Content
- How Canine Hepatitis Occurs
- Types of canine hepatitis
- Canine Hepatitis Symptoms
- Canine Hepatitis Treatment
- Prevention of hepatitis in dogs
adopt a dog is synonymous with acquiring a great responsibility with our pet, since we must be aware of the importance of offering everything you need. When we talk specifically about the physical health of our dog, we have to know that there are few diseases unique to humans, because like us, our dog can also suffer from hepatitis.
Hepatitis is a term that comes from the Greek words "hepar" (liver) and "itis" (inflammation) and therefore indicates a pathological situation in which the liver is inflamed, however, liver inflammation can occur from different causes, which will help us to distinguish the different types of hepatitis.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we give you complete information about this condition and we indicate the Symptoms and Treatment of Hepatitis in Dogs.
How Canine Hepatitis Occurs
The anatomy of dogs is not so different from that of humans and those vital organs for us are also important for our pet, such as the liver. the liver is essential for organic balance of our dog, as it intervenes in the metabolism, seeks the adequate elimination of different toxics, stores energy, synthesizes proteins, produces bile and participates in the assimilation of nutrients.
Canine hepatitis occurs due to a liver inflammation, which can be caused by a poor diet or by repeated exposure to different toxics, which progressively affects the liver and can cause chronic damage.
When liver damage affects the functions of this important organ, we can see serious signs that indicate a malfunction not only of the liver, but of the entire body.
Types of canine hepatitis
Hepatitis in dogs can have different causes and depending on its origin we will be facing one type of hepatitis or another:
- common hepatitis: It is one that causes liver inflammation by exposing the body to toxics and drugs that are capable of causing liver damage. Symptoms occur when the damage generated is severe.
- autoimmune hepatitis: Occurs by a reaction of the dog's own immune system that attacks the hepatocytes (liver cells) because it confuses them with pathogens. This type of hepatitis is also known as autoimmune liver disease.
- Infectious hepatitis: Liver inflammation is caused by canine adenovirus type I, it is an acute viral disease that is infected through urine, contaminated water or contaminated objects. It mainly affects puppies less than 1 year old and the duration of the disease usually varies between 5-7 days, before there is an improvement. This disease is also known as Rubarth's hepatitis.
Infectious hepatitis usually has a good prognosis whenever the dog presents an overacute form, in this case, it can die in a few hours, in the case of common or autoimmune hepatitis the prognosis will depend on each case although the lesions become chronic.
Canine Hepatitis Symptoms
It is good to remember that in any case we are facing an inflammation of the liver, so regardless of the cause, hepatitis symptoms in dogs are as follows:
- excessive thirst
- Jaundice (yellow coloration in eyes and mucous membranes)
- blood in mucous membranes
- Abdominal pain that can lead to immobility
- Fever
- Seizures due to liver failure
- loss of appetite
- Increased nasal and eye secretion
- vomiting
- subcutaneous edema
A dog with hepatitis does not have to show all of these symptoms, so if you have any signs that indicate a possible hepatitis, you should immediately go to the vet with him.
Canine Hepatitis Treatment
O treatment of hepatitis in dogs it will depend on the factor that caused the condition.
- In common hepatitis, the treatment will be symptomatic, but it must also comply with the objective of modulating those factors that caused the liver damage.
- In autoimmune hepatitis, the treatment will also be symptomatic, although the veterinarian will evaluate the possible prescription of an immunomodulatory drug that specifically acts on the defense system, preventing liver damage.
- In the case of infectious or viral hepatitis, treatment is also symptomatic since there is no cure, antibiotics can be used to control secondary infections, isotonic solutions to prevent dehydration, liver protectors and a low-protein diet.
It is the veterinarian who should indicate a low-protein diet, although this is beneficial in all three cases of hepatitis, since in the presence of abundant protein the liver becomes overloaded. Remember that only the veterinarian is the trained professional to prescribe any type of treatment to your dog.
Prevention of hepatitis in dogs
Preventing common and autoimmune hepatitis is important so that our dog can enjoy good health and maximum quality of life, for that we must give him a balanced diet that covers all your nutritional needs, enough affection and enough exercise outdoors, all of this will help your body to be more easily balanced.
In the case of infectious hepatitis, vaccination is the most efficient prevention tool, we have several options:
- Polyvalent serum: Prevents in the short term and is recommended when it has not yet been possible to start the vaccination program.
- Vaccine with inactivated virus: Two doses are needed and the protection period varies between 6 and 9 months.
- Vaccine with attenuated virus: Only one dose is needed and the protection is as effective as it is long-lasting.
Check with your veterinarian, as he will be the one to tell you what type of intervention is best for your dog.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.