CAH - chronic active hepatitis

[Vinni]

Anybody have any experience with this I took my newly adopted My newly adoptive Shih-Tzu pup to the vets this weekend and had blood woork done on him. Seems the poor little guy is sick with CAH.

Vet says it is not contagious, which is good and that an antibiotic and proper diet will manage this....does that mean he will never be cured? What does this mean for his little fragile life? I will do whatever it takes to help him out, but I want to know what I may be in for....

Help/Info ANYBODY!

[micki]

I don't have any help except to say good luck. and I'm glad Archie got new parents that cared enough to take him to the vet.

[Vinni]

Thanks Micki...Vets E-mail is below. What do you think? This is not my vet, but his Foster mom's vet, as he treated him first I thought I would go to him inittially anyway. Especially since my Vet left the practice. But I am just not sure!

Vinni

There are somemajor issues with the little guy!!
Primarily liver. . . it looks like he may have CAH - chronic active
hepatitis.
#1 this is NOT contagious!!
#2 we need to be very aggressive at controlling it
#3 the liver has AMAZING healing powers if dealt with correctly.

CAH - treatment:
Nutrition is important!! We want food that is high quality protein -
that would be eggs, cottage cheese, or chicken - and a good source of
carbs -either rice or potato.
We want plenty of B vitamins - a supplement would be good.
Herbal therapy - believe it or not, this is the MOST important part:
MILK THISTLE - either as a powder or in capsule form from a GOOD source!
(NOT Walmart) - we also carry it here.
Antibiotics - INITIALLY ONLY - they lower the bacterial count in the
intestine, hence less ammonia production and less load on the liver.
We can put together a package of vitamins, Milk Thistle and Amoxicillin
for you if you want to come back up here for it.
THEN I want to see the little dude back in 2 weeks!
sorry this is bad news. We SHOULD be able to control this!!

Doc

[Bosley Slave]

Wow, I like the sound of your vet! I'm so glad he found his way to you! Good luck.

[Vinni]

Thansk BS...I am just kinda ******** out now. I know the Vet said it can not be caught...I am so praying because from what I found on the internet it can be.

If I lose my Audrey I will just 100% die...NOT KIDDING!

I'm such a mess right now maybe I should not be playing on the puter. Please pray my Audrey and my Son's cat Abby will be OK! And little Archie too!

[Bosley Slave]

Originally Posted by Vinni

Thansk BS...I am just kinda ******** out now. I know the Vet said it can not be caught...I am so praying because from what I found on the internet it can be.

If I lose my Audrey I will just 100% die...NOT KIDDING!

I'm such a mess right now maybe I should not be playing on the puter. Please pray my Audrey and my Son's cat Abby will be OK!

You got it, I'll keep you in my hearts and thoughts. Just be sure you are looking at legit websites. Also you can check with another vet for a second opinion. I'll get on a website that I like and look it up. Hang in there!

[Bosley Slave]

http://www.cvm.umn.edu/academics/current_student/Notes/Chronic%20Hepatitis_CAH.pdf

This is a very interesting link for Hep in dogs.

[Vinni]

Originally Posted by Bosley Slave

http://www.cvm.umn.edu/academics/cur...atitis_CAH.pdf

This is a very interesting link for Hep in dogs.

Thanks so much BS!!!!

Lots of info...it just did not say if My Audrey can catch it. She did get real sick the day he got here...wicked runs! She is on Meds and special diet now. I am praying it is just stress! But now I wonder

[Bosley Slave]

Found some more Vinni:

Chronic active hepatitis (also called chronic canine inflammatory hepatic disease or CCIHD)

http://www.vetinfo.com/dhepatitis.ht...ve%20Hepatitis

http://www.iknowledgenow.com/search....atic+cirrhosis

[Vinni]

Thanks again BS!!! You are so great!!!

Lots of info, none seems really great for my Archie...poor baby, he has a tough road...I will do all I can rest assured!!!! But I am just still trying to conform if my other babies (Audrey 2 1/2 year 8 lb Shih -Tzu and Abby 15 lb tourtie cat) can catch this. My prioritie need to be to them. No place do I see if my Audrey ir Abby can get this...it does not say...but I did see where other forms of Hep. can be caught, so I am mega worried!!!!!!

Darn I love little Archie, such a sweet boy...but I can not let him harm (no fault of his own...just he is ill, can't let anyone else get ill) my other babies...especially my Audrey...

I am so NOT going to sleep tonight!!!