Chronic Canine Hepatitis: What Can Happen To A Dog Never Vaccinated Against This Dreadful Disease?

While most dogs receive a number of vaccinations while they're still pups, some animals don't. Whether the dog was a stray or the original owner failed to visit a veterinarian for shots, if the hepatitis vaccine was skipped, the animal is at risk. Unfortunately, chronic hepatitis isn't an easy situation to deal with. If you're concerned that your pooch wasn't vaccinated and may have been exposed, your response should be quick and decisive.

The Traits Of Canine Hepatitis

This virus leads to liver inflammation and a slew of symptoms that are likely to begin appearing a few weeks after initial exposure. Acute infection may self-resolve or go away with treatment, but if it develops into a chronic disease, you'll note many manifestations:

• A difference in appetite, from slight to severe
• A significant drop in energy
• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Jaundice of the skin and gums
• A swollen stomach area
• Pain and discomfort, particularly when the abdomen is pressed

Chronic hepatitis can be very challenging for an animal, owner, and the professionals involved in treatment. This is why vaccination is so important early on in a dog's life. An enlarged liver will not function properly, and with all of the jobs the liver does, from regulating chemicals in the blood to doing away with toxins, any compromise to its abilities can be dangerous.

How Your Hound Might Have Contracted The Disease

The hepatitis virus is carried through saliva, feces, and urine; therefore, your dog's social habits, such as licking other dogs, smelling their business, and, sometimes, consuming feces could be the cause for their contraction of hepatitis. 

Veterinarian Treatment And Possible Recovery

Your mutt may need a liver biopsy, along with additional tests, to definitively diagnose hepatitis. Treatment involves the administration of corticosteroids, which reduce internal inflammation and decrease immune response. Also, since hepatitis may affect the eyes, lungs, kidneys, and liver, a variety of complications, also needing treatment, may arise. The sooner hepatitis is diagnosed, the sooner treatment to intercept cirrhosis (of the liver) can ensue.

Your veterinarian will recommend immediate medication(s) and other therapy, as well as a special diet for chronic hepatitis. Corticosteroids can mediate hepatitis to a certain degree, including improving the condition of the liver and lengthening survival time. Your pup may face other challenges, too, such as a deficiency of protein, (hypoalbuminemia) and/or glucose (hypoglycemia) in the blood. 

How Canine Hepatitis Impacts The Humans Involved

Canine hepatitis is not transmissible to humans; however, it still has a grave impact on those who love the dog diagnosed with this disease. You may feel precarious, with alternating good and bad news from the vet's office when your pooch is doing well, then develops complications. Surprises are likely, as are expenses. Depending on your pet's health prior to the onset of hepatitis, age, and other factors, the battle could be very bumpy, but with the calculated guidance of a vet, you and your precious pooch can still have a future together to look forward to.

While this chronic condition can be quite serious, your response is crucial. Acting quickly may negate the threat to a certain degree, but you and your dog will need constant help from a veterinarian, hopefully, to enable a lot more quality time together.

If you have additional questions, reach out to a local veterinarian.