Results of cytologic and microbiologic analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in New Zealand White rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
To determine cytologic and microbiologic findings in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and SpO(2) values obtained during BAL in healthy rabbits.


METHODS
9 rabbits.


METHODS
Bronchoscopic BAL of left and right caudal lobar bronchi (LB2 and RB4) was performed with 3 mL of sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) solution; SpO(2) was measured before, during, and after BAL. Percentage fluid recovered, total leukocyte counts, and differential cell counts were determined. Aerobic and anaerobic bacterial, mycoplasmal, and fungal cultures were performed from combined LB2 and RB4 samples.


RESULTS
Mean +/- SD percentage fluid volumes recovered from LB2 and RB4 were 53 +/- 13% and 63 +/- 13%, respectively. Mean +/- SD total leukocyte counts from LB2 and RB4 were 422 +/- 199 cells/microL and 378 +/- 97 cells/microL, respectively. Macrophages were most frequently identified. There were no significant differences in volumes retrieved, total leukocyte counts, or differential cell percentages between LB2 and RB4. Microbial culture results were negative for 3 rabbits and positive for mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacterial growth in 6 and 2 rabbits, respectively. The SpO(2) was > or = 95% in 7 of 9 rabbits after anesthetic induction, < 95% in 5 of 6 rabbits 1 minute after BAL, and > or = 95% in 5 of 9 rabbits and > 90% in 4 of 9 rabbits 3 minutes after BAL.


CONCLUSIONS
Bronchoscopic BAL with 3 mL of saline solution provided adequate fluid recovery for microbiologic and cytologic examination from the caudal lung lobes. Transient low SpO(2) was detected immediately after BAL.
Hawkins
Michelle G
MG
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Vernau
William
W
Drazenovich
Tracy L
TL
Griffey
Stephen M
SM
Johnson
Lynelle R
LR
D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005658:Fungi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011817:Rabbits / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric