Infectious canine hepatitis in dogs – signs and care

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Book a vet visit

Book a vet appointment if you think your dog has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. It is a viral infection that affects a dog’s liver and other major organs.

What to do now

What you can do now

  1. Contact your vet.
  2. Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
  3. Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
  4. Keep fresh water available.
  5. Let your dog rest somewhere calm.

Don't

  • Do not give any human medicine.
  • Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Infectious canine hepatitis, also known as canine adenovirus or Rubarth’s Disease, affects the liver and other major organs.[1] Dogs can catch it from an infected dog, somewhere an infected dog has been, or something an infected dog has touched.[1]

Signs

  • Low energy or lethargy
  • Eating less or refusing food
  • Drinking less
  • Coughing
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea
  • Pale or yellow gums
  • Fever
  • Small red dots on the gums or skin
  • Bruises

Causes and risk factors

  • An infected dog
  • Somewhere an infected dog has been
  • Something an infected dog has touched

How a vet finds out

  • Blood tests
  • Ultrasound

How vets treat it

  • Intensive nursing and feeding
  • Fluids or a drip
  • Hospitalisation
  • Anti-sickness medication
  • Blood transfusion
  • Medication

What the experts say

“There is no specific medicine to treat hepatitis, unfortunately, antibiotics don’t work because it’s caused by a virus not a bacteria. Instead, your vet will support your dog while he/she fights the virus: Intensive nursing and feeding.”

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

How can dogs catch infectious canine hepatitis?

Dogs can catch it from an infected dog, from going somewhere an infected dog has been, or from touching something an infected dog has touched.[1]

How does a vet check for it?

A vet may use blood tests and an ultrasound scan to confirm their suspicions.[1]

Is there a specific medicine for it?

There is no specific medicine to treat it, and antibiotics do not work because it is caused by a virus rather than bacteria; a vet may support your dog with intensive nursing and feeding.[1]

Sources

  1. PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

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