Introduction

• Broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) is a valuable diagnostic tool when investigating respiratory disease in individual animals or during a group outbreak of disease.
• Culture and sensitivity of BAL samples provides information relating to bacterial colonisation of the lower respiratory tract and appropriate antibiotic selection.
• Cytology of fluids from the lower respiratory tract can be informative when pre-patent lungworm infection or non-infectious etiologies such as Farmers’ lung (allergic alveolitis) are suspected.
• Whilst many clinicians seem reluctant to perform a BAL, the technique is safe, quick, cheap and easy to perform.
• Full analysis of 5 BAL samples will cost in the region of £250-300 (SAC 2018), which is insignificant in comparison to the total cost of disease (UK 2018).
• Depending on laboratory turnaround, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and culture and sensitivity results will be available from 1-3 days after submission.

Requirements

Preparation

Procedure

Outcomes

Further Reading

Publications

Referred papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Caldow G (1997) Broncho Alveolar Lavage in the Investigation of Bovine Respiratory Disease. Cattle Practice 1 (5), 39.

Organisation(s)

• Edinburgh University, UK.