MECHANICS OF BREATHING IN ANIMALS .1. PHY SIOLOGY OF RESPIRATORY MECHANICS AND CONVENTIONAL MEASURING TECHNIQUES

Clinical diagnosis of respiratory illness can be usefully supported by pulmonary function testing. Whilst cases of overt respiratory disease may be relatively easily detected, subclinical disorders present the clinician with a major diagnostic challenge. Analysis of respiratory m echanics improves information about functional lung disturbances. Furt hermore, these tests facilitate the diagnosis and monitoring of respir atory diseases. In contrast to human medicine, only a small number of lung function tests which do not require patient cooperation are appli cable to animals. In this paper, conventional tests of respiratory mec hanics are summarised which could be used in animals. These sophistica ted techniques can only be used in specialised laboratories. Unfortuna tely, they remain difficult to apply in veterinary practice.