Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Lung injury from tornado pressure changes in two dogs
By Cichocki, Brandy N et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2016·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Traumatic lung injury attributed to tornadic activity-induced barometric pressure changes in two dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old male Italian Greyhound and a 1-year-old female Labrador Retriever were brought to the vet for breathing problems about a week after a tornado. Both dogs showed signs of lung injury, including fluid buildup and collapsed lung areas, which were confirmed through imaging and surgery. The Italian Greyhound had a large hematoma on its lung, while the Labrador had a bacterial infection treated with antibiotics. After surgery to remove damaged lung tissue, both dogs recovered well and were doing fine 18 months later, although the Greyhound had a minor issue with fluid buildup that was treated with a drainage tube.
People also search for: dog breathing problems after tornado · lung injury treatment for dogs · dog pneumonia symptoms and treatment
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION A 7-year-old castrated male Italian Greyhound (dog 1) and an approximately 1-year-old female Labrador Retriever (dog 2) were evaluated because of respiratory distress 8 and 10 days, respectively, after a tornado. CLINICAL FINDINGS No obvious external injuries were identified auscultation revealed decreased bronchovesicular sounds in the affected hemithorax of both dogs. Clinicopathologic changes were mild, with evidence of inflammation in both dogs. Thoracic radiography of both dogs revealed pneumothorax and pleural effusion with effacement of the diaphragm; findings on CT included severe pulmonary atelectasis of affected lung lobes with normal bronchial tree configurtion and no evidence of diaphragmatic hernia. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME Exploratory thoracotomy of both dogs confirmed CT findings Pulmonary parenchymal damage consistent with a large rupture was found in both patients. A large hematoma was adhered to the ruptured lung lobe of dog 1. Grossly affected lung tissue was removed; histologic examination revealed atelectasis, pulmonary fib osis, thrombosis, and minimal (dog 1) to marked (dog 2) inflammation Microbial culture of lung tissue yielded no growth for dog 1 and Streptococcus spp and Escherichia coli susceptible to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for dog 2. Dog 1 had a recurrence of pneumothorax treated by drainage with a thoracostomy tube 1 month after surgery. Eighteen months after surgery, both dogs were reportedly doing well. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Development of clinical signs after a tornado, together with clinical, diagnostic imaging, surgical, and histologic findings led to a presumptive diagnosis of pulmonary barotrauma for both dogs. Long-term outcome for these dogs, treated at a referral hospital, was good.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27172344/