The Cytology of the Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) Fluid In Healthy Small East African Goats

Abstract

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) was performed on 20 clinically normal Small East African goats, aged between 9 and 15 months and weighing between 10 and 20 kgs. A tracheotomy was surgically prepared and normal saline infiltrated through a canula into the lungs. BAL fluid was recovered by suction using a 30-ml syringe.  Total cell counts and differential cell counts were performed on the harvested BAL fluid.  Analysis of the lavaged fluid found the total cell counts to range between 6400 and 11200 calls per cubic millimeter and differential cell counts indicated that the lymphocytes were the predominant cell type (93.12%) macrophage ranked second in population (6.00%) while neutrophils ranked third in population (1.86%). Eosinophils and basophils were not represented in the lavaged fluid.  The study has provided a preliminary data of the normal cytology of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in the Small East African goats