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Histochemical study of normal and collapsed tracheas in dogs
M J Dallman1, R C McClure, E M Brown
1Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg 24061.
American Journal of Veterinary Research
|December 1, 1988
Summary
Toy breed dogs with collapsed tracheas show reduced chondroitin sulfate and calcium in tracheal cartilage. Histologic changes include hypocellularity and fibrocartilage, indicating cartilage degradation in tracheal collapse.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Comparative Anatomy
Background:
- Tracheal collapse is a common respiratory condition in toy breed dogs.
- The structural and biochemical changes in tracheal cartilage associated with collapse are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To histologically and histochemically compare tracheal cartilage from normal toy breed dogs and those with tracheal collapse.
- To investigate the composition of tracheal cartilage in canine tracheal collapse.
Main Methods:
- Histological examination of tracheal cartilage from 15 normal and 6 collapsed tracheas.
- Histochemical analysis for chondroitin sulfate (Alcian blue) and calcium (Alizarin red S).
Main Results:
- Tracheal cartilage in collapsed tracheas exhibited hypocellular areas and regions resembling fibrocartilage or fibrous tissue.
- Significantly lower levels of chondroitin sulfate and calcium were detected in collapsed tracheal cartilage compared to normal cartilage.
- Abnormalities in collapsed tracheal cartilage were not uniform, with varying degrees of change within individual cartilage arcs.
Conclusions:
- Canine tracheal collapse is associated with significant biochemical and structural alterations in tracheal cartilage.
- Reduced chondroitin sulfate and calcium content may contribute to the weakening and collapse of the trachea in affected dogs.
- The non-uniform nature of these changes highlights the complex pathology of tracheal collapse.