As one of the three major infectious diseases of dogs (canine distemper, canine parvovirus disease, and canine infectious hepatitis), canine infectious hepatitis mainly leads to the onset and death of puppies with low immunity, and is often mixed wi...
As one of the three major infectious diseases of dogs (canine distemper, canine parvovirus disease, and canine infectious hepatitis), canine infectious hepatitis mainly leads to the onset and death of puppies with low immunity, and is often mixed with canine distemper or other bacterial diseases, parasitic diseases, etc., causing serious consequences.
But parents don't rush to frown your eyebrows, because as long as the care is properly and treatment is timely, infectious hepatitis in dogs is not that scary.
Infectious canine hepatitis:
The dog was diagnosed with infectious hepatitis and was given two days of injection. Now the eyes are like this. Is this a little better?
Infectious canine hepatitis is an acute septic infectious disease caused by the canine infectious hepatitis virus (CAV) that affects multiple systems.
1. Risk group
The infection of this disease is mainly canine animals (raccoons and black bears can also be infected), especially puppies that are not vaccinated/not fully vaccinated within 1 year old, with a mortality rate as high as 25%-40%, and rarely occurs after infection with adult dogs.
2. The high incidence season
This disease has no obvious seasonality, but the incidence rate is relatively high in winter and spring.
3. Symptoms/Signs
The infectious hepatitis viruses in dogs are mainly divided into CAV-1 and CAV-2, causing hepatitis type and respiratory type infectious hepatitis respectively. In the early stage, discomfort, lack of appetite, increased body temperature, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, and some affected dogs may experience symptoms such as jaundice and corneal turbidity. The specific symptoms are as follows:
· Hepatitis type:
Extremely urgent and drinking a lot of water (this is the high incidence of death);
Body temperature rises to about 40-41℃ for 1-3 days, and rises again about 1 day after dropping to normal temperature;
Vomiting, frequent diarrhea, and sometimes bloody feces;
Abdominal pain;
Springy nasal fluid;
Muscous membrane flushed, gingival and oral bleeding;
Glaucoma and corneal perforation may occur;
Temporary light blue corneal turbidity may occur during the recovery period, commonly known as "hepatitis blue eye disease";
Jaignant, that is, mucosa, skin, etc. may appear slightly yellow.
· Respiratory type:
Acceleration of breath, cough, and co-flow of serous or purulent nasal fluid;
Body temperature rises;
As the course of the disease progresses, it will further lead to accelerating heart rate, irregular heartbeat, and enlargement of lymph nodes and tonsils.
Note: The symptoms of this disease are similar to canine distemper, so they are often confused. However, if there are neurological symptoms such as convulsions, spasms, foaming spits on the mouth, the dog is likely to suffer from canine distemper; the symptoms of respiratory infectious hepatitis are also similar to viral colds. Therefore, it is necessary to send the dogs to the hospital for examination in time after they develop symptoms to avoid misdiagnosis and delay the condition.
How to confirm the diagnosis?
Hospitals usually adopt blood test methods, combined with clinical symptoms and comprehensive analysis of test results, and if necessary, samples of dog feces and other samples will be sent to the laboratory for virus isolation and identification.
· Assay indicators
Leukocytes or lymphocytes; proteinuria or bilirubin urea in many cases; blood sugar decreases; serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase increase; bile acid increase.
Note: There are currently no effective rapid diagnostic test strips. Researchers are under intense research and development. The diagnostic test strips on the market currently have large errors and are not recommended to use them.
Infection channels/methods:
· Sick dogs and first-time dogs can discharge viruses through various secretions and excretions. The virus has strong survivability in the environment and can adhere to dog utensils for 6 to 9 months. Therefore, sick dogs and first-time dogs are the main sources of infection for this disease.
· Puppies are mainly infected through digestive tract.
· After a pregnant female dog is infected with the virus, it can infect the fetus through the placenta and cause fetal death.
· Respiratory type cases can be trans-respiratory infection.
· Viruses are transmitted through ectoparasites.
How to treat infectious hepatitis in dogs: There is no specific treatment for viral diseases. Generally, on the basis of symptomatic treatment, antiviral, liver protection, secondary infection control and correct water electrolyte balance disorders. If the dog has symptoms of suspected infectious hepatitis, parents can refer to the following treatment methods while sending the dog to the hospital.
·Special treatment
timely use high-immune serum or canine immunoglobulin for dogs infectious hepatitis in the early stage of the disease (canine antibiotics also have the same effect).
· Hepatoprotective treatment
Intravenous infusion of 10% glucose fluid, ATP, and inosine, intramuscular injection of tale, vitamin C, and coenzyme A, once a day; thymus peptide, once a day.
· Antiviral
Intramuscular injection of interferon, acyclovir, polymyocytes, triazole nucleosides can also be taken orally.
· Control secondary infection
intramuscular injection of ampicillin combined with kanamycin.
· Control jaundice
You can add 20-40ml of bitter yellow injection when injecting glucose solution intravenously. Dogs without jaundice do not need to be injected.
Note: The treatment methods for eye diseases such as keratitis and corneal opacity can be referred to the previous content. (Portway: Correctly understand the cat's eye disease problems)
During the treatment process, vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E can be appropriately added to the feed to improve the dog's own immunity. If a dog can withstand 48 hours, it will be more likely to recover. Hepatitis blue eyes do not require treatment and can recover on their own after the disease recovers. The specific treatment plan must be followed by the doctor's instructions.
How to avoid infection:
· Vaccination
Artificial vaccination is the fundamental way to prevent and treat the disease. Puppies should be immunized for the first time 45 days after birth, and receive three doses of four (or five or six) vaccines in total, with each dose interval of 15-21 days, and then they will be immunized once a year. Puppies under 45 days old who have not eaten breast milk should be taken care of carefully first, and after they are healthy and strong, they will be vaccinated under the guidance of a professional animal doctor.
· Comprehensive disinfection
Regularly disinfect the kennel and utensils with 10% to 20% bleach or 2% to 4% alkaline water, or disinfect them at high temperature.
· Improve diet
Reasonably match dog diet, balance nutrition, appropriately add vitamin C, etc. to improve dog's autoimmunity.
· Isolate sick dogs
Prevent healthy dogs from contacting sick dogs/dogs who have recovered less than 9 months and their items they have touched.
Precautions:
· High-free serum can be used for emergency prevention, but the protection period is limited to 2 weeks.
· Unimmunized dogs who have just arrived in the new environment need to gradually adapt to their diet and life, and they can only be vaccinated after at least one week.
· A newly vaccinated dog cannot take a bath within 7 days to prevent death from catching a cold or a fever.
· It is recommended that families/kennels who have raised sick dogs with infectious hepatitis should wait at least 1 year before accepting new dogs.
· Canine infectious hepatitis has strong resistance to diethyl ether, chloroform, alcohol, etc. When using calcare solution to disinfect, you must pay attention to protective measures, wear gloves, etc. to avoid injury.
Warm tip:
If the dog is unwilling to take medicine, parents can try the following two methods to help him take it.
· Directly (suitable for smaller pills)/grind the medicine into powder and mix it with the food
· Feed directly, pinch the part near the middle of the upper and lower jaws near the ears, and the dog will automatically open its mouth, then place the medicine behind the dog's tongue, pinch the closed mouth for about twenty seconds. (Dogs will subconsciously swallow)
Note: If the object of feeding directly is a large dog, it can be done with the help of others. Usually, the dog licks the nose and has swallowed the medicine.
