Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with lung fungal infection cured after lung removal surgery
By Hazell, K L A et al.·Published in Australian veterinary journal·2011·Queensland Veterinary Specialists, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Successful treatment of pulmonary aspergillosis in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old spayed female Domestic Longhair cat was brought to the vet after coughing for six weeks. Tests showed fluid in her chest and a mass in her lung, leading to surgery where the affected lung was removed. It turned out she had a fungal infection in her lungs caused by Aspergillus, which is rare in cats. After surgery, she recovered well and remained free of disease for 18 months, suggesting that treatment was successful.
People also search for: cat coughing treatment · fungal lung infection in cats · cat surgery for lung mass · domestic longhair cat health issues
Abstract
A 7-year-old, spayed female Domestic Longhair cat was evaluated for a 6-week history of coughing. Thoracic radiography revealed a pleural effusion. Thoracic ultrasound revealed a pleural effusion and a focal lung mass. The cat underwent exploratory thoracotomy and a total left pneumonectomy was performed. Histopathology and cultures revealed fungal pneumonia and pyothorax caused by Aspergillus fumigatus. Abdominal ultrasound, repeat thoracic radiography, urinalysis with culture, and retroviral screening failed to detect evidence of systemic disease. The cat's poorly regulated diabetes mellitus is suspected to be the predisposing factor allowing a fungal pulmonary infection to become established. At 18 months after surgery the cat was still disease-free. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of successful treatment of pulmonary aspergillosis in the cat.
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 PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21323658/