What is Rubarth hepatitis and how is it transmitted?
Rubarth's hepatitis is also commonly called contagious canine hepatitis. It is a very serious disease that often results in the death of the animal that is affected. Fortunately, it has become rare in France thanks to the effectiveness of vaccination.
This canine hepatitis is caused by a virus, canine adenovirus type 1 (CAV-1), which is very resistant in the external environment.
Animals become contaminated by ingesting or inhaling contaminated secretions (stool, urine, saliva) from a sick animal, in direct contact with it, or in contact with objects soiled by these same secretions .Fleas or lice have also been implicated in the transmission of this disease.
Rubarth's hepatitis, a crippling defect in dogs
Rubarth's Hepatitis is part of the list of redhibitory defects in dogs. In the event of symptoms leading to suspicion of this disease during the week in which a dog was acquired, it is possible to have the sale cancelled. If necessary, it is then necessary to establish a veterinary certification of strong suspicion within 7 days after purchase and then to have the disease confirmed later by a veterinarian if unfortunately the dog is indeed affected.
Symptoms of Rubarth's hepatitis
The incubation period for Rubarth hepatitis is between 4 to 9 days.
Symptoms are extremely variable and may include:
- general signs such as fever, extreme fatigue and signs of dehydration in the dog,
- digestive disorders such as vomiting, abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea,
- breathing problems like cough or runny nose,
- signs of liver damage such as jaundice or neurological disorders revealing hepatic encephalopathy,
- ocular signs such as the occurrence of glaucoma or uveitis. It happens that the dog presents a blue eye about 10 days after the appearance of the first signs of the disease. This blue color is due to an edema that forms on the surface of the eye.
- petechiae, bruises, bleeding indicative of bleeding disorders.
The disease is expressed either in a hyperacute, acute or chronic form. The peracute form is devastating and results in the rapid death of the animal, generally within 24-48 hours after the appearance of the first symptoms.It generally affects animals less than 2 to 3 months old.
Some animals may be completely asymptomatic.
How is Rubarth's hepatitis diagnosed in dogs?
The definitive diagnosis is based on carrying out serological tests or researching the virus in the dog's biological fluids using the PCR technique.
Serology aims to detect antibodies directed against the CAV-1 virus but it takes at least 7 days for the dog's body to produce it so that some dogs, suffering from acute or hyperacute forms , can die before the serology is positive.
What treatment?
There is no treatment for the primary cause of the disease: the hepatitis virus.
The veterinarian, once his diagnosis has been made, unfortunately can only treat the symptoms and limit the occurrence of lesions on the animal.Your veterinarian may therefore prescribe, depending on the evolution of the disease, antibiotic treatments in order to control possible bacterial superinfections, antiemetics, antidiarrheals to preserve the intestinal mucous membranes and supportive care (enteral feeding, fluid therapy, etc.). The dog may also need a plasma or blood transfusion in case of associated coagulopathy or heparin in case of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
Unfortunately, the prognosis is poor in case of Rubarth hepatitis. Affected dogs die very quickly when they develop acute or hyperacute forms or in the weeks or months following infection in the case of chronic forms.
Can Rubarth's hepatitis be prevented?
As in many areas, the best is to prevent by vaccinating your dog against this disease. Because yes, there is an effective vaccine that your dog can receive from the age of 8 to 10 weeks.It will suffice to perform annual boosters throughout the life of your companion to maintain effective protection.