Hepatitis in Dogs — Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention for Yorkie Owners

Canine hepatitis is a serious viral disease that affects a dog’s liver. While it is less common today thanks to routine vaccination, it remains a threat — particularly in unvaccinated dogs. Understanding the symptoms and treatment options can help you protect your Yorkie.

What Is Canine Hepatitis?

Canine hepatitis is caused by canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1). It is completely different from human hepatitis and cannot be transmitted between dogs and people. The virus attacks the liver, kidneys, and blood vessel walls, causing inflammation and organ damage.

How Dogs Get Hepatitis

The virus is spread through bodily fluids — urine, faeces, saliva, and nasal discharge. Dogs typically catch it by ingesting contaminated material. The virus can survive in the environment for weeks, making it highly contagious in areas where unvaccinated dogs gather.

Symptoms of Hepatitis in Dogs

Symptoms range from mild to severe:

• Early signs: Mild fever (around 104°F), lethargy, and loss of appetite. These symptoms are often so subtle that owners do not realise their dog is sick.
• Advanced signs: Jaundice (yellowing of eyes, gums, and skin), vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and increased thirst and urination.
• Eye changes: “Blue eye” — a cloudy bluish appearance of the cornea — is a distinctive sign of canine hepatitis.
• Severe cases: Bleeding disorders, seizures, and coma. The disease is fatal in about 10-30% of cases, with the highest risk in young puppies.

Treatment

There is no specific antiviral treatment for canine hepatitis. Care focuses on supportive therapy:

• IV fluids to maintain hydration and support liver function
• Antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infections
• Liver-supportive medications and diet
• Blood transfusions in severe cases with bleeding disorders

Dogs that survive the acute phase (typically 7-10 days) usually recover fully. However, they may continue to shed the virus in their urine for 6-12 months.

Prevention: The Vaccination

Canine hepatitis is included in the core DA2PP (Distemper, Adenovirus [Hepatitis], Parvovirus, Parainfluenza) combination vaccine that all puppies receive. The vaccine is highly effective. Puppies get their first dose at 6-8 weeks, with boosters every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks old, a booster at 1 year, and then every 3 years.

Keeping your Yorkie up-to-date on vaccinations is the single most effective way to prevent this potentially fatal disease.