Canine Hepatitis

Canine hepatitis affects the liver, kidneys, lungs and eyes of a dog.

It is spread through direct contact with the faeces and saliva of infected dogs. Sometimes it can result in death within hours of the first symptoms appearing.

Symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, stomach pain and pale gums. Conjunctivitis can also occur. Dogs who have recovered from this disease can develop a clouding of the eye, but this usually clears up over time.

The disease is highly contagious and the dogs who have recovered are still infectious to other dogs for a period of six months or more.

Vaccination is the only real prevention of this horrible disease and that can convey immunity for up to three years.

Hepatitis is just one of the painful and life threatening illnesses your puppy can easily pick up. Make sure that he is vaccinated against this as well as the other diseases mentioned on this site.