Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Imaging signs of migrating chest grass awns in dogs and cats
By Schultz, Ryan M & Zwingenberger, Allison·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2008·Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Radiographic, computed tomographic, and ultrasonographic findings with migrating intrathoracic grass awns in dogs and cats.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of young dogs, mostly Labrador Retrievers and English Pointers under 5 years old, were brought in for coughing and fever. After imaging tests like X-rays and CT scans, it was found that some had grass awns (sharp plant seeds) that had migrated into their chest, causing serious lung issues. These dogs showed signs of pneumonia and other complications like fluid in the chest and thickening of the lung lining. Treatment involved surgery to remove the grass awns, and many of the dogs recovered well after the procedure.
People also search for: dog coughing and fever · grass awn removal in dogs · pneumonia treatment in dogs
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical, radiographic, and computed tomographic findings in dogs and cats with migrating intrathoracic grass awns. Thirty-five dogs and five cats with visual confirmation of a grass awn following surgery, endoscopy or necropsy, and histology were assessed. The medical records and all diagnostic imaging studies were reviewed retrospectively. Labrador Retrievers or English Pointers < 5 years of age, with a history of coughing and hyperthermia, were the most common presentations. Seventeen animals had an inflammatory leukogram of which 14 had a left shift or toxic neutrophils. Radiographs were performed in 38 animals and computed tomography (CT) in 14. Thoracic radiographs were characterized by focal pulmonary interstitial to alveolar opacities (n = 26) that occurred most commonly in the caudal (n = 19) or accessory lobes (n = 8). Additional findings included pneumothorax (n = 9), pleural effusion (n = 8), and pleural thickening (n = 7). Pulmonary opacities identified on radiographs correlated to areas of pneumonia and foreign body location. CT findings included focal interstitial to alveolar pulmonary opacities (n = 12) most commonly in the right caudal lung lobe (n = 9), pleural thickening (n = 11), mildly enlarged intrathoracic lymph nodes (n = 10), soft tissue tracking (n = 7) with enhancing margins (n = 4), pneumothorax (n = 6), pleural effusion (n = 4), and foreign body visualization (n = 4). Histologic diagnoses included pulmonary and mediastinal granulomas or abscesses, bronchopneumonia, and pleuritis. Migrating intrathoracic grass awns should be considered as a differential diagnosis in coughing, febrile animals with focal interstitial to alveolar pulmonary opacities, pleural effusion, pleural thickening, and/or pneumothorax on radiographs or CT.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18546780/