The development of bronchiectasis (BE), an irreversible dilation of the bronchi, is a well-established complication after bacterial or viral pneumonia in humans. BE leads to defects in the mucociliary clearance and predisposes to the development of new bacterial respiratory infections. BE has been described in dogs with variety of respiratory diseases, but the connection to recurrent bacterial infections has not been fully established. A breed predisposition to acute bacterial pneumonia (BP) has been described in the Irish wolfhound (IWH), but the etiology is largely undiscovered.

High resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was performed to 10 IWHs with recurrent BP (median age 6.0 years, range 0.8–7.7 years; median number of previous BPs 4, range 2–6). All dogs were examined when they were clinically healthy and not receiving antibiotics. HRCT findings comprised mild to severe bronchiectasis (9/10 dogs), mild to moderate local bronchointerstitial pattern (2/10), mild local interstitial pattern (1/10), parenchymal band (1/10), locally thickened pleura 1/10 and subpleural band (1/10). Bronchiectasis was detected in a single lung lobe in 3/9, in 2 lung lobes in 3/9 and in 3 lung lobes in 3/9 dogs. Left and right cranial lobes and the right middle lobe were most often involved.

In our study, BE was commonly detected in IWHs with recurrent BP. The development of BE is likely a post-infectious consequence of previous BPs. The presence of BE may further facilitate the development of new respiratory infections and may therefore act as a predisposing cause to recurrent BP.

Disclosures

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