Epidemiologic, clinical and laboratory diagnostic findings in dogs with hepatopathies

Abstract

The knowledge about the epidemiology of an illness is important for the diagnostic procedure, the course and the prognosis of the disease. Studies about the epidemiology of liver diseases in dogs are rare in the veterinary literature. Goal of our investigation was collection of epidemiological items and comparison with veterinary and human literature. Altogether 100 dogs with hepatopathy were investigated in this study. The hepatopathies were diagnosed histologically. In our study liver degeneration appeared most frequently, followed by liver tumours and hepatitis. A vascular liver disease was found only in one case. We could not find any race disposition. The patients with degenerative liver disease, neoplasia and hepatitis were older than 9-10 years. Only the patient with the vascular liver disease, a portosystemic shunt, was clear younger (3 years). We could not find any sex disposition. Predominant symptoms of our patients were disturbed general state of health and inappetence, diarrhoea, vomiting and polyuria/polyclipsia. Abdominal distension and pain we observed more in cases of neoplasia and hepatitis. Icterus, pruritus and hemorrhage were rare symptoms of hepatopathy in our study. The statistical analysis of our laboratory parameters showed significant increase of ALT activity in dogs with hepatitis. Dogs with liver degeneration have significant increased AST activities. GLDH was tendentious higher in dogs with hepatitis. Bile acids were significant increased at dogs with liver tumours. Albumin was significant decreased in dogs with neoplasia. Most of our cases have moderate until poor prognosis. Dogs with liver degeneration died frequently based on the primary disease. The patient with a portosystemic shunt was healed after operation. Our data and those of the veterinary literature showed agreement predominantly.