Copper associated hepatitis

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis (CH) is a group of inflammatory-necrotizing liver diseases with clinical and biochemical hepatocellular dysfunction. It can be characterized by periportal mononuclear or mixed cell typed inflammatory infiltration and periportal necrosis and fibrosis. CH in dogs is a quite common condition that can be caused by many different reasons, all from ingestion of toxic substances, different drugs, viruses, bacteria, immune mediated and the accumulation of copper. Copper is a trace element that is mainly ingested with the food the dogs eat. The liver is the main place where copper is stored and it is then excreted by the bile.