Bronchiectasis in a dog: radiological findings and 18 months follow up

Bronchiectasis is defined by the presence of permanent and abnormal dilation of the bronchi. This usually occurs in the context of chronic airway infection causing inflammation. Productive cough is the main clinical signs. Although bronchiectasis is reported as a rare condition, recently it has been diagnosed in 14% of dogs that had bronchoscopy performed for respiratory diseases. Bronchiectasis is most commonly diagnosed through thoracic radiography or computed tomography. Four patterns of bronchiectasis have been described: cylindrical (the most common form in dogs, cats, and people), saccular, cystic, and varicose. A 7-year-old, 23 kg neutered female Husky-cross dog was evaluated for chronic productive coughing and exercise intolerance. A diagnosis of severe diffuse mucopurulent bronchopneumonia associated with severe bronchiectasis was made. The initial radiographic findings included right middle lung lobe consolidation and severe saccular dilatation of the main cranial lobar bronchi bilaterally with concurrent presence of intra-luminal gas and fluid/soft tissue content. The sequential imaging studies obtained over the course of one year, documented the progression of this condition, with periodic recurrence of mucus/fluid material within of the dilated bronchi alternating with periods in which the bronchial lumina, had little material within. The radiological findings included saccular dilatation of the main bronchi with a luminal content that would cyclically alternate between gas and fluid, correlated with the cyclical waxing and waning of the clinical signs.