Histopathological Classification of Pulmonary Lesions and Pneumonia Types in Stray Dogs: A Retrospective Study of 50 Cases From Şanlıurfa, Türkiye

Kürşat Filikci; Oğuzhan Mersin

doi:10.5281/zenodo.22900866

Authors

Kürşat Filikci Harran University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9710-9480
Oğuzhan Mersin Harran University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0848-3125

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22900866

Keywords:

Lung, Histopathology, Pneumonia, Stray animals

Abstract

Objective: Respiratory disease is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs, yet histopathological data on pulmonary pathology in stray dog populations remain limited. This study aimed to histopathologically characterise pulmonary lesions and classify pneumonia types in stray dogs from Şanlıurfa.

Material and Methods: Lung tissues from 50 stray dog cadavers submitted to a veterinary faculty pathology department were examined. After necropsy, samples were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, paraffin-embedded, sectioned at 5 µm and stained with haematoxylin–eosin (H&E). Nine histopathological parameters (emphysema, atelectasis, congestion/hyperaemia, haemorrhage, interstitial inflammation, oedema, neutrophilic inflammation, mononuclear/chronic inflammation and bronchitis) were assessed semiquantitatively (–, +, ++, +++), and a morphological diagnosis was assigned to each case. Data were analysed descriptively.

Results: The population comprised 23 males (46%) and 27 females (54%); 48 were mixed-breed and 2 were Kangal dogs. Where recorded (n = 39), age ranged from 1 to 8 years (mean 4.6). The most frequent lesions were congestion/hyperaemia (48%), emphysema (38%) and oedema (20%). Inflammatory diagnoses were established in 21/50 cases (42%): suppurative pneumonia (16%), chronic pneumonia (12%), bronchitis (10%) and interstitial pneumonia (4%). The remaining 29 cases (58%) showed only non-inflammatory changes. Younger animals more often showed acute/suppurative patterns, whereas chronic lesions occurred in older individuals.

Discussion and Conclusion: In this regional stray dog population, non-inflammatory pulmonary changes predominated, while suppurative pneumonia was the most common inflammatory diagnosis. The findings provide baseline histopathological data for stray dogs in the region. Immunohistochemical and molecular studies are needed to clarify aetiology.

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