Infectious Canine Hepatitis
Dogs
Infectious Canine Hepatitis
Infectious canine hepatitis is an
acute
liver infection in dogs caused by canine
adenovirus type-1 (CAV-1). The
virus is
spread in the feces, urine, blood, saliva, and nasal discharge of
infected dogs. It is contracted through the mouth or nose, where it
replicates in the
tonsils.
The virus then infects the
liver and
kidneys.
The
incubation period is 4 to 7 days.
Symptoms include
fever, depression, loss of appetite, coughing, and a tender abdomen.
Corneal edema and signs
of liver disease, such as
jaundice,
vomiting, and
hepatic encephalopathy, may also occur. Severe cases will develop
bleeding
disorders. Death can occur secondary to this or the liver disease. However, most
dogs recover after a brief illness.
Diagnosis is made by recognizing the combination of symptoms and abnormal
blood tests that occur in infectious canine hepatitis. A rising
antibody titer
to CAV-1 is also seen. The disease can be confused with
canine parvovirus because both will cause a low
white blood cell count and bloody diarrhea in young, unvaccinated dogs.
Treatment is for the symptoms. Most dogs recover spontaneously without
treatment. Prevention is through
vaccination.
Most combination
vaccines for dogs contain a modified canine adenovirus type-2. CAV-2 is one
of the causes of respiratory infections in dogs, but it is similar enough to
CAV-1 that vaccine for one creates
immunity
for both. CAV-2 vaccine is much less likely to cause side effects than CAV-1
vaccine.
CAV-1 is destroyed in the environment by steam cleaning and
quaternary ammonium compounds. Otherwise, the virus can survive in the
environment for months in the right conditions. It can also be released in the
urine of a recovered dog for up to a year.
Reference
- Ettinger, Stephen J.;Feldman, Edward C.(1995).Textbook of Veterinary
Internal Medicine(4th ed.). W.B. Saunders Company.
ISBN 0-7216-6795-3
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