Arlo - Diagnosis: Cholangiohepatitis

Arlo: A deer fly landed on his ear and he flicked it off just as I snapped the shot. It's still a great shot, I love the expression on his face.....

On June 26th, 2007, Arlo had surgery at a specialist clinic in Toronto with the hopes of finding one or two liver shunts that could be repaired. What they found instead, was multiple, acquired liver shunts. These type of liver shunts are different than congenital shunts, in that they appear as a result of some primary liver disease or damage. They are most often associated with end stage liver disease. More biopsies of his liver were taken during surgery with the hopes of determining the cause of the shunting. The biopsy results confirmed a diagnosis of Cholangiohepatitis.


The following was taken from this website: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_cholangiohepatitis.html

What is “cholangiohepatitis?”

The word cholangiohepatitis breaks down into “chol” (bile), “angio” (vessel), hepat (liver) and “it is”(inflammation). Putting this all together means inflammation of the liver and bile ducts.

You have probably heard of bile ducts but may not really be sure what bile is all about. Bile is a greenish material the liver makes, transports to the gall bladder via small bile ducts. The gall bladder is a small greenish sac about the size of a superball where bile is stored. When the appropriate hormonal signals are present, the gall bladder contracts and squirts bile into the small intestine via one very large duct called the “common bile duct.”

Bile has several functions. It emulsifies the fat in our diets so that we can absorb it into our bodies. It also serves as a medium to dump toxins that the liver has removed from our bodies and processed so they cannot be reabsorbed.

This is a fine system but problems can occur when the bacteria that live in the small intestine venture up the bile duct and invade the liver, which is normally sterile (free of bacteria). Inflammation results and the liver can fail.

To this day, Arlo does not know he is sick. No one would ever guess that he has such advanced liver disease. He appears healthy, happy, strong, vibrant, and full of life. He is 3 1/2 years old. We will never know what caused the damage to his liver. We do not know how much time he has left. Some dogs with liver disease defy the odds and lives years beyond what could have been expected. Arlo's disease can only be managed medically, no other options exist for dogs with this condition. This involves strict attention to diet, and multiple supplements and medications to support the liver. Regular checks of his blood, urine, and abdomen are required to monitor the progression of his disease. I still work him in the sport of schutzhund, although under a modified training regime. He is a high drive, working German shepherd, and needs something to do to keep him happy.

Many, many thanks go out to the amazing staff and Doctors at the Morningside Animal Clinic for their great care, compassion, and love of the German shepherd dog. I wouldn't trust anyone else with my shepherds!