If you’ve noticed that your dog’s eye whites are looking more yellow, it could be the first clue that your dog has jaundice. Jaundice in dogs can also cause yellowed gums, ear flaps and skin, or even yellowed blood serum. Humans can also have jaundice, and if you’ve heard of it before, it’s likely because human babies sometimes get short-term jaundice due to immature liver.
When dogs have jaundice, it is similar, but shows up a bit differently. Jaundice (also called icterus) can be caused by liver disease, destruction of red blood cells, or obstruction of the bile duct. Here’s what to look for and what to do if you think your dog has jaundice.
Causes of Jaundice in Dogs
Jaundice can be a side effect of different conditions, including liver disease. Dogs with liver disease may also have loss of appetite and weight loss, lethargy, a swollen and painful abdomen, orangish urine, and pale stools. They can have excessive bleeding because the liver is essential for clotting blood. Neurological signs are also possible in liver disease, because the liver removes toxins. If it isn’t able to function correctly, it won’t be able to remove those toxins. Liver disease can be caused by infections such as leptospirosis; pancreatitis; toxins, including overdose of medications; cancer; hepatitis; possibly hereditary conditions, such as shunts or copper toxicosis; or severe trauma. Heartworm can also cause a dog to become jaundiced.
Dogs with destruction of red blood cells, or hemolysis, can also have signs of anemia. These can include pale gums, weakness, appetite loss, shallow, rapid breathing, and orangish urine. Some causes could be immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), or toxicity from eating onions, garlic, zinc, or lead. It can also be caused by infections from Ehrlichia, leptospirosis, and others, hereditary blood deficiencies, and several other less common causes.
Dogs with bile duct obstruction often have extreme jaundice, plus increased appetite, weight loss, excessive bleeding, lethargy, orange urine, and pale stools. Causes include pancreatitis, trauma, cancer, gallstones, and overly thick bile.
Diagnosing Jaundice in Dogs
Some causes of jaundice in dogs show similar symptoms, so your vet will run some tests to determine the cause of jaundice. One of the first things your vet might do is take a blood sample to run a complete blood count (CBC) and biochemistry profile. The CBC will measure the amount of red blood cells in the sample. If their red blood cell count is too low, it means the dog is anemic. A biochemistry profile contains several measures of liver function. If these come back normal, a radiograph (X-ray) or ultrasound is used to examine the gallbladder and bile duct for obstructions. Sometimes a dog will need exploratory surgery to determine the cause.
If liver disease is indicated, the next step is to find out what kind of liver disease your dog has by getting a sample of liver cells. A fine-needle aspiration is the easiest. In it, a needle is simply passed through the skin and into the liver, and then cells are pulled up in the syringe and removed to be studied under a microscope. Obviously, you can’t get a lot of cells that way, so it can sometimes miss abnormal cells. A needle biopsy is essentially the same technique, but a much larger needle is used, which means your dog will need to be sedated or anesthetized. It gathers a core of liver tissue, which means the cells are still arranged in the sample the same way they were in the liver. A surgical wedge biopsy requires that the dog be anesthetized, so a surgeon can remove a section of the liver. It gives the most accurate diagnosis, but is a more invasive option.
How Is Jaundice in Dogs Treated?
Jaundice itself can only be treated by treating the cause. Supportive care may include intravenous fluid with vitamin K1, and possibly dextrose to combat hypoglycemia or a combination of vitamin E and anti-inflammatories. But specific treatment depends on the cause.
If the jaundice is due to destruction of red blood cells, treatment will be aimed at eliminating any parasites or infections that could be responsible, or at stopping the overactive immune system in the case of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. Supportive care in the form of blood transfusions may be needed.
If your dog has liver disease, once again, treatment will depend on the cause. If it’s due to liver cancer or bile duct cancer, the cancer may need to be removed or treated. If the liver disease is because of an infection, antibiotics will be prescribed. Depending on what other conditions are to blame, your vet may prescribe treatments to reduce inflammation, zinc levels, copper levels, fiber levels, and fluid build-up. It’s very important for the liver’s recovery that your dog eats, and a nasogastric tube may need to be used temporarily in order to get food into a dog that won’t eat.
If bile duct obstruction, the first step is to stabilize your dog, usually with intravenous fluids. Your veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics if they suspect your dog has an infection. Surgery may be needed to remove stones, thickened bile, or growths. Because the most common cause of obstruction is pancreatitis, that condition will need to be treated, and the dog will need to eat a low-fat, easily digested diet for a long period — sometimes the rest of their life.
Can Jaundice in Dogs Be Treated at Home?
Nothing you do at home can replace veterinary treatment. You cannot reverse your dog’s jaundice at home with home treatments. However, once your veterinarian addresses any crisis situation, makes a diagnosis, and treats and stabilizes your dog, you may be able to help keep your dog healthy at home with diet and supplements.
However, once your dog returns home, you may have to feed them a special diet to help them recover. Prescription diets are available that are low in copper, high in calories, high in soluble fiber, and high in antioxidants. Low copper foods include lean chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, and yogurt, among many others. Avoid high copper foods such as organs, fatty meat, pork, duck, or salmon. You can add antioxidants to your dog’s diet with vitamin E and possibly milk thistle and SAM-E.
If your dog is diagnosed with copper toxicity, which runs in certain breeds, your veterinarian may prescribe zinc. But only give your dog zinc if your veterinarian prescribes it.
If your dog has a bile duct obstruction caused by pancreatitis or gallstones, you’ll need to feed them a low-fat diet suitable for those conditions.
What Is the Prognosis for a Dog With Jaundice?
A dog’s prognosis will depend on the cause of jaundice. If the cause is liver cancer, or chronic hepatitis, the prognosis is sadly poor. If the cause is IMHA, the prognosis is guarded, with about two-thirds surviving the initial crisis, and most of those eventually making a full recovery. If the cause is some type of liver disease, the prognosis may depend on how much damage has already happened to the liver, so the earlier you catch it, the better. If the cause is some sort of toxicity, the prognosis depends on what the toxin is and whether the dog responds to supportive care to get him through the crisis. If the problem is an inborn condition such as copper toxicosis, the prognosis is good as long as the dog stays on a special diet.
This article is intended solely as general guidance, and does not constitute health or other professional advice. Individual situations and applicable laws vary by jurisdiction, and you are encouraged to obtain appropriate advice from qualified professionals in the applicable jurisdictions. We make no representations or warranties concerning any course of action taken by any person following or otherwise using the information offered or provided in this article, including any such information associated with and provided in connection with third-party products, and we will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages that may result, including but not limited to economic loss, injury, illness or death.