Artificial Intelligence for the Diagnosis of Respiratory Diseases in Dogs and Cats: A Systematic Review
Journal
Veterinary Sciences
ISSN
2306-7381
Date Issued
2026
Author(s)
Franklin Parrales-Bravo
Katherine Medina-Castro
Rosangela Caicedo-Quiroz
Type
journal-article
Abstract
Respiratory diseases represent a leading cause of veterinary consultations in dogs and cats, yet their detection remains challenging due to clinical variability and subjective interpretation of traditional diagnostic methods. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising tool to augment veterinary diagnostics through automated analysis of imaging and physiological data. This systematic review synthesizes and critically evaluates 24 studies published from 2019 onward that explore AI applications to support the detection of respiratory diseases in dogs and cats, focusing on three complementary modalities: audio-based (e.g., respiratory sounds), image-based (e.g., chest radiographs), and multimodal approaches. Our findings indicate that deep learning models, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transformer architectures, achieve clinically relevant accuracy in detecting conditions such as cardiomegaly, alveolar patterns, and Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS). However, significant barriers remain, including data scarcity, lack of standardized datasets, and limited real-world validation. This review highlights the transformative potential of AI in veterinary respiratory diagnostics while underscoring the need for collaborative efforts in data sharing, methodological standardization, and clinical integration to realize its full impact in practice.