Jaundice, Canine - contd.
As with all disease signs, the outcome in a jaundiced dog depends primarily on the underlying cause of the jaundice and on the animal's response to treatment. Dogs with pre-hepatic jaundice due to hemolysis may recover completely if their respective diseases are identified and treated successfully. However, the mortality rate for patients with pre-hepatic jaundice can also be quite high, as many dogs succumb to their underlying diseases.
Patients with jaundice due to primary liver disease may recover completely, especially if the problem was drug or toxin related. Prognosis in these cases is good if further exposure to the drug or toxin is avoided and supportive care is provided as necessary. Some types of liver disease, particularly chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis, follow a chronic course, characterized by relatively quiescent periods interspersed with periods of more active disease. Jaundice may come and go in these patients. Many veterinarians used to think that the presence of jaundice in a dog invariably signaled a fatal illness. Today, however, the outcome may be more favorable for many affected dogs when treatment is given based on the results of accurate and appropriate diagnostic tests.
Patients with post-hepatic jaundice often have resolution of the jaundice after the obstruction is relieved or once the leaking part of the biliary tract is repaired or removed. Nevertheless, the long-term outlook depends more on the cause of the obstruction or bile duct injury. Patients with traumatic injury to the gallbladder or bile duct, or obstruction due to stones, may do well indefinitely once the problem is addressed, but dogs with bile duct or gallbladder cancer usually do not survive for long periods of time. In dogs with bile duct obstruction secondary to pancreatitis, the prognosis is best if the obstruction resolves without surgical intervention. Some dogs that require surgical intervention and re-routing procedures to establish normal bile flow also do quite well, but others experience chronic problems with infection, inflammation, or progressive liver disease once surgery is completed.
