Causes And Symptoms Of Infectious Canine Hepatitis

By Moses Wright

Infectious canine hepatitis is a dog disease that is contagious and can also infect wildlife carnivores like bears, coyotes, and foxes. A vaccination for infectious canine hepatitis can prevent this disease. Infectious canine hepatitis most commonly affects puppies under one year of age.

A puppy should not be vaccinated for infectious canine hepatitis until the puppy is at least nine weeks old. Puppies may be most susceptible to infectious canine hepatitis, but dogs of any age that have not been vaccinated are at risk for contracting this viral infection.

This dog disease is a viral infection that is spread by contact with a dog that has the infection or contaminated body fluids such as saliva, nasal discharge, and urine. Food dishes, cages, and other items can also become contaminated.

A fever, cough, and sore throat are the first signs of infectious canine hepatitis. The viral infection spreads to the liver, kidneys, and eyes of the dog. A low white blood cell count is often caused by infectious canine hepatitis.

A dog that has acquired a hepatitis infection may develop a bluish tint to its corneas. The eyes may appear cloudy and may become sensitive to light. Dogs may experience vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, and seizures.

Bleeding problems are common with dogs that have infectious canine hepatitis. Dogs may have bleeding gums or nosebleeds. Some dogs develop swelling and hematomas which are collections of blood under the skin. Swelling from infectious canine hepatitis is most likely to be at the head, neck, or trunk of the dog.

Typical veterinary care for dogs infected with infectious canine hepatitis includes an antibiotics and intravenous fluids as supportive care. There is no medication to specifically treat infectious canine hepatitis. Dogs may need blood transfusions as part of treatment for severe cases.

This dog disease is potentially fatal. The dog may die within hours of the onset of symptoms. The dogs that are most susceptible to dying from this disease are young puppies.

The urine of a dog that was treated for infectious canine hepatitis can still be contaminated and spread the disease for up to nine months even if the dog has fully recovered. Humans are not in danger of contracting hepatitis from dogs. The hepatitis that can infect humans is not the same as infectious canine hepatitis. - 29895

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