Pneumothorax is free air in the pleural space. The air abolishes the negative pressure that keeps the lungs stuck to the chest wall, so the lungs collapse and the dog cannot ventilate. Most cases in dogs follow trauma and settle with drainage, but spontaneous pneumothorax from ruptured bullae keeps coming back unless the diseased lung is removed, and tension pneumothorax can kill within minutes.
Key facts
Pneumothorax at a glance- Species and system: dogs (and cats); pleural space, respiratory system.
- Causes: traumatic (most common: vehicle trauma, bite wounds, penetrating injury), spontaneous (no trauma; usually ruptured bullae or blebs) and iatrogenic (thoracocentesis, lung aspiration, ventilation, surgery).
- Typical spontaneous patient: large, deep-chested dog, often a Siberian Husky or other northern breed; no sex predilection.
- Classic presentation: sudden rapid, shallow breathing with quiet lung sounds dorsally.
- First treatment: thoracocentesis before radiographs in a dog in distress.
- Definitive treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax: surgery (lung lobectomy, usually through a median sternotomy).
- Zoonotic or reportable: no.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 6 tables, 2 figures, 3 self-test questions and 17 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
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