The Basenji-Greyhound dog: antigen-induced changes in lung volumes

Subdivisions of lung volume, closing volume (CV), pulmonary resistance (RL) and dynamic pulmonary compliance (Cdyn) were measured before and after bronchial challenge with Ascaris suum in seven ascaris-sensitive Basenji-Greyhound (BG) crossbreed dogs. RL increased from a control value of 1.41 +/- 0.43 (mean +/- SE) cm H2O/L/sec to 21.4 +/- 5.15 (P Less Than 0.01) and Cdyn decreased from 163 +/- 32 ml/cm H2O to 43 +/- 11 (P Less Than 0.01) in the first 15 min following ascaris-antigen aerosol (AAA) challenge. Vital capacity (VC) decreased from 1581 +/- 147 ml to 944 +/- 86 (P Less Than 0.005) ml and residual volume (RV) increased from 381 +/- 63 to 577 +/- 68 ml (P Less Than 0.005) following AAA challenge. We conclude that the pulmonary mechanical changes in the BG dog following antigen challenge more closely resemble the changes observed in acute human asthma than do changes occurring in the mongrel dog.