Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema in dogs and cats: 26 cases (1987-1993)

Abstract

Summary Medical records of 23 dogs and 3 cats treated for noncardiogenic pulmonary edema (npe) resulting from airway obstruction (n = 8), cranial trauma (7), electric shock (7), or seizures (4) between 1987 and 1993 were reviewed. There were 18 purebred dogs, 5 mixed-breed dogs, 2 domestic shorthair cats, and 1 Siamese. Sixteen animals were male, and 10 were female. All but 7 were less than 1 year old. Time between the inciting incident and onset of respiratory tract signs ranged from minutes to several hours. Respiratory distress was the primary clinical sign for all animals with npe resulting from airway obstruction, cranial trauma, or seizures, and for 2 of the 7 animals with npe resulting from electric shock. The only consistent clinicopathologic abnormality was hyperglycemia, which was detected in 12 animals. Arterial blood gas partial pressures were measured in 11 animals; 10 were hypoxemic. On thoracic radiographs, the predominant pattern of pulmonary infiltration was alveolar. Symmetry of involvement, which was assessed by examining dorsoventral or ventrodorsal radiographic projections, could be determined for 23 animals. In 18, involvement was asymmetric, and in 13 of those 18, the right side was predominantly involved. On lateral radiographic projections, the caudodorsal quadrant of the lung field was involved primarily or as part of a diffuse distribution in all but 1 animal. Generally, animals with npe resulting from airway obstruction had the greatest degree of radiographic involvement, followed in decreasing order, by animals with npe resulting from cranial trauma, animals with npe resulting from seizures, and animals with npe resulting from electric shock. Overall, 9 animals died. Four of the 8 animals with npe resulting from airway obstruction and 2 of the 7 animals with npe resulting from cranial trauma died or were euthanatized because of the severity of the pulmonary compromise. One animal with npe resulting from electric shock developed seizures and died. Two of the 4 animals with npe resulting from seizures were euthanatized because of the underlying cause of the seizures. Overall, 20 of the 26 animals were discharged, died, or were euthanatized within 48 hours of admission to the hospital.