Lung inflammation in dogs and cats

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung tissue in animals, usually of an infectious nature. Depending on the tissues involved, the terms fibrinous (croup) and catarrhal (bronchopneumonia) lung inflammation may be used synonymously.

Causes of pneumonia in animals

Primary pneumonia is caused by the entry of bacterial, fungal or viral flora into the respiratory tract. However, the infection is often combined with an existing non-infectious process caused by:

- worm infestation - helminth larvae, migrating to the lungs, irritate the tissues and prepare the "soil" for infection;

- chronic inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tract - nasal passages (rhinitis), sinuses (sinusitis), trachea, pharynx (pharyngitis), tonsils (tonsillitis), bronchitis;

- ingestion of foreign bodies into the bronchi, improper feeding of medication. As a result, aspiration pneumonia can develop even without infection.

Secondary pneumonia can complicate infectious diseases:

- respiratory - parainfluenza, adenovirus;

- parvovirus enteritis, gastroenteritis;

- mycoplasmosis, salmonellosis.

Among the provoking factors of pneumonia:

- feeding cold/frozen food; 

- improper balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates in the diet, hypovitaminosis;

- hypothermia - long winter walks, bathing in cold water, keeping in damp or draughty conditions;

- consumption of feed contaminated with fungal flora;

- weakened immunity - in puppies/kittens or older pets;

- stress;

- dry, musty, too humid and cold or toxic vapour-laden indoor air;

- taking digoxin, antineoplastic drugs.

Symptoms and diagnosis

In the first stage (for 4-5 days), the symptoms are similar to many respiratory diseases:

- depressed state, drowsiness;

- decreased appetite, sometimes to the point of complete refusal of food;

- dry, hot nose;

- chills;

- mucopurulent discharge from the nose (atypical course of catarrhal symptoms are not expressed).

Then a more specific picture with organ dysfunction unfolds:

- cough - at first dry, painful, in the course of therapy becomes moist; 

- difficult breathing with noises, wheezing, whistling;

- dyspnoea;

- fever;

- palpitations;

- dry skin and mucous membranes;

- oedema and yellowing of oral and visual mucous membranes (in croup form), cyanosis of mucous membranes with hypoxaemia may be observed;

- emaciation;

- pain syndrome - with unilateral inflammation, the animal tends to lie down on the healthy lung, with bilateral - can not lie down for a long time, regardless of the posture.

This stage lasts up to 10 days, after which there is recovery (with proper therapy) or death of the animal.

Diagnosis includes:

- examination with tapping and listening to the chest;

- blood tests (general, rarely biochemistry);

- chest X-ray.

Treatment of pneumonia in dogs and cats

The main direction of therapy is to fight the infection. Giving animals antibiotics for humans is not safe due to the complexity of dosing and administration. It is more convenient to use veterinary antibiotics of a wide spectrum of action:

- Gentam is a combined injectable antibiotic that has no Russian-made analogues. The drug includes two antibacterial components - amoxicillin (penicillin group) and gentamicin (aminoglycosides). It is active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative flora, cocci, including strains resistant to penicillins. The course of treatment is 5-7 days, after which a period of rapid recovery is observed;

- Amoxisan - injectable antibiotic based on amoxicillin (penicillin group). Active against Gram-positive and anaerobic bacteria, cocci, Escherichia coli, is not toxic to the liver. The drug is characterised by the duration of action, which allows reducing the frequency of administration to once every two days;

- Oflosan - antibiotic for oral use based on ofloxacin (fluoroquinolones). It is active against gram-negative bacteria, coccus flora, Escherichia coli, mycoplasma. The absence of bitterness simplifies the use of the drug;

- Sulfetrisan - a combined injectable antibiotic. The composition is based on sulfadimethoxine (sulfonamides), erythromycin (macrolides), trimethoprim. The combination of 3 active components provides a wide spectrum of action (including flora resistant to sulfonamides) and effectiveness in pneumonia.

The course of antibiotic therapy is calculated individually. With some types of pathogen, it can last up to 1 month.

In addition to antibiotics, treatment may include remedies for:

- to relieve intoxication, such as Hepatovet Active;

- improving immunity - immunomodulators, vitamins A, B, C;

- expectoration, liquefaction of sputum;

- normalisation of cardiac activity (Vasosan).

It is also necessary to provide the pet with:

- balanced diet, warm food and drink;

- rest, moderate walking;

- sleeping place in a ventilated room without dampness and draughts.