Hepatitis, Chronic

Introduction

Chronic hepatitis is an inflammatory-necrotising disease of at least 6 months duration. It is characterised by hepatocellular apoptosis or necrosis, a variable mononuclear or mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate, regeneration and fibrosis (1). It predominantly consists of lymphocytic-plasmacytic inflammatory infiltration, and the disease process typically involves a slowly progressive inflammation which leads to fibrosis and posibly cirrhosis.

Signalment

Common in dogs, especially young to middle-aged dogs.
Mixed and purebred dogs are affected but there is a familial predisposition in the following breeds:

Dobermann
John Adams (2007) WikiMedia Commons
Bedlington Terrier
Pleple2000 (2006) WikiMedia Commons
Cocker Spaniel
Ellen Levy Finch (2004) WikiMedia Commons
Dalmatian
Miroslav Cacik (2006) WikiMedia Commons
Skye Terrier
Pleple2000 (2007) WikiMedia Commons
Standard Poodle
John Leslie (2007) WikiMedia Commons
Labrador Retriever
Ellen Levy Finch (2004) WikiMedia Commons
German Shepherd (Alsatian)
Ellen Levy Finch (2004) WikiMedia Commons
Scottish Terrier
Svencb (2003) WikiMedia Commons
Beagle
sannse (2003) WikiMedia Commons

Aetiology

A number of aetiologies include:

Familial predisposition
Copper accumulation (copper storage disease)
- This may be a cause or consequence of chronic hepatitis. Copper is normally excreted in bile, therefore it can occur with any cholestatic hepatobiliary disorder.
Chronic drug therapy
Infectious, for example infectious canine hepatitis
Autoimmune or steroid responsive disorder

Clinical Signs

These include:

anorexia, lethargy and depression
weight loss
vomiting and diarrhoea
polyuria and polydipsia
ascites - most consistent in dogs with cirrhosis
and rarely icterus, seizures, fever and bleeding diathesis

Laboratory tests

Haematology:

Mild non-regenerative anaemia and microcytosis

Biochemistry:

Increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). However these may not be increased if end-stage cirrhosis is reached.
Hyperbilirubinaemia
Hypoalbuminaemia
Hyperglobulinaemia
Decreased blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
Hypoglycaemia

Further tests

Increased bile acids
Abnormal ammonia tolerance test
Increased prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) indicates severe liver dysfunction or disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)

Imaging

Abdominal radiographs will only reveal microhepatica or ascites when advanced stages of disease are reached.

Ultrasonographically, liver may be normal or non specific changes in echogenecity may be seen in early stages of the disease. In cases of cirrhosis, microhepatica, irregularity in hepatic margin, focal lesions corresponding to regenerative nodules, hyperechogenicity of liver parenchyma associated with increased fibrous tissue and ascites may be seen.

Histopathology

This is required for definitive diagnosis and to differentiate chronic hepatitis from other hepatopathies. Chronic hepatitis is characterised by moderate to severe lymphoplasmacellular inflammation and necrosis of the hepatocytes adjacent to the portal tracts.

Treatment

Glucocorticoids
- Taper down with improved clinical signs and normal liver enzymes values.
- This is not indicated for chronic hepatitis caused by drug therapy, primary copper accumulation or infectious agents.
- Response to treatment should be followed up by liver biopsy 3-6 months later as glucocorticoid causes steroid induced ALP
Ursodeoxycholic acid at 15mg/kg PO SID
- It is a synthetic hydrophilic bile acid that has hepatoprotective (anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antifibrotic effects) properties and choleretic effect. It expands the bile acid pool and displaces potentially hepatotoxic hydrophobic bile acids that accumulate in cholestasis.
Vitamin E
- An antioxidant to scavenge free radicals which may contribute to oxidative hepatocellular injury.
Copper chelation if copper exceeds 2000ppm
- Penicillamine
- Zinc

Prognosis

Response to treatment is variable. Dogs with fibrosis and cirrhosis carry a poorer prognosis.

Hepatitis, Chronic Learning Resources
Vetstream To reach the Vetstream content, please select	Canis, Felis, Lapis or Equis

References

(1) Van den Ingh, TSGAM et. al. (2006). Morphological classification of parenchymal disorders of the canine and feline liver. In Rothuizen J et. al., editors: WSAVA standards for clinical and histological diagnosis of canine and feline liver disease, Oxford, England, Saunders.
Ettinger, S.J. and Feldman, E. C. (2000) Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine Diseases of the Dog and Cat Volume 2 (Fifth Edition) W.B. Saunders Company.
Nelson, R.W. and Couto, C.G. (2009) Small Animal Internal Medicine (Fourth Edition) Mosby Elsevier.