Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Kernicterus causing brain damage in a 7-year-old dog
By Sangster, C R et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·2007·Department of Veterinary Pathology, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Kernicterus in an adult dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old spayed female Wheaton terrier was brought to the vet because she was very tired, not eating, and had yellowing of her skin and eyes. Tests showed her liver was not functioning properly, leading to extremely high levels of bilirubin in her blood, which caused her symptoms. Unfortunately, the dog had severe liver damage and brain changes due to a condition called kernicterus, which is rare in adult dogs. Despite the veterinary efforts, her condition was critical, and she did not survive.
People also search for: dog jaundice symptoms · Wheaton terrier liver disease · treatment for dog hyperbilirubinemia
Abstract
A 7-year-old, spayed female, Wheaton terrier dog was icteric, lethargic, and anorexic with increased activity of hepatocellular and cholestatic liver enzymes and an extreme hyperbilirubinemia level of 609 micromol/L (reference interval: 1.0-4.0 micromol/L). Necropsy findings included profound icterus and red and yellow mottling of the liver. Yellow discoloration of the thalamic and subthalamic nuclei was detected on subgross examination of the formalin-fixed brain. Histologic examination of the brain revealed neuronal necrosis within the discolored nuclei, necrosis of Purkinje cells, and Alzheimer type II astrocytes in the cerebrocortical gray matter and in the nuclei, with gross discoloration. Histologic examination of the liver revealed extensive necrosis in a periacinar-to-bridging pattern and often extending to portal triads. A case of naturally occurring kernicterus in an adult dog secondary to extreme hyperbilirubinemia resulting from fulminant hepatic failure is reported. The few reports of this disease in domestic species involved neonates, namely 1 foal and 1 kitten.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17491082/