Cytological Analysis of Tracheal Washing and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Obtained from Donkeys with Chronic Lung Disease

Abstract

Pulmonary fibrosis, tracheal collapse and bronchoalveolar diseases belong to the most common causes of donkey deaths. The cytological analysis of tracheal washing (TW) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) have been proven in as useful tools for the investigation of lower respiratory airway diseases. Little is known about collection and analysis of TW and BALF in donkeys. The current study aimed at cytological analysis of TW and BALF in healthy donkeys and donkeys with chronic lung disease. TW and BALF fluid were collected from seventeen donkeys (five healthy and twelve affected with chronic lung disease) and were analysed for their cytological composition. In comparison to many other veterinary species, the percentage of eosinophils in TW and BALF was higher for both healthy and affected donkeys. The proportion of neutrophils in TW and BALF of affected donkeys was higher than that in control animals. The increase in the percentage of neutrophils and epithelial cells war higher in TW, when compared to BALF samples. Collectively, the comparative cytological analysis of TW and BALF samples from healthy and respiratory affected donkeys revealed that both TW and BALF could serve as helpful tools for the diagnosis of respiratory diseases in donkeys