Successful Use of High-Flow Nasal Cannula Oxygen Therapy in Three Dogs With Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

To report the use of high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNOT) in three dogs with carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from smoke inhalation.

Three dogs were presented to the emergency room with carbon monoxide poisoning associated with house fires. Blood CO-oximetry at the time of presentation confirmed markedly increased carboxyhemoglobin levels. The dogs were treated with 4-7 h of HFNOT to eliminate carboxyhemoglobin. The calculated half-lives of carboxyhemoglobin during HFNOT for Dogs 1, 2, and 3 were 79, 86, and 77 min, respectively. All three dogs survived to discharge, and no delayed complications of carbon monoxide poisoning were reported.

To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case series of dogs treated with HFNOT for carbon monoxide poisoning. HFNOT was shown to be effective at removing carbon monoxide, reducing the half-life of carboxyhemoglobin from 77 to 86 min. The half-life of carboxyhemoglobin and the effectiveness of HFNOT should be further investigated in a larger sample of dogs.