Pulmonary fibrosis in a dog as a sequela of infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2? A case report

Background: Interstitial lung disease is a heterogeneous group of conditions characterized by severe radiographic changes and clinicopathological findings. However, in the vast majority of cases, the cause remains unknown.

Case description: In the present study, we reported the clinical case of a 3 years old female Bull Terrier presented in October 2020 to the Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Department of the Turin Veterinary Teaching Hospital with a progressive pulmonary illness characterized by dyspnea, exercise intolerance, and a diffuse and severe pulmonary interstitial pattern at imaging investigations. Considering the clinical findings, the dog was included in a serological survey for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in companion animals, showing positive results. Due to the further clinical worsening, the owners opted for euthanasia. At necroscopy, dog showed severe and chronic bronchopneumonia compatible with a Canine Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and with serological features linked to a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Conclusions: The comparison of these lesions with those reported in humans affected by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) supports the hypothesis that these findings may be attributable to the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a dog with breed predisposition to Canine Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (CIPF), although direct evidence of SARS-CoV-2 by molecular or antigenic approaches remained unsolved.