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This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only. You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet. Veterinarians often use the terms "pulmonary oedema" or "water on the lungs" - but what is it ? Pulmonary oedema is water collection in the lungs. To understand pulmonary oedema it is important to understand a bit about lung anatomy. Basically the lung consists of:
The lungs are well supplied with blood because their main function is gas exchange between the air and the blood. Oxygen enters the blood from air breathed into the alveoli and it is carried around the body to the tissues as oxyhemaglobin in the red blood cells. Waste gases such as carbon dioxide pass from the blood into the alveolar spaces and then they are expelled out of the lungs when the animal breathes out.. The complex forces involved in water movement into and out of the lung tissue normally leaves the lungs "dry", but when something goes wrong with the circulation, or if water moves into the area for other reasons, fluid can accumulate and fill the both the lung tissue, and the spaces in the alveoli which air usually occupies. This is called oedema and when this happens normal gas exchange can not take place. The animal becomes deprived of oxygen - which all tissues need - and toxic waste gases build up in the bloodstream....a very serious state of affairs. There are several causes of pulmonary oedema including :
The signs of pulmonary oedema can come on gradually or appear suddenly and they include :
Diagnosis of pulmonary oedema is made from the presenting signs and on XRays . Pulmonary oedema can be treated by;
Underlying problems also need to be treated specifically, for example :
Acute severe pulmonary oedema - especially following electrocution, an allergic reaction or poisoning (eg paraquat) can be life-threatening and the prognosis is often poor. Pulmonary oedema associated with heart failure, on the other hand, is usually controllable with diuretics and other treatment.
Updated October 2013 | |||