Bronchoscopic Evaluation of Eosinophilic Bronchopneumopathy in Dogs

Eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy (EPB) is an emerging canine lower respiratory disease characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of lungs and bronchial mucosa that has traditionally been refer to as pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia (PIE). Since the diagnosis of this disease is of great challenge to the veterinarians and currently very limited work have been carried out and recorded in veterinary literature the present study was planned and conducted to document clinical and bronchoscopic changes in dogs with Eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy and to assess bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis in the diagnosis of Eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy in dogs

Present study consisted of eight apparently healthy dogs and eight clinical cases. The parameters included in this study were clinical examination, BALF microbiological culture, BALF antibiogram, bronchoscopy and BALF cytology.

Eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy (EBP) was recorded in eight dogs. In BALF cytology based on eosinophilic scoring, mild to moderate form of eosinophilic infiltration was observed in six dogs. Severe eosinophilia was observed in two cases. No micro-organisms were observed on cytology of EBP dogs. The most predominant bronchoscopic findings were the presence of muco-purulent secretions and mild to moderate thickening of bronchial mucosa in EBP dogs. BALF analysis is found to be the gold standard test in the confirmation of EBP in dogs. Bacterial and fungal culture was performed on all 24 BALF samples collected. The most frequently isolated bacterial species were Staphylococcus sp. (66 per cent) followed by Streptococcus sp. (25 per cent) one E. coli (4 per cent) and one sample showing growth of Klebseilla sp. (4 per cent). In the study, the antibiogram pattern of BALF showed high sensitivity for Enrofloxacin.