Biopsia pulmonar em bezerros com broncopneumonia induzida pela Mannheimia Haemolytica

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and diagnostic efficacy of lung biopsy and to compare the possible occurrence of complications due to this technique in healthy calves and in calves with bronchopneumonia. Thirty Holstein calves were divided into a group of ten healthy animals (G1) and into four experimental groups (G2 to G5) of five calves each submitted to lung biopsy at 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours after intratracheal inoculation of Mannheimia. haemolytica, respectively. Lung crackles, dull sound on percussion of the lung area, and radiographic abnormalities were helpful in localizing the site for biopsy in group with bronchopneumonia. The microscopic abnormalities consisted of fibrinous bronchopneumonia these groups. In the calves of group G1, the alterations resulting from the procedure were cough, epistaxis, dyspnea, tachypnea, and tachcardia. Five calves (25%) with bronchopneumonia presented hemothorax after biopsy as well as tachypnea, tachycardia, cough, dyspnea, apathy, pale mucous, and decumbence. It was concluded that lung biopsy allowed to the diagnosis of bronchopneumonia in calves, however the severe complication of technical limit its use only when conventional methods have not enabled diagnosis.