly causes alterations in surfactant function that result in loss of surface tension and atelectasis. Pathologic damage to the lungs results from insults to the alveolar capillary membranes, and loss of surface area for gas exchange leads to ventilation-perfusion mismatch and hypoxemia. However, neutrophilia, hypoalbuminemia, and hypoxemia were frequently detected, and radiographic evidence of infiltrates in the right middle lung lobe was common.Īspiration pneumonia is a serious and potentially life-threatening inflammatory lung process. Among the 88 dogs, thoracic radiography revealed a predominantly alveolar infiltrate in 65 (74%) dogs and an interstitial pattern in 23 (26%) dogs a single lung lobe was affected in 46 (52%) dogs, most commonly the right middle lung lobe (21/46 dogs).Ĭonclusions and Clinical Relevance-In dogs, aspiration pneumonia was often associated with abnormalities in pulmonary auscultation in the absence of objective changes in physical examination findings. Hypoxemia and a high alveolar-arterial gradient in partial pressure of oxygen were detected in 22 of 28 (79%) dogs and 27 of 28 (96%) dogs, respectively. Hypoalbuminemia was detected in 31 of 58 (53%) dogs. Neutrophilia with a left shift was a common finding. ![]() Less than half of these affected dogs had high values for rectal temperature, heart rate, or respiratory rate however, most (68%) affected dogs had increased, decreased, or adventitious lung sounds. Results-Aspiration pneumonia was evident at admission to the hospital in 65 (74%) dogs and developed during hospitalization in 23 (26%) dogs. Thoracic radiographic findings for all dogs were reviewed to determine the type and location of pulmonary infiltrates. Procedures-History, physical examination findings, and clinicopathologic data were obtained from medical records and analyzed for all 88 dogs. Pneumonia symptoms in at-risk patients, such as older people and those with dysphagia or impaired neurologic status (e.g.Objective-To evaluate clinical, clinicopathologic, and radiographic findings in dogs with aspiration pneumonia.Īnimals-88 dogs with aspiration pneumonia. ![]()
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