Confirmation of a pulmonary component of multicentric lymphosarcoma with bronchoalveolar lavage in two dogs

Histologic examination of lung tissue has been the only definitive diagnostic procedure used to confirm pulmonary involvement with lymphosarcoma (LSA) in dogs. Lung involvement with LSA was diagnosed by cytologic examination of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in 2 dogs with multicentric LSA. Both dogs had cough or dyspnea, in addition to peripheral lymphadenopathy or visceral organomegaly. Both dogs had nonspecific, abnormal thoracic radiographic findings, including diffuse pulmonary interstitial pattern, hydrothorax, and mediastinal and retrosternal lymphadenopathy. In these 2 dogs, postmortem lung histologic examination, performed immediately after bronchoalveolar lavage, confirmed the cytologic diagnosis of pulmonary infiltration with LSA.