BRONCHOPULMONARY DISEASE IN THE CAT - HISTORICAL, PHYSICAL, RADIOGRAPHIC, CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL, AND PULMONARY FUNCTIONAL-EVALUATION OF 24 AFFECTED AND 15 HEALTHY CATS

The results of clinical and pulmonary functional evaluation of 24 cats with bronchopulmonary disease and 15 healthy cats are presented. Affe cted cats had historical evidence of excessive reflexes (coughing, sne ezing); physical evidence of airway secretions (crackles), obstruction (wheezing), and increased tracheal sensitivity; radiographic evidence of bronchial and interstitial lung disease; and cytological evidence of airway inflammation or mucous secretions. Bacterial isolates from h ealthy and affected cats were predominantly Gram-negative rods, indica ting that bronchi of cats are not always sterile and that normal flora should be considered in interpreting cultures from cats with suspecte d bronchopulmonary disease. Cats were grouped according to relative di sease severity based on scored historical, physical, and radiographic abnormalities. The mean (+/- standard deviation) baseline lung resista nce measurement in healthy cats was 28.9 cm H2O/L/s (+/-6.2 cm H2O/L/s ), whereas in mildly, moderately, and severely affected cats it was 38 .3 cm H2O/ L/s (+/-21.5 cm H2O/L/s), 44.8 cmH(2)O/L/s (+/-7.7 cm H2O/L /s), and 105.2 cm H2O/L/s (+/-66.9 cm H2O/L/s), respectively. In healt hy cats, dynamic lung compliance was 19.8 (+/-7.4), whereas in mildly, moderately, and severely affected cats it was 14.7 mL/cm H2O (+/-3.8 mL/cm H2O), 17.7 mL/cm H2O (+/-6.9 mL/cm H2O), and 13.0 mL/cm H2O (+/- 7.9 mL/cm H2O), respectively. Thus, airway obstruction was present in many of the affected cats. Based on acute response to the bronchodilat or, terbutaline, airway obstruction was partially reversible in many a ffected cats, although the degree of reversibility varied. Furthermore , based on bronchoprovocation testing, 6 (of 7) affected cats evaluate d also had increased airway responsiveness to aerosolized methacholine . Copyright (C) 1996 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Me dicine.