Kartagener's syndrome in an old miniature poodle

A 12-year old male miniature poodle with a chronic progressive cough of two years duration was found to have situs inversus totalis, rhinitis, bronchiectasis and bronchopneumonia with metaplasia. Clinical and pathological findings satisfy the clinical criteria for a diagnosis of Kartagener's syndrome. However, the dog had no history of respiratory disease during it's first year of life, it sired at least one healthy puppy and electron microscopic examination of tracheal cilia showed only minimal microtubular abnormalities. This is the first report of a miniature poodle with Kartagener's syndrome. Kartagener's syndrome and mild forms of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) may play an important role in the development of chronic respiratory disease in older dogs.