Records of all cases diagnosed between 2004–2016 with eosinophilic bronchitis (EB) or idiopathic eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy (EBP) at four university hospitals in the UK were reviewed. Cases were excluded if full records were not available or if other pulmonary disease such as neoplasia or parasitic pneumonitis was identified. The following information was retrieved: breed, age, sex, weight, clinical signs, presence of eosinophilia, thoracic imaging findings, bronchoscopy results (classified as mild; moderate; severe), BALF cytology results (eosinophilic pleocytosis classified as mild 10–25%; moderate 25–50%; severe >50%), infectious disease screening and concurrent disease processes. The following subgroups were created: acute (<1 month of clinical signs) vs chronic (>1 month of clinical signs); EB1 (no radiographic changes or bronchial/peribronchial pattern) vs EBP1 (interstitial/alveolar patterns) and EB2 (no radiographic changes) vs EBP2 (any pulmonary pattern). Group comparisons by chi-square or Fisher's exact test were carried out in regards to age, weight, bronchoscopy score, presence of eosinophilia or bronchiectasis and degree of eosinophilia in BALF.

The inclusion criteria were met by 70 cases. Median age was 4 years (IQR 1–6). Females (63%; 44/70) and cross-breed dogs (17%;17/70) were most commonly affected. The commonest clinical sign was cough (94%; 66/70). There were 69% (48/70) classified as chronic and 32% (22/70) as acute. EB1 group was 46% (32/70) vs EBP1 group 54% (38/72) and EB2 group was 81% (57/70) vs EBP2 group 19% (13/70). Circulating eosinophilia occurred in 36% (25/70) and bronchiectasis in 14% (10/70) of cases. Bronchoscopy score was mild (38%; 25/68), moderate (54%; 37/68) and severe (9%; 6/68). BALF results were mild in 10% of patients (7/70); moderate in 29% (20/70) and severe in 61% (43/70). EB cases (EB1 [p=0.003] and EB2 [p=0.002]) were less likely to have eosinophilia. EB2 cases had higher degree of eosinophilic pleocytosis on BALF (p=0.006) and no EB2 case suffered from bronchiectasis. There was no difference (p>0.05) in any of the other clinical variables between EB vs EBP groups or between acute and chronic cases.

The conclusions of this study include: dogs with eosinophilic lung disease (ELD) in general and EBD in particular were more commonly young to adult and female and cross-breed dogs were commonly affected. EB dogs without radiographic changes represent a different ELD population with less severe eosinophilic pleocytosis in BALF and absence of bronchiectasis and eosinophilia. Unlike the situation in human medicine, there are no obvious clinical or diagnostic differences between acute and chronic ELD in dogs.

Disclosures

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