Update on canine bronchial and pulmonary disorders
Author(s): David Karunyakaran H
Abstract: Canine bronchial and pulmonary disorders represent a significant proportion of respiratory diseases encountered in veterinary clinical practice, particularly in adult and geriatric dogs. This review provides an updated overview of three major lower respiratory tract conditions in dogs: canine chronic bronchitis, bacterial pneumonia, and canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Canine chronic bronchitis is characterized by persistent neutrophilic airway inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, and airway remodeling, leading to chronic cough and progressive airflow limitation. Bacterial pneumonia arises from diverse etiologies including aspiration, infectious respiratory disease complexes, foreign bodies, nosocomial infections, and immune dysfunction, often presenting with variable clinical severity. Canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, predominantly affecting West Highland white terriers, is a progressive and fatal interstitial lung disease marked by irreversible fibrosis and respiratory failure. The review highlights current understanding of pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic approaches—including imaging, airway sampling, and emerging biomarkers—and contemporary management strategies for these disorders. Emphasis is placed on the challenges of diagnosis, the importance of addressing underlying risk factors, and recent advances in diagnostic imaging and supportive therapies. Improved awareness and early recognition of these conditions are essential to optimize patient outcomes and quality of life in affected dogs.
