Tracheobronchopathia Osteochondroplastica in a Dog

Abstract

A 9-year-old spayed female West Highland White Terrier was referred to the Washington State University (Pullman, WA) Veterinary Teaching Hospital (WSU-VTH) for evaluation of a suspected tracheal mass. For most of her life, the dog had experienced periodic respiratory difficulty, primarily inspiratory, after exercise. An increased frequency of episodes of respiratory difficulty was reported in the 6 months before examination at the WSU-VTH. Neither coughing nor other clinical signs suggestive of respiratory disease were observed between episodes of respiratory difficulty. Thoracic radiographs obtained by the referring veterinarian approximately 6 months before examination at the WSU-VTH were consistent with focal tracheal thickening.Additional history offered no clues to the origin of the dog's respiratory signs. The dog had been obtained as a puppy from Missouri and had traveled to Wisconsin between 6 and 7 years before examination at the WSU-VTH, but she had no other travel history since that time. Prior treatments included amoxicillin for suspected lower urinary tract infection 3 months before referral, diethylstilbesterol (dose not specified) for urinary incontinence, and methionine for urine acidification. None of these treatments changed the character of the respiratory signs.On physical examination, the dog was overweight. Temperature, pulse rate, and respiratory rate were normal, as was the dog's respiratory pattern. A cough could not be induced with tracheal palpation, and breath sounds were normal. The rest of the physical examination, except for a missing upper left 1st incisor tooth, was normal.The only abnormal result on CBC and biochemistry was mild neutrophilia (10,248/ L; reference range, 3,000-7,100/ L); a urine sample could not be obtained. On thoracic radiographs, narrowing of the trachea on the lateral view and possibly a mass in the ventral trachea at the 1st rib were observed (Fig 1). During bronchoscopy, tracheal collapse and numerous white-to-yellowish nodules were noted on the ventral and lateral walls of the trachea, typically associated with tracheal rings (Fig 2), and in the lobar bronchi. A discrete mass was not seen. The nodules were hard, did not move with pressure from the tip of the endoscope or a biopsy forceps, and appeared to be covered with mucosa. Most nodules were less than 3 mm in diameter, as gauged from the diameter of the biopsy forceps.

Complete resolution of diffuse inflammatory tracheal stenosis in a dog

“…Histopathology of the tracheal nodules was consistent with papillomas similar to those seen in canine oral papillomatosis of viral origin 11. Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica is rare in people but has been described in one dog 12 19. It is characterised by multiple hard white to yellow tracheal nodules, which spare the dorsal tracheal membrane unlike the presented case 12.…”

“…Possible differential diagnoses for intraluminal tracheal nodules in dogs included parasites ( Oslerus osleri , Onchocerca species),3–5 primary and metastatic neoplasia (cartilaginous tumours such as osteochondroma, chondroma, chondrosarcoma; mast cell tumour, leiomyoma),6 7 eosinophilic granuloma,8 nodular hyperplastic tracheitis,9 nodular amyloidosis,10 tracheal papillomatosis11 and tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica 12…”

An unusual cause for recurrent chest infections

“…This disease is usually seen in men over the age of 50 (as in this case), but it has also been described in women,6 children7 and one case described in a dog 8. Interestingly, there are recently more reports in younger adults 9 10.…”

Tracheal rupture in a native pony mare associated with a condition resembling tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica

“…Likewise, tracheal chondrodysplasia has been reported in Texel sheep (usually associated with signs of dwarfism and limb deformity) (Thompson et al 2005), but has not been recorded in horses. Tracheobronchopathia osteochondroplastica is a rare condition in man, characterised by the presence of bony and cartilaginous submucosal and mucosal nodules in the trachea and bronchi; the condition has recently been recognised in a dog (Sellon et al 2004).…”