Adopting a dog is synonymous with taking on a great responsibility with our pet, since we must be aware of the importance of offering him everything he needs. When we talk specifically about the physical he alth of our dog, we must know that there are few diseases that are exclusive to human beings, and just like us, our pet can also suffer from hepatitis.
Hepatitis is a term that comes from the Greek words "hepar" (liver) and "itis" (inflammation) and therefore indicates a pathology situation in which the liver is inflamed, however, liver inflammation can occur for different reasons, which will help us differentiate between different types of hepatitis.
In this article on our site we give you complete information about this pathology and show you 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 of vital importance for our pet, as is the case of the liver. The liver is essential for the organic balance of our pet as it intervenes in the metabolism, ensures the proper elimination of different toxins, stores energy, synthesizes proteins, produces bile and participates in the assimilation of nutrients.
Canine hepatitis is caused by inflammation of the liver, which can be caused by poor nutrition or repeated exposure to different toxic, which progressively affects the liver and can cause chronic damage.
When liver damage has affected the functions of this important organ, we can observe serious signs that indicate a malfunction, not of the liver, but of the whole organism.
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 the one that causes liver inflammation due to the body's exposure to toxins and medications that are capable of causing damage to the liver. the liver. Symptoms occur when the damage caused is severe.
- Autoimmune hepatitis: It is caused by a reaction of the dog's own immune system that attacks the hepatocytes (liver cells) as the confused with pathogens. This type of hepatitis is also known as autoimmune liver disease.
- Infectious Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver is caused by canine adenovirus type I, it is an acute viral disease that It spreads through urine, contaminated water or contaminated objects. It mainly affects dogs under 1 year of age and the course of the disease usually ranges between 5-7 days, before an improvement occurs. This disease is also known as Rybarth's hepatitis.
Infectious hepatitis usually has a good prognosis as long as the dog does not present an acute 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 although the lesions will become chronic.
Canine hepatitis symptoms
Remember that in any case we are facing an inflammation of the liver, so regardless of the cause, the symptoms of hepatitis in dogsare as follows:
- Excessive thirst
- Jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and mucous membranes)
- Blood on the mucous membranes
- Abdominal pain that may lead to immobility
- Fever
- Seizures due to liver failure
- Loss of appetite
- Increased runny nose and eyes
- Vomiting
- Subcutaneous edema
A dog with hepatitis does not have to show all the symptoms exposed, so in case of any sign that indicates a possible hepatitis we should go to the vet urgently.
Treatment of canine hepatitis
The treatment of hepatitis in dogs will depend on the factor that caused the pathology.
In common hepatitis, treatment will be symptomatic but must also meet the objective of modulating those factors that have caused liver damage
In autoimmune hepatitis, treatment will also be symptomatic, although the veterinarian will assess the possible prescription of an immunomodulatory drug that acts specifically 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 prescribe a low-protein diet, although this is beneficial in the three cases of hepatitis, since in the presence of abundant protein the liver is overloaded. Remember that Only the veterinarian is the qualified professional to prescribe any type of treatment for your pet.
Prevention of hepatitis in dogs
To prevent common and autoimmune hepatitis it is important for our dog to enjoy good he alth and the highest quality of life, for this we must provide him with a balanced foodthat covers all your nutritional requirements, enough affection and enough exercise outdoors, all of this will help your body to maintain balance more easily.
In the case of infectious hepatitis, vaccination is the most effective 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 required and the protection period ranges between 6 and 9 months
Vaccine with attenuated virus: Only one dose is required and the protection is as effective as it lasts
Consult your veterinarian as he will be the one to indicate what type of prevention is the most appropriate for your pet.
