Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine Treatment of Canine Infectious Hepatitis
Canine infectious hepatitis is an acute septic disease caused by canine infectious hepatitis virus. Clinical features include saddle-shaped high fever, poor blood coagulation, and corneal opacity. The disease can occur year-round, especially prevalent in winter, primarily affecting dogs under one year old.
Having worked in dog farming for several years, I have treated over 30 cases of canine infectious hepatitis using integrated Chinese-Western medicine, achieving satisfactory results. Here is a presentation:
Clinical Symptoms: Early signs include lethargy, clear nasal discharge, photophobia, and tearing. Body temperature rises above 40°C and remains elevated for 2–6 days, showing a saddle-shaped curve. Subsequently, intense thirst, vomiting of foam, diarrhea with blood in feces, and dark yellow urine appear. Poor blood coagulation. Bleeding from oral mucosa and gums or pinpoint hemorrhages. Most dogs show abdominal pain upon palpation, with abdominal edema. Rapid breathing and heartbeat. Corneal inflammation or bluish-white corneal opacity.
Postmortem Examination: Subcutaneous edema, bloody ascites in the abdominal cavity, poor coagulation, enlarged liver with yellow-brown parenchyma interspersed with dark red spots. Enlarged tonsils and lymph nodes throughout the body.
Treatment Methods:
(1) Chinese Medicine: Treat by clearing liver fire and draining damp-heat. Formula: Longdan Xiegan Tang. This formula is effective for diseases caused by damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder. Ingredients: Gentiana scabra 6g, Bupleurum chinense 4g, Gardenia jasminoides 4g, Scutellaria baicalensis 4g, Angelica sinensis 3g, Rehmannia glutinosa 4g, Plantago asiatica 3g, Coix lacryma-jobi 3g, Alisma orientale 3g, Fried Glycyrrhiza 4g. (Dosage increased proportionally for dogs over 10kg). Boil in sufficient water to make 1000ml. Administer oral rehydration salts (ORS) separately. One dose daily for five days.
(2) Western Medicine: Treat with symptomatic and supportive therapy. Use: Compound normal saline 200–500ml, 50% glucose 40ml, ATP 1 vial, Coenzyme A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and Cefalexin 1 vial each, mixed and injected intravenously once daily for 3–5 days. Concurrently, administer Hepa-Lee (hepatoprotective) intramuscularly or orally to protect the liver and bile ducts; inject vitamin B12 to prevent tissue bleeding and hemorrhage. Once daily for five days. For corneal opacity, mix chloramphenicol eye drops with a small amount of procaine penicillin and apply topically.
Case Report: Mr. Liu, a professional dog breeder, raised a 4-month-old Japanese wolfhound. On November 19, 1998, the dog fell ill and refused food. Symptoms: lethargy, body temperature rising to 41°C, persisting at 39–41°C for several days. Intense thirst, dry nasal mirror, watery discharge from eyes and nose. Vomiting and diarrhea occurred. Urine was deeply yellow. Obvious abdominal pain, increased abdominal circumference. Oral mucosa congested, severe corneal inflammation. Rapid breathing, severe coagulation impairment. Based on these symptoms, a preliminary diagnosis of infectious hepatitis was made. Treatment: Longdan Xiegan Tang + ORS liquid continuously for four days, combined with Western medicine (2) for four days, resulting in full recovery.
Reflections:
(1) Dog owners must enhance preventive awareness and strictly adhere to vaccination schedules to effectively prevent this disease. Among over 30 cases, early symptoms closely resemble canine distemper. Clinically, differentiation is crucial: infectious hepatitis presents saddle-shaped fever and corneal opacity, whereas canine distemper shows biphasic fever without corneal opacity.
(2) Longdan Xiegan Tang clears liver fire and drains damp-heat. The formula uses Gentiana scabra to clear liver and gallbladder damp-heat; Alisma, Plantago, and Coix drain dampness and expel heat via urine, assisting Gentiana. Bupleurum disperses liver qi; Scutellaria and Gardenia clear heat from above and below, supporting the main herb in eliminating pathogenic fire. Angelica and Rehmannia nourish liver blood and support vital qi. Glycyrrhiza harmonizes the formula. Together, they effectively clear liver fire and drain damp-heat, proving highly effective for canine infectious hepatitis.