Mineral oil as a potentially inappropriate medicine in veterinary medicine

This review demonstrates that there is a high correlation of lipid pneumonia with mineral oil use. The objective was to alert veterinary clinicians of the possible risks when choosing the use of mineral oil, and possibly olive oil, especially in infants or as prevention and/or treatment for tricobezoáres and/or constipation. Lipid pneumonia is a chronic proliferative interstitial inflammation that affects the lung parenchyma, resulting mainly from the aspiration (false pathway) of lipid material into the tracheobronchial tree, which is the most common form in dogs and cats. Lipid pneumonia in neonates or animals using mineral oil should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of long-term pneumonia without response to antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral or antiparasitic treatment. Although lipoid pneumonia is an uncommon condition, or underdiagnosed, its clinical and radiological presentation is generally nonspecific and its clinical presentation varies, ranging from acute, chronic pneumonia or localized form. ​