Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Copper poisoning causing sudden liver failure in a young Dalmatian dog
By Noaker, L J et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·1999·Department of Clinical Studies, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Copper associated acute hepatic failure in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 1.5-year-old Dalmatian was brought to the vet for vomiting, weight loss, and abnormal liver enzyme levels. Although initial imaging showed a normal liver, a biopsy revealed severe liver cell damage and high copper levels, suggesting a copper storage disease. The dog was treated with fluids, antibiotics, and a low copper diet, but unfortunately, its condition worsened, leading to euthanasia. This case highlights the serious effects of copper accumulation in the liver.
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Abstract
A 1.5-year-old Dalmatian was examined because of vomiting, weight loss, and high serum activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed normal appearing hepatic structure with echogenicity, but histologic examination of hepatic biopsy specimens revealed extensive necrosis of hepatocytes involving the centrilobular areas. Macrophages and remaining hepatocytes contained pigments that were positive for copper by rubeanic acid-staining and hepatic copper concentration was high. The dog was treated with crystalloid fluids, antibiotics, and a low copper diet; its condition deteriorated, and the dog was euthanatized. Primary copper storage disease was suspected on the basis of histologic findings and high copper concentration in the liver.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10340076/