Diagnosis of naturally occurring toxoplasmosis by bronchoalveolar lavage in a cat.

A 5-year-old cat presented with a history of fever and respiratory distress of 7 days' duration. The cat did not respond to initial symptomatic treatment. Through use of a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) technique, the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis was obtained rapidly without evidence of adverse effects to the cat. Antemortem diagnosis of naturally occurring active Toxoplasma gondii infection can be difficult in cats. Identification of organisms obtained by BAL may be beneficial in the diagnosis of feline toxoplasmosis.