Pulmonary anthracosis

Pulmonary anthracosis (deposition of charcoal in the pulmonary parenchyma, usually contained within the cytoplasm of macrophagic cells) is frequently found in animals inhabiting urban environments or sharing a dwelling with smokers, breathing air with a higher concentration of polluting particles. It generally constitutes a necropsy surprise, appearing as small, black punctuations disseminated throughout the lungs, without any apparent deleterious effects to the animal’s health.