The Coughing Dog: Assumptions and the Role of Imaging

Webinar Description:  

During this webinar, interpretation of thoracic imaging, primarily radiography, will be discussed in the context of dogs with chronic cough.  The focus will be airway related imaging findings as they apply to this common clinical sign with a focus on the appearance of specific pulmonary changes as they relate to coughing and the approach to a case when no observable changes are detected on radiography, “the dreaded normal thorax”. 

Webinar Agenda:

Discussion will include:

• The anatomy of a lung
  • Microanatomy
  • What we can and cannot see on imaging
• The anatomy of a cough
  • Receptors and how they are triggered
  • Morphologic response of airways to cough inducing triggers (attrition of airways)
• What is and is not possible to identify on radiography and workarounds to improve sensitivity of commonly available modalities (radiography and fluoroscopy) used to identify causes of coughing in dogs
  • A review of pulmonary patterns with emphasis on simplification
  • Next steps to diagnose or “prove normal”
  • Disease manifestations over time – how one study at one point in time may not be adequate
• Managing expectations
  • A normal thoracic radiograph