Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pneumothorax risk from feeding tube placement in dogs
By Hanchate, Anvita N et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2025·Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pneumothorax as a Complication of Nasogastric Feeding Tube Placement in Six Dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Six dogs developed breathing problems, including coughing and unusual breathing patterns, after a nasogastric feeding tube was incorrectly placed. Three of these dogs needed a procedure to remove air from their chest, and one required a tube to help drain fluid for a day. Fortunately, all the dogs recovered from the pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and were discharged from the hospital, although two dogs were euthanized due to other unrelated health issues. This case highlights the importance of careful placement of feeding tubes to avoid complications like pneumothorax.
People also search for: dog breathing problems after feeding tube · nasogastric tube complications in dogs · dog coughing after tube placement
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe pneumothorax as a complication of nasogastric tube (NGT) misplacement in six dogs at a single institution and to discuss NGT placement techniques and pneumothorax prevention strategies found in the human and veterinary literature. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Private referral center. ANIMALS: Six client-owned dogs. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Medical records at a private practice referral hospital were searched for cats and dogs with "nasogastric tube" and "pneumothorax" from January 2013 to May 2022. Data collected from the medical records, where available, included patient signalment, weight, primary disease process, relevant diagnostic test results, clinical signs before NGT placement, size of NGT, personnel performing tube placement, sedation administered before NGT placement, therapies administered for management of pneumothorax, duration of hospitalization, and outcome. Six dogs were included, having developed pneumothorax secondary to NGT misplacement during the 9-year period (incidence = 0.0006). Four of the six dogs received IV sedation before NGT placement. Three of the six dogs displayed clinical signs of pneumothorax, including an abnormal breathing pattern and coughing. Thoracocentesis was required in three of the dogs, and one ultimately required a thoracostomy tube for 24 h. Pneumothorax fully resolved in all patients, and four survived to discharge. Two dogs were euthanized due to worsening clinical conditions unrelated to pneumothorax. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study describes the complete resolution of iatrogenic pneumothorax in six dogs after NGT misplacement. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of pneumothorax during NGT placement and warn clients of the risk. Fatalities have been reported secondary to this complication; however, due to lack of veterinary data, the survival rate is uncertain. Results of this case series indicate that the prognosis may be good for resolution of pneumothorax secondary to NGT misplacement with subsequent discharge from the hospital.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40492373/