Neonatal Interstitial Lung Disease in Dogs

Category: Airway & Lung
Breeds documented: 1
Published sources: 3

Overview

In the inherited form described in Airedale Terriers, newborn puppies cannot make lung surfactant normally. Surfactant is the coating that helps the tiny air sacs stay open during breathing. Without it working properly, puppies can develop severe breathing difficulty and dangerously low oxygen levels. The reported illness progressed rapidly and was fatal in the affected puppies studied.

Signs to watch for

Breathing much faster than normal
Visible difficulty breathing
Marked weakness or unusual sleepiness
Refusing to nurse

Signs may begin at birth or during the first days of life.

Emergency Go to an emergency vet now if your puppy is struggling to breathe.

Diagnosis and tests

Researchers identified the reported form by examining affected puppies' lungs after death and finding defects in the cells that make surfactant. DNA analysis linked the disease to a change in the LAMP3 gene. Testing for that specific change can help identify carriers and guide breeding decisions.

Breeds with documented risk

1 breed

By breed size

1 Large

Airedale TerrierLarge · Terrier Group

Inheritance

Not yet known
None of the sources we use states how this is inherited in dogs yet.

We've gathered what published sources say about this condition, so you can talk it through with your vet. It isn't veterinary advice: you and your vet know your dog best.