Summary It is well known that patients with lymphoproliferative disorders have an altered immune status and are susceptible to opportunistic and non-opportunistic infections. The authors report the first case of a patient with advanced Hodgkin’s disease who developed pneumonia caused by the animal pathogen Bordetella bronchiseptica. The most likely source of this organism was the patient’s dog. While B. bronchiseptica is often responsible for outbreaks of pneumonia and septicaemia in wild and domestic animals, its role and incidence in human infections is not known. It is felt that patients with underlying lymphoproliferative diseases and pneumonia should be questioned about any contact with animals.