Symptoms of infectious canine hepatitis
Infectious canine hepatitis is a disease that can be serious. The condition often begins silently, without the owner noticing. Furthermore, the initial symptoms are diverse, making diagnosis difficult.
The good news is that hepatitis in dogs can be prevented. In this case, it’s important to act early to protect your pet. Read on to learn how.
Are you familiar with infectious canine hepatitis?
This viral disease attacks the liver, like any other hepatitis. However, the virus can also damage the skin, oral mucosa, and eyes. The disease can affect any dog , of any breed, sex, or age, but is most common in young dogs under one year old.
Just like with human hepatitis, there’s a safe way to prevent the disease: vaccination. Therefore, it’s essential to take your dog to the veterinarian and follow the entire vaccination protocol recommended by the professional.
What causes infectious hepatitis in dogs?
The infectious canine hepatitis virus is very easily spread. A healthy, unprotected dog can contract the virus simply by coming into contact with secretions from infected animals—such as saliva, nasal discharge, feces, and urine.
The adenovirus that causes hepatitis in dogs is very resistant and difficult to eliminate from the environment. Furthermore, it can remain circulating within the canine community for a long time: dogs with hepatitis , even after recovery, continue to shed the virus in their urine for at least six months.
Therefore, extreme caution is required in homes with more than one dog. The virus, however, only affects dogs and poses no risk to humans, cats, or other pets.
Different clinical manifestations of canine infectious hepatitis
If your dog doesn’t eat properly , it may not have a strong immune system, allowing the disease to become more severe. If, on the other hand, your dog receives good care and is up-to-date on vaccinations, its immune system will act quickly against the virus.
This means that, depending on the animal’s efficiency, the dog may manifest different symptoms of infectious canine hepatitis . The weaker the immune system, the worse the condition. With this in mind, we’ve outlined some of the ways the disease can manifest:
Subclinical manifestation: This is the mildest form, in which the dog’s body’s defenses act quickly, neutralizing the virus. Generally, the pet has no symptoms or only very mild signs;
Acute form: symptoms are very apparent, lasting 5 to 7 days and requiring medical attention. These symptoms can vary, and depending on the severity of the lesions caused by the virus, the pet may even die.
Hyperacute form: This is the most aggressive form of the disease, with rapid progression and, unfortunately, a very high death rate, which can occur even before a diagnosis can be made. It is more common in puppies, and death can occur on the same day as the first symptom, resulting in sudden death.
Symptoms of infectious canine hepatitis
The disease primarily attacks dogs’ livers, an organ essential for proper functioning. Therefore, starting treatment for infectious canine hepatitis as soon as possible is essential for your pet’s full recovery.
The initial signs are nonspecific, meaning they resemble those of many other diseases. It’s also unclear whether the condition will occur subclinically, acutely, or hyperacutely. Therefore, it’s important to seek veterinary help as soon as any changes appear, such as:
apathy ;
lethargy;
vomiting;
diarrhea;
fever;
cough.
As the disease progresses, other symptoms of infectious hepatitis in dogs begin to appear and become more specific. Signs that indicate liver damage typically include:
pain and swelling in the abdomen;
enlarged liver;
bleeding from different orifices of the body;
red spots on the skin ;
bruises;
enlarged lymph nodes (swellings);
tremors;
disorientation;
jaundice (yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes);
convulsion.
What should I do if I suspect my dog has hepatitis?
If you notice any changes in your pet’s behavior or symptoms of hepatitis, don’t rely on miracle cures. Seek medical help immediately.
This allows for early diagnosis and treatment of canine hepatitis , providing the pet with full medical support. Depending on the severity, the dog may need to be hospitalized.
Viral hepatitis in dogs can be cured, but for this to happen, the pet needs to receive all the necessary care, strengthening the liver and treating the different symptoms that the pathology presents.
How to prevent infectious canine hepatitis?
Canine hepatitis is a serious disease, but the good news is that it can be easily prevented through vaccination. Pets should be immunized with the polyvalent canine vaccine, following the professional’s recommendations for initial and booster doses.
