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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Transtracheal aspiration helps diagnose lung blastomycosis in dogs

By McMillan, Chantal J & Taylor, Susan M·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2008·Western College of Veterinary Medicine, Canada·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Transtracheal aspiration in the diagnosis of pulmonary blastomycosis (17 cases: 2000-2005).

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A group of 17 dogs with breathing problems was diagnosed with a fungal infection called blastomycosis, which can cause pneumonia. The dogs underwent a procedure called transtracheal aspiration, where fluid is collected from the trachea to check for the fungus. This method successfully identified the fungus in 76% of the cases, making it a useful and noninvasive option for diagnosing this serious condition. Early detection can help ensure that these dogs receive the appropriate treatment quickly.

People also search for: dog breathing problems blastomycosis · transtracheal aspiration in dogs · fungal pneumonia treatment in dogs

Abstract

Blastomyces dermatitidis is a common etiologic agent of fungal pneumonia in dogs. Definitive diagnosis is based on cytologic demonstration of the organism in affected tissues. Fluid obtained through transtracheal aspiration has previously been reported to have a low diagnostic yield for B. dermatitidis organisms. This retrospective study identified B. dermatitidis organisms in 76% of samples when transtracheal aspiration was performed in 17 nonsedated dogs with pulmonary blastomycosis. Transtracheal aspiration is a noninvasive and simple procedure that should be considered as an early diagnostic test whenever blastomycosis is a differential diagnosis in dogs with pulmonary disease.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18320978/