Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with severe E. coli pneumonia and collapsed lung
By Victoria Vida Vazin et al.·Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science·2025·Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States, CH·View original on DOAJ →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Necrotizing E. coli pneumonia with subsequent pneumothorax in a dog: a case report
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old male neutered Siberian Husky mix was brought to the emergency vet for a chronic cough that wasn't getting better with antibiotics. Tests showed he had severe pneumonia caused by a type of bacteria called E. coli, along with fluid in his chest and a collapsed lung. When antibiotics alone didn't work, the vet performed surgery to remove part of his lung. After 38 days of treatment, the dog recovered and was able to go home, with follow-up x-rays showing that the pneumonia had cleared up.
People also search for: dog chronic cough treatment · pneumonia in dogs · E. coli pneumonia dog · dog lung surgery recovery
Abstract
Necrotizing pneumonia is a poorly described and rarely reported phenomenon in veterinary medicine. The objective of this case report is to describe the successful management of a case of necrotizing pneumonia in a dog requiring medical and surgical management. This case describes a 9-year-old male neutered Siberian Husky mix that presented to an emergency center for a chronic cough not responsive to antibiotics including doxycycline and amoxicillin—clavulanate. Diagnostic imaging studies were consistent with severe multilobular pneumonia, pleural effusion and secondary pneumothorax. Aerobic culture of a bronchoalveolar lavage sample isolated Escherichia coli that was susceptible to enrofloxacin. A median sternotomy was performed when antibiotics alone were unable to fully clear the infection and the cranial segment of the left cranial lung lobe was removed. Histopathology of this lung lobe indicated subacute suppurative and fibrinohemorrhagic bronchopneumonia with parenchymal and pleural necrosis. The dog survived to discharge with resolution of pneumonia based on thoracic radiographs after 38 days. Necrotizing pneumonia can potentially be adequately treated with appropriate escalation of medical and surgical management.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1587810