Severe Canine Hepatitis: Understanding Its Impact

Section 1: Transmission Routes of Canine Hepatitis

Canine hepatitis virus primarily spreads through the digestive and respiratory tracts. Infected dogs, or those who have recovered but still carry the virus, are the main sources of transmission. Their feces and secretions contain a high concentration of the virus. When healthy dogs come into contact with these, they are at a high risk of infection.

Section 2: Symptoms of Canine Hepatitis

Canine hepatitis can manifest in two main forms: hepatitistype and respiratorytype. The symptoms differ between the two types, although the initial symptoms of canine hepatitis can be quite similar to those of canine distemper, such as loss of appetite, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Subsequent symptoms will vary depending on the type of hepatitis.

1. HepatitisType Symptoms: Affected dogs may become irritable and excessively thirsty, drinking large amounts of water. They will experience persistent and recurring fever, with temperatures reaching around 4041°C. They may vomit continuously, suffer from severe diarrhea, and sometimes have blood in their stools. They may also have a continuous runny nose, red mucous membranes, pinpoint bleeding in the mouth, teeth, and gums, and may exhibit jaundice, glaucoma, and corneal perforation, leading to a blue cornea, known as hepatitis blue eye.

2. RespiratoryType Symptoms: Dogs may exhibit rapid breathing and persistent coughing. They may have a runny nose, but the discharge is not the watery type seen in hepatitis, but rather mucoid or purulent. They may have repeated episodes of high fever. In the later stages, they may experience an increased heart rate, irregular heartbeat, and swelling of the lymph nodes and tonsils.

Disease Differentiation: Due to the similarity between canine hepatitis and canine distemper symptoms, some owners may confuse the two. To distinguish, if a dog shows symptoms such as seizures, spasms, and frothing at the mouth, it is likely canine distemper. Additionally, respiratorytype canine hepatitis can be similar to viral infections, making it difficult to differentiate. Therefore, it is crucial for owners to take their dogs to a veterinary hospital promptly upon noticing symptoms for proper diagnosis and treatment to prevent the disease from worsening.

Pet Doctor's Tip: Canine hepatitis is a contagious disease that can persist even after recovery, posing a serious threat to dogs. Owners must ensure their pets are vaccinated against the disease to effectively prevent infection.