Pneumonia (non-human)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Pneumonia is an irritation of the lungs caused by different sources. It is characterized by an
inflammation Inflammation (from la, inflammatio) is part of the complex biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants, and is a protective response involving immune cells, blood vessels, and molec ...
of the deep lung tissues and the
bronchi A bronchus is a passage or airway in the lower respiratory tract that conducts air into the lungs. The first or primary bronchi pronounced (BRAN-KAI) to branch from the trachea at the carina are the right main bronchus and the left main bronchus. ...
. Pneumonia can be acute or chronic. This life-threatening illness is more common in
cat The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
s than in
dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
s and the complication “
Kennel Cough Kennel cough, also known as canine infectious respiratory disease, formally canine infectious tracheobronchitis, is an upper respiratory infection affecting dogs. There are multiple causative agents, the most common being the bacterium '' Borde ...
can occur in young pets.


Routes of infection

Many causes can trigger an infection of the deep lung tissues. Specifically in younger pets an weak
immune system The immune system is a network of biological processes that protects an organism from diseases. It detects and responds to a wide variety of pathogens, from viruses to parasitic worms, as well as cancer cells and objects such as wood splint ...
can encourage pneumonia. Concretely, the overreaction of various causes irritate the lungs.


Fungal

The most represented  fungal infections are
Coccidioides ''Coccidioides'' is a genus of dimorphic ascomycetes in the family Onygenaceae. Member species are the cause of coccidioidomycosis, also known as San Joaquin Valley fever, an infectious fungal disease largely confined to the Western Hemisphere ...
and
Cryptococcus ''Cryptococcus'' is a genus of fungi in the family Cryptococcaceae that includes both yeasts and filamentous species. The filamentous, sexual forms or teleomorphs were formerly classified in the genus ''Filobasidiella'', while ''Cryptococcus'' ...
. Cryptococcus are most common in cats.


Bacterial

Pneumonia is most often caused by a bacterial infection. The bacterial infection occurs mainly after a viral infection. Some examples are
canine distemper Canine distemper virus (CDV) (sometimes termed footpad disease) is a viral disease that affects a wide variety of mammal families, including domestic and wild species of dogs, coyotes, foxes, pandas, wolves, ferrets, skunks, raccoons, and felin ...
virus, adenovirus type 1 and 2,
parainfluenza Human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) are the viruses that cause human parainfluenza. HPIVs are a paraphyletic group of four distinct single-stranded RNA viruses belonging to the '' Paramyxoviridae'' family. These viruses are closely associated wit ...
virus and
feline calicivirus ''Feline calicivirus'' (FCV) is a virus of the family ''Caliciviridae'' that causes disease in cats. It is one of the two important viral causes of respiratory infection in cats, the other being '' Felid alphaherpesvirus 1''. FCV can be isolat ...
. Those viral infections cause lesions in the airways that allow bacteria to enter the
respiratory system The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies ...
more easily. The pneumonia caused by Tuberculous appears more often in dogs. Gastric acid can also trigger pneumonia when a pet is throwing up, because the bacteria can more easily get in the lungs.


Viral

The disease progression begins with a viral infection which spreads into the respiratory tract and later develops into pneumonia. The symptoms of viral infections like canine distemper virus, adenovirus type 1 and 2, parainfluenza virus and feline calicivirus benefit a bacterial infection which ends in pneumonia.


Parasitic

Parasites, for example lung worms like Filaroides, Aelurostrongylus or Paragonimus get in the bronchi and cause pneumonia.


Allergic

Through an allergic reaction, the lung is infiltrated by inflammatory cells which cause pneumonia without any infection.


Protozoan

The probability that a dog or cat gets pneumonia through protozoans like
Toxoplasma gondii ''Toxoplasma gondii'' () is an obligate intracellular parasitic protozoan (specifically an apicomplexan) that causes toxoplasmosis. Found worldwide, ''T. gondii'' is capable of infecting virtually all warm-blooded animals, but felids, such as d ...
or
Pneumocystis jirovecii ''Pneumocystis jirovecii'' (previously ''P. carinii'') is a yeast-like fungus of the genus ''Pneumocystis''. The causative organism of ''Pneumocystis'' pneumonia, it is an important human pathogen, particularly among immunocompromised hosts. Pr ...
is really low.


Aspiration

There are several factors which might cause vomiting, for example dysfunctional
esophagus The esophagus ( American English) or oesophagus (British English; both ), non-technically known also as the food pipe or gullet, is an organ in vertebrates through which food passes, aided by peristaltic contractions, from the pharynx to ...
, wrong medication or wrong food. By vomiting, the gastric acid injures the upper respiratory system which becomes vulnerable to bacterial infection and causes pneumonia.


Symptoms

Dogs and cats who develop pneumonia usually show symptoms like moist or productive cough, followed by nasal discharge and breathing sounds. After some time, the respiratory rate becomes more rapid and breathing difficulties appear. Another conspicuous indication is appetite loss, followed by weight loss. Fever and
lethargy Lethargy is a state of tiredness, sleepiness, weariness, fatigue, sluggishness or lack of energy. It can be accompanied by depression, decreased motivation, or apathy. Lethargy can be a normal response to inadequate sleep, overexertion, overwo ...
are also common symptoms. Also an obvious sign of a regular virus infection is that the pet does not respond to the threat of a regular viral infection.


Diagnosis

When a pet is examined with suspicion of pneumonia, the veterinarian will first listen to the lungs and watch for any abnormal sounds. If the pet shows typical lung noises for pneumonia, a complete blood count will be done which helps to determine the origin of the pneumonia. If the number of white blood cells is increased and the
oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as ...
is low, pneumonia can be confirmed. The exact indicators of pneumonia can also be determined with the help of the
blood count A complete blood count (CBC), also known as a full blood count (FBC), is a set of medical laboratory tests that provide information about the cells in a person's blood. The CBC indicates the counts of white blood cells, red blood cells and pla ...
. If the
neutrophil Neutrophils (also known as neutrocytes or heterophils) are the most abundant type of granulocytes and make up 40% to 70% of all white blood cells in humans. They form an essential part of the innate immune system, with their functions varying ...
s are increased, there is a bacterial infection, but if the
eosinophil Eosinophils, sometimes called eosinophiles or, less commonly, acidophils, are a variety of white blood cells (WBCs) and one of the immune system components responsible for combating multicellular parasites and certain infections in vertebrates. A ...
s are increased the infection is parasitic. Increased neutrophils and
monocyte Monocytes are a type of leukocyte or white blood cell. They are the largest type of leukocyte in blood and can differentiate into macrophages and conventional dendritic cells. As a part of the vertebrate innate immune system monocytes also ...
s indicate a fungal infection. Chest
x-ray An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10  picometers to 10  nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30&nb ...
s are another diagnostic tool to determine the origin of pneumonia.


Treatment

In order to exclude a mistreatment, it is urgently necessary to determine the exact cause of pneumonia. To determine the location and type of treatment, the diseased animal is classified into one of the three conditions called stable, unstable and critical. If the pet eats and drinks normally and only coughs slightly, it is in a stable condition and can be treated at home without hesitation. For home treatment, the pet is given antibiotics as pills. It is important not to expose the pet to wet and cold weather conditions. Inhalation and the application of the coupage technique favour the quick and complete healing of the pet. It is necessary to have regular check-ups with the veterinarian in order to adjust the treatment and prevent complications. If the pet is neither active or has an appetite the pet is classified in an unstable state and must be treated in a clinic. If the pet is treated in a clinic, it will be given antibiotics
intravenously Intravenous therapy (abbreviated as IV therapy) is a medical technique that administers fluids, medications and nutrients directly into a person's vein. The intravenous route of administration is commonly used for rehydration or to provide nutrie ...
to maximise the absorption of the drug. Tracheal cleansing can aid recovery and, in combination with inhalation, shorten the duration of recovery. Once the pet has reached a stable condition and regained its appetite, treatment is continued at home. If the pet has significant respiratory problems it is classified as critical. In this condition, an oxygen therapy is urgently required. Permanent monitoring in a clinic is also necessary and x-rays and blood counts must be taken at regular intervals to check the condition. The initial goal is to stabilise the patient and then continue with treatment at home.


Prognosis

With the right treatment and adherence to the necessary measures, the pet will be completely healthy again after several weeks. In extremely rare cases, however, very severe courses of the disease can lead to consequential damage to the respiratory system and even death.


Prevention

To prevent pneumonia from developing, it is important to treat minor infections properly. Regular routine examinations and small check-ups are also important.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pneumonia (Non-Human) Animal diseases Pneumonia