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  • 1.  Understanding Hepatitis in Humans and Pets

    Posted 7 days ago
    Hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver, plays out very differently in human family members compared to our non-human family members, which makes understanding those differences very important for protecting the whole household.
    Here's how symptoms of Hepatitis differ between humans and pets:
    • Humans experience yellowing of the skin, while cats & dogs experience yellowing of the gums and sclera/eye whites.
    • Humans experience dark urine, pale stools, nausea while cats & dogs experience vomiting, diarrhea, fluid buildup in abdomen.
    • Humans and pets both experience fatigue. However, humans often feel accompanying abdominal pain. Cats & dogs typically experience fatigue alongside a poor appetite.

    Prevention and management for humans involves:
    • Keeping your routine vaccines for Hepatitis A and B up to date.
    • Practicing good hygiene by wash your hands thoroughly after using the restroom or handling raw food.
    • Limiting alcohol intake and checking chemical warning labels before product use.

    Prevention and management for pets involves:
    • Keeping dogs up to date with their DHPP booster, which protects against Canine Adenovirus.
    • For cats, managing any inflammatory liver conditions through specialized diets, medications, and fluid therapy rather than preventative vaccines.
    • Keeping human medications, household cleaners, and toxic foods safely locked away.
    • Keeping up routine bloodwork through annual veterinary exams, especially with senior blood panels as they can catch elevated liver enzymes long before physical symptoms appear.
    Sources:
    Viral Hepatitis Basics
    Liver Inflammation (Hepatitis) in Cats | PetMD
    Chronic Hepatitis in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospitals


    Knowing that many pet liver issues come from household toxins, what are some everyday items you're sure to keep safely locked away?

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    Kayla Anderson
    Veterinary Social Worker
    Center for Pet Family Well-Being, the University of Tennessee
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  • 2.  RE: Understanding Hepatitis in Humans and Pets

    Posted 4 days ago
    Protecting You and Your Pet from Hepatitis Starts at Home

    Thank you, Kayla! This is such a helpful reminder that hepatitis and other liver conditions may look very different in people, dogs, and cats-even when we share the same home environment.

    My Service Dog, Chance, is always by my side, so I try to be especially careful to keep medications, cleaning products, pesticides, automotive fluids, and potentially toxic foods securely out of reach. I also try to remember that products labeled "natural," including some essential oils and supplements, are not necessarily safe for pets.

    Protecting the health of the whole family often starts with noticing risks in the spaces we all share. One Health.



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    T' Fisher, Director of Operations
    Center for Pet Family Well-Being
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