Clinical, clinicopathologic, and radiographic findings in dogs with aspiration pneumonia: 88 Cases (2004-2006)

Objective - To evaluate clinical, clinicopathologic, and radiographic findings in dogs with aspiration pneumonia. Design - Retrospective case series. Animals - 88 dogs with aspiration pneumonia. Procedures - History, physical examination findings, and clinicopathologic data were obtained from medical records and analyzed for all 88 dogs. Thoracic radiographic findings for all dogs were reviewed to determine the type and location of pulmonary infiltrates. Results - Aspiration pneumonia was evident at admission to the hospital in 65 (74%) dogs and developed during hospitalization in 23 (26%) dogs. 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. Neutrophilia with a left shift was a common finding. Hypoalbuminemia was detected in 31 of 58 (53%) dogs. 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. 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 (46%) dogs). Conclusions 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. However, neutrophilia, hypoalbuminemia, and hypoxemia were frequently detected, and radiographic evidence of infiltrates in the right middle lung lobe was common.