Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bronchoalveolar lavage in the evaluation of pulmonary disease in the dog and cat. State of the art.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary internal medicine
- Year:
- 1990
- Authors:
- Hawkins, E C et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Plain-English summary
Bronchoalveolar lavage is a procedure that helps veterinarians collect samples from deep in the lungs of dogs and cats to check for lung diseases. During this process, a saltwater solution is put into the airways, which then washes out cells and other materials from the lung surfaces. The collected fluid is examined under a microscope and tested for germs to better understand what might be causing lung problems. This technique is useful for diagnosing various lung conditions in pets.
Abstract
Bronchoalveolar lavage is a diagnostic procedure used to obtain specimens representative of disease processes involving the deep lung. Saline is instilled into an airway in sufficient volumes to bathe the alveoli dependent on that airway. The saline is retrieved by suction along with cellular and acellular material lining the epithelial surfaces of the lung. Cytologic and microbiologic evaluation of the fluid can be used to characterize pulmonary diseases in the dog and cat.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2262929/