Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog developed severe liver damage after taking rivaroxaban
By Mosichuk, Allison P et al.Ā·Published in Frontiers in veterinary scienceĀ·2024Ā·Department of Clinical Sciences, United StatesĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Case report: Severe hepatopathy following rivaroxaban administration in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 6-year-old spayed female mixed-breed dog developed severe liver problems after starting rivaroxaban, a medication used to prevent blood clots. About nine days into treatment, she showed signs of not eating and being unusually tired. Blood tests confirmed significant liver damage, so the vet stopped the medication. Fortunately, her liver function and overall health improved after discontinuing rivaroxaban. This case highlights the importance of monitoring dogs on this medication for any signs of liver issues.
People also search for: dog liver problems after medication Ā· rivaroxaban side effects in dogs Ā· dog not eating and lethargic
Abstract
Rivaroxaban, a specific factor Xa inhibitor and commonly utilized anticoagulant, has been known to cause hepatotoxicity and liver failure in humans. Although rivaroxaban is frequently used in veterinary medicine, hepatotoxicity has not been previously reported in dogs. The current case report describes a dog that developed severe hepatopathy following rivaroxaban administration for a large right pulmonary artery thrombus. An estimated 6-year-old spayed female mixed-breed dog developed anorexia and lethargy 9 days after rivaroxaban administration began. Subsequent labwork revealed severe hepatocellular hepatopathy, and rivaroxaban was discontinued. Additional diagnostics did not reveal an underlying etiology, although hepatic cytology could be consistent with a toxic injury. The hepatopathy and clinical signs improved after rivaroxaban was discontinued. The time to onset, type of hepatopathy, and time to resolution were all similar to those reported for human cases. This case provides precedence to advocate for improved and closer monitoring of dogs receiving factor Xa inhibitors. In cases of suspected hepatotoxicity with no other identifiable cause, a risk-benefit analysis should be performed, and discontinuation of rivaroxaban administration or alternative anticoagulant medications should be considered.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38638638/