Respiratory

System
Dr .M .Younus Rana
What is respiration?
The act or process of inhaling and exhaling;
called breathing. Also called ventilation.
( Taking O2 inside and CO2 outside)
It includes the following major parts.
It includes the following conditions /diseases
.
Rhinitis :It is the inflammation of mucous
membrane of nose.
Sinusitis :It is inflammation of sinus .
Pharyngitis :It is inflammation of pharynx.
Trachitis : It is inflammation of trachea .
Bronchitis : It is the inflammation of bronchi
Bronchiectasis :It is the dilatation of one or
more bronchi .
These diseases usually starts as acute
mucous (cattarahal ) inflamation of the
respective mucous membrane and later
tend to become purulent or
fibrinous ,depending on the nature of
infectious agent, like the human “cold
“starts as rhinitis and then spread to
lower part of respiratoy system
depending upon the etiological
agent ,virulence and susceptibility of host.
Routes of Respiratory insults
1.Aerogenous routes
(a)Nasal passages and upper air way:
irritants ,highly soluble gases , infectious agents

(b)Distal air ways : Fine particals ,weaky soluble

gases,infectious agents

2. Hematogenous routes: Alveolar septa and

pulmonary interstitium
Toxins /infectious agents

3. Trauma
• Most of the agents are removed in the air
passages, mainly in the upper respiratory
passage .
• Particals of 1-2 micrometer mostly
deposited at broncho alveolar junction ,
air velocity here is zero .Bigger particals
are trapped in the upper respiratory
passages.
Acute infections localizing upper
Respiratory system
• Equines : strangles (streptococcus
equi) ,equine rhinopneumonitis, influenza.
• Bovines :pasteurellosis(HS) ,malignant
catarrhal fever(MCF),Infectious Bovine
rhinotrachitis (IBR)and calf diphtheria.
• Canines :canine distemper
• Feline : feline viral rhinotrachitis
• Poultry :ND ,IB,ILT,fowl cholera,
infectious coryza etc.
Epistaxis
• Nose bleeding in case of domestic animals
especially horses.
• Etiology :. Trauma, infection, neoplasm . It
may be unilateral or bilateral depending
upon the source of bleeding .
• Atelectasis :Incomplete expansion of lungs
▫ Congenital – stillborn animal, minor degree of
incomplete expansion – miconium
▫ Acquired – associated with obstruction,
compression
Bronchiectasis
• It is dilatation of one or more bronchi.
• During violent or forced respiration ,the
bronchi and bronchioles dilate to full
capacity become round in cross section .
It may be as a result of chronic bronchial
obstruction and infection. Mostly it is a
complication of bronchopneumonia or
bacterial bronchitis . It is an indication of
present or previous inflammation .
Bronchitis
It is inflammation of bronchi.
It may be acute or chronic in nature .
Acute bronchitis :
Causes : Specific systemic disease e.g
strangles ,canine distemper ,H.S.etc
Parasite infestation eg. Dictiocaulus
viviparous
Gross findings :lininig membrane become
swollen, hyperemic ,increased secretions
which are first serous and later become
catarrhal ,purulent.
• Microscopic appearance : swollen
edematous m.m ,engorged blood
vessels .congestion ,RBCs and
inflammatory cells .
• Chronic bronchitis : It may follow acute
inflammation or may develop due to mild
continuous irritation .
• Due to inhalation of dust ,due to chronic
pneumonia, prolonged infestation of
parasites.
Pulmonary emphysema
Tissue expansion by air or other gases
• Types
Alveolar emphysema : Abnormal
permanent enlargement of alveoli
accompanied by destruction of walls and
absence of fibrosis
Interstitial emphysema: presence of air
within interlobular, sub pleural and other
interstitial zone of lungs. It is terminal
condition in animals
• Emphysema is attributed to chronic
obstruction of bronchi or bronchioles.
(congenital or acquired )
• .Gross appearance :pale puffy, increased
in size ,may appear as small vesicles
which some time coalesce to produce air
filled bullae.
Hyper inflated Lungs
Pneumonia / pneumonitis
Inflammation of substance of lungs. Pneumonia
is common in animals especially in weak and
young animals in colder weather.
Classification of pneumonia :
Morphologic : bronchopneumonia
(lobar,lobular )
Interstitial ,focal ,diffuse.
Exudate : Fibrinopurulant ,granulomatous
Causative agent : viral ,bacterial ,
mycotic ,aspiration
Duration /stage : acute ,sub acute ,chronic
Bronchopneumonia
It is perhaps the most common cause of
pneumonia in animals . It is usually
exudative lesions originating at
bronchoalveolar junction. The infection
enter through aerogenous route ,it has
cranioventral distribution .
Causes :bacteria ,virus ,fungus ,aspiration
,forced feeding, gastric intubation,
vomiting ,regurgitation ,neurological
disease
Gross and microscopic
appearance
• Affected lung is firm and
consolidated(hepatized) may be dark
red ,grey or pale depending upon the
age ,nature of lesions .cut surface is
edematous and purulent exudates may be
expressed from bronchioles. It may be
lobular or lobar pneumonia
Bronchopneumonia
Lobular Pneumonia ; it is patchy in nature
and involve individual lobules. it is
generally less severe and slowly
progressive in nature .it shows chequere
board appearance.
Lobar pneumonia :whole lobe of lung is
involved in this type. It is severe and
rapidly progressive in nature. It is
typically caused by manhemia hemolytica
(Shiping fever ) in cattle .
Results of pneumonia
1. In an uncomplicated case exudation is
removed by absorption and expectoration
and recovery will take place.
2. If condition persist ,it become chronic
there is fibrosis which lead to permanent
dilatation of bronchi i.e bronchiectasis
3. If there is introduction of pus forming
bacteria , then there will be pus
formation which lead to gangrene and
necrosis.
Pathogenesis of pneumonia
There are four successive stages with out
any clear demarcation
1.Congestion
2.Red hepatization
3.Grey hepatization
4.Resolution
Congestion
There is serous
exudate .swollen ,hyperemia, piece of
lung still float in water. Under microscope
blood vessels & capillaries distended and
engorged with blood ,alveoli are filled
with serous exudate .This condition may
develop in 2 minutes to 2 hours
depending upon the virulence and nature
of etiological agent.
Red hepatization
Here is fibrinous exudate ,the affected area
of lung show consolidated or
hepatized(firm like liver) Completely
hepatized lung sink in water. under
microscope blood vessels & capillaries
distended and engorged with
blood ,alveoli are filled with fibrinous
exudate (inflammatory cells &
fibrin )which lead to hepatization of lungs.
This stage is reached in two days .
Grey hepatization
Slowly fibrin and WBCs number increased
at the specific site ,no of RBCs decreased
in number which give lungs grey
appearance . There is greyish fibrinous
exudate in alveoli. This stage starts at 5th
day .
Resolution
• If etiological agent is destroyed by
immune response or therapy ,the lesions
are resolved ,neutrophils undergo
apoptosis, fibrin &exudates is engulfed by
macrophages .Remaining exudate is
removed through coughing. Lungs return
to normal in 3-4 days .
Special type of pneumonia
1. Gangrenous pneumonia /Aspiration
pneumonia
2. Pneumonia of shipping fever
3. Granulomatous pneumonia
Gangrenous pneumonia
It is type of pneumonia in which ultimate
reason is gangrene of pulmonary tissue .it
is also called aspiration
pneumonia ,drenching pneumonia foreign
body pneumonia , medication pneumonia ,
rapid pneumonia .it is caused by
aspiration of foreign material often
liquid .lesion will depend upon the
nature , quantity and irritation ability of
medicine or other chemical.
Drugs are most dangerous because of their
irritation and presence of oil in their
composition . Oil based medicine are not
absorbed ,stay longer in lungs and cause
more
problems .recumbancy ,regurgitation ,
pharangeal paralysis,dysphagia and
bucket milk feeding to young calves can
also lead to aspiration pneumonia
Aspiration Pneumonia
(medicine )
Exogenous Lipid Pneumonia
Pneumonia of shipping fever
It is also called respiratory syndrome and
fairly common in young cattles.it is usually
associated with transportation of cattles
from one place to other ,from one feed lot
to other feed lot.when animals is
transported ,the bacteria normally present
in buccal cavity ,drain down to trachea due
to gravitional force .the bacteria grow and
release lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or
endotoxins which initiate very sever
inflammatory reaction .
Granulomatous inflamation
It is characterised by granulomatous
lesions as a result of chronic
inflamation .
Granulomatous infections involving
lungs ,like
actinomycosis,actinobacilosis,tuberculosis
,histoplasmosis etc have a long coarse
body react slowly to produce
granulomatous inflamation rather
exudative.
Tuberculosis
Giant cell in tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Aspergillus hyphae
Pneumoconiosis
Pneumoconiosis are lung diseases caused
by inhalation and retention of inorganic
dust . It is characterized by fibrosis and
granulomas. e.g. Anthracosis, asbestosis
and silicosis
Pleuritis / pleurisy
• It is inflammation of pleura of lungs.
• The ordinary form of pleurisy belong to acute
exudative inflamation. if pleuritis accompanies
pneumonia , then condition is called
pleuropneumonia .
• There is serofibrinous creamy white exudate&
adhesion between parietal &visceral pleurae.
Infection reaches lungs through blood ,lesions
such as bronchopneumonia ,aspiration
pneumonia or abscess ,penetration of chest
wall, penetration of foreign bodies from
reticulum ( hard wear disease )
• Microscopic appearance
• Infiltration with WBCs and other
inflammatory cells ,thickness of pleura
increased many folds, lymphatic become
prominent, fibroblast , fibrous tissue are
present in that area.
Hemorrhagic Septicemia
• It is also called pastruelosis .It is caused
by bacterium pasturella multocida.It is
very common disease of young Cattle &
Buffalo. It is peracute disease rarely
subacute , primarily affect respiratory
system .It is characterized by three
lesions
1.Edema of subcutaneous tissue
2.Severe pleuropneumonia
3.Severe gastroenteritis
• There is severe edema ,petechial
hemorrhages through respiratory
membranes, animal can not breath and
death occur in few hours in acute cases.
• Etiology :pasteurella multocida type B &
E . Most prevalent in tropical &
subtropical areas like Pakistan ,India etc.
Primarily a disease of buffalo .Out breaks
are common in rainy season. Normal
inhabitant of naso pharynx .
• Stress factors cause rapid multiplication
and dissemination including
septicemia .High mortality in clinically
affected animals (100%).
• Bacterial toxins are major cause of
death .There is high fever ,profuse
drooling ,frothing in mouth. Petechial
hemorrhages on serous membranes .There
is acute fibrino hemorrhagic interstitial
pneumonia .Death caused by asphyxiation .
Pathogenesis of HS
• As bacteria are G-ve in nature and produce
LPS which lead to septic shock.These
bacteria are normal inhabitant of oral
cavity .
• Stress ….. Multiplication ……
LPS/toxins…….hypothalamus……..high
temperature …..fever …..hemorrhages

• Stress may be due to any viral disease, poor

nutrition ,poor housing, weather stress etc
HS in fish
Lungs showing hepatization in
HS
Contagious bovine & caprine
pleuropneumonia (CBPP & CCPP)
• OIE (office international des epizooties ) list
A disease, Occur in many
African ,Asian ,middle east countries .
• Etiology :Mycoplasma bovis, M.Capriculum
ssp capri pneumonie.
• Mortality and morbidity varies with strains of
organism ,other diseases and age of
animal .Adults are more suseptible than
young ones .There is
fever ,depression ,anorexia ,dypsnea ,open
mouth breathing ,loss of milk production ,
mucoid nasal discharge.
• Gross appearance: unilatreal pneumonia
restricted to caudal lobe of lung. In acute
stage lot of fibrin and fluid exudates
covering pleural membranes.Interlobular
septae largly ditended. Pericarditis and
peritonitis are frequent .
• Microscopic appearance :serofibrinous
or suppurative exudate with necrosis of
neutrophils .severe vasculitis , thrombosis
of veins and arteries. unilateral pneumonia
Strangles
• Acute contagious disease of young horses
(equines) characterized by inflammation
of upper respiratory tract , abscessation
in the regional lymph nodes and bilateral
nasal discharge.
Etiology : caused by streptococcus equi spp
equi (obligate parasite of URT in
Equines )
G+ve ,capsulated bacteria .round bacteria
which occur in the form of chains .
Pathogenesis
• Infection by inhalation or
ingestion ,followed by invasion of URT and
pharyngeal mucosa in which enzymes and
toxins are released which cause inflamation
.The organism then extends to lacal lymph
nodes where it cause lymphadenitis and
abscessation .Bacterimia may occur which
spread infection to whole body lymphoid
tissue .
• Incubation period is usually 3-4 days .
• Onset occur by fever ,slight cough and
nasal discharge. Nasal discharge is
bilateral .Discharge is first serous ,then
become catarrhal and later become
purulent .Swelling of lymph nodes of head
and neck .Death may occur due to
pneumonia ,abscessation of
viscera ,asphyxiation due to compression
of pharynx or larynx .
Glanders
• It is infectious and highly contagious disease
of old horses (equines) ,characterized by
nodular lesions in the lungs and ulcerative
and nodular lesions of skin & respiratory
mucosa .This disease is zoonotic in nature .
• It is caused by G-ve bacillus pseudomonas
malli
• Farcy bud is the term applied to cutaneous
lesions in glanders.
• Pathogenesis & clinical signs resemble
strangles .but in case of Glander the nasal
discharge is unilateral
usually ,subcutaneous lymphatics become
cord like called “Farcy pipe”.
• Lymphadenitis and lymphangitis is
common .
Acute lymphadenitis
Mycoplasmosis( CRD)in poultry
• It is primarily observed in poultry
although other bird also affected .It is
characterized by nasal discharge,
cough ,dyspnea .
• Clinical sign: slowly develop and have
long course .It has become a major
problem of adult laying birds .
• Cause :Mycoplasma galisepticum
• Characterized by catarrhal exudate in
trachea, thickened tracheal mucosa,
pneumonia and razor blade keel bone.
New castle disease
• It is infectoius ,highly contagoius and
destructive disease of chicken and other
birds of every age .it was discovered in
Newcastle town of U.K so called ND, at
the same time it was discovered in India
in Ranikhait so called Ranikhait
vernacularly.
• Cause : Paramyxovirus
• It affect respiratory ,GIT, Nervous system
of birds .
Postmortem lesions
• Trachitis , exudate in trachea ,nasal
discharge , hemorrhages on
proventriculus glands ,greenish
diarrhea .later stages torticollus (nervous
sign ) develop .
Hemorrhagic tracheitis