We already know how terrible hepatitis can be in humans, we have read about how it has claimed several lives. Our pets can get affected too, they are not exempted from the possibility of being infected with hepatitis.
Hepatitis is a liver inflammation, it is a description of a group of clinical symptoms and not just the description of one. Hepatitis in dogs is categorized basically into two.
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We have the infectious canine hepatitis, caused by canine adenovirus 1, an acute and contagious disease attacking the kidney, spleen, liver, lungs, lining of the blood vessels, anvesselstimes other organs.
Canine chronic hepatitis is in a way linked with infectious canine hepatitis, when it happens, it means that the liver has become inflamed and necrosis has occurred.
There is a possibility for copper to accumulate in the liver and this would result in, chronic hepatitis in some brebreeds dogs.
The symptoms associated with canine hepatitis could be a little enormous; apathy, loss of appetite, thirst, enlarged tonsils, blindness, vomiting, anorexia, inflammation of the eye, occasional abdominal pain, watery discharge from the nose and eye, blindness, congestion of the mucus membrane, slight fever, and deficiency of blood clotting.
Most times the dogs that get hepatitis are due to the consumption of feces, saliva, nasal discharge or urine of an already infected dog. The virus would be continuously shed even after the disease recovered for a minimum period of 6 months.
Exposure to chemicals and certain medications also contribute significantly
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Mortality rate of infection ranges from 10-30% and it is more common amongst young dogs. The incubation period lasts for 4-9 days, with fever being the first sign and it lasts for 1-6 days. Some experts believe that, if the fever is shorter in duration than that, then leukopenia may be the only other attached sign, and if the fever persists for a day, there would be a development of acute illness.
The most obvious treatment option for infectious canine is supportive care, the goal of the treatment is to, provide fluid support, maintain adequate nutrition, limit the invasion of secondary bacteria, and address coagulopathy.
Antibiotics do not work against viruses, but they may help in the treatment of bacterial infections.
The good thing is, that you can minimize the risk of infection in your dog through vaccination, there is an injectable modified live virus (MLV) that is usually combined with other vaccines. After the first dose of vaccination has been given, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), recommends that all dogs should be vaccinated every three years against infectious canine hepatitis with the appropriate vaccine.
Dietary changes may also be advised to help the dog, depending on the condition of your pet and individual status. Chronic hepatitis that happens as a result of excessive copper in the liver should be fed diets that do not have a lot of copper.
Zinc gluconate supplement should also be added to their diet, this will also help in the reduction of copper levels.
It doesn't matter what the cause of hepatitis is, dietary supplements will help in relieving the symptoms experienced.
References.
vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet
msdvetmanual.com/digestive-system
msdvetmanual.com/generalized-conditions
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