Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Silent lung and neck air leaks in dogs from alveolar rupture
By Guillem, J & Humphreys, W·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2024·Institute of Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Spontaneous pulmonary interstitial emphysema, pneumomediastinum and cervical subcutaneous emphysema secondary to the Macklin effect in dogs with no clinical signs: 12 cases.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 12 dogs, mostly Sighthounds like Greyhounds and Whippets, were found to have air trapped in their lungs and neck without showing any symptoms. This condition, known as pneumomediastinum and cervical subcutaneous emphysema, can happen when air leaks from the lungs into surrounding areas, a phenomenon called the Macklin effect. The dogs did not require any treatment since they had no clinical signs, and the condition was discovered incidentally during examinations.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · Sighthound lung issues · pneumomediastinum in dogs · air in dog neck · incidental findings in dogs
Abstract
Pneumomediastinum denotes the presence of gas within the mediastinum and generally occurs by leakage of air from an aerated viscus that traverses or abuts the mediastinal plane. The Macklin effect has been described in several veterinary studies and describes gas tracking along the perivascular interstitium following alveolar rupture causing interstitial emphysema, pneumomediastinum and subsequently cervical subcutaneous emphysema. This retrospective case series describes incidental spontaneous pulmonary interstitial emphysema, pneumomediastinum and cervical subcutaneous emphysema secondary to the Macklin effect in dogs with no related clinical signs. Twelve dogs were identified from the author's institution, of which 75 % were Sighthounds (Greyhounds, Whippets or Lurchers). Pulmonary interstitial emphysema had a predominantly paravascular distribution, although in some cases a parabronchial distribution was also identified. We conclude that incidental pulmonary interstitial emphysema, pneumomediastinum and secondary cervical subcutaneous emphysema can be incidental, presumed secondary to the Macklin effect and that Sighthound breeds may be overrepresented.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38849024/