Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with severe breathing failure and high carbon dioxide helped
By Kovak, Natalie et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2022·Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Inclusion of airway pressure release ventilation in the management of respiratory failure and refractory hypercapnia in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-month-old male Shar-Pei mix was brought to the emergency room with breathing problems due to suspected fluid in the lungs. Despite trying several treatments, including standard mechanical ventilation and medications, his condition didn't improve. The veterinary team switched to a specialized ventilation method called airway pressure release ventilation (APRV), which significantly helped reduce the high carbon dioxide levels in his blood. After 36 hours on this new ventilation method, the dog was able to breathe on his own again and has shown no further respiratory issues in follow-up visits.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · Shar-Pei respiratory failure treatment · mechanical ventilation for dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) to relieve hypercapnia in a dog undergoing mechanical ventilation. CASE SUMMARY: A 3-month-old male Shar-Pei mix presented to the emergency department with suspected noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Due to severe hypercapnia, mechanical ventilation was initiated. The hypercapnia failed to improve with conventional pressure control mechanical ventilation, bronchodilator administration, suctioning, or endotracheal tube replacement. The dog was transitioned to APRV and maintained in this mode for 36 hours. A modified APRV protocol in which inverse inspiratory to expiratory ratios ranged from 4.3:1 to 6.0:1 was utilized, resulting in a drastic improvement in the patient's hypercapnia. The patient eventually was transitioned off the ventilator, and no respiratory abnormalities have been noted at subsequent recheck examinations. NEW OR UNIQUE INFORMATION PROVIDED: This case documents the first use of APRV to relieve refractory hypercapnia in a dog undergoing mechanical ventilation and is one of the only recorded cases of using APRV for this purpose in the medical literature at large. APRV may be considered in cases of hypercapnia when traditional therapies fail, although caution is warranted as this mode of ventilation can also worsen hypercapnia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36031749/