Hepatitis in Dogs:

Hepatitis in dogs is a medical condition that is mainly characterized and identified by continuous inflammation of a dog’s liver. The infection is related to a buildup of inflammatory cells within the liver when there has been ongoing scarring or the appearance of an unreasonable amount of fibrous tissue in the liver.

Together, these conditions can lead to a malfunctioning or decreased functioning of your dog’s liver. If the condition is not identified early on and is left to develop over time, it can become very serious. As the condition worsens, it can lead to permanent liver damage and possibly liver failure.

Causes of Hepatitis in Dogs

What causes hepatitis in dogs will vary, and it’s not limited to one or two situations. Hepatitis may be caused by bacterial infections, gallstones, cysts, liver cancer, ingestion of toxic substances, drugs, diabetes, Cushing’s disease, leptospirosis, injuries to the liver, or many other endocrine diseases.

There is little evidence of viral causes for chronic hepatitis (5, 6, 7). Some bacteria has been shown to cause hepatitis in dogs, particularly Bacillus piliformis, Helicobacter canis, and Bartonella spp, as well as Ehrlichia canis, but more compelling evidence is needed

Dog Food as Potential Cause of Hepatitis in Dogs

Some studies observed that cases of hepatitis, particularly chronic hepatitis in dogs, began to increase in the late 1990s. The increasing frequency of liver damage in dogs has been associated with pet food manufacturers supplementing commercial dog foods with copper, increasing the amount of bio-available copper in a dog’s diet (36, 37, 38, 39).

There is some evidence that dietary guidelines from National Research Council (NRC) and Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), paired with addition of more bio-available copper chelate premixes in commercial dry pet foods, are directly related to the accumulation of dangerous levels of copper in dogs

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