Chronic active or aggressive hepatitis and liver cirrhosis with copper accumulation in a Dobermann. Case report

: Clinical signs, haematological and biochemical abnormalities as well as the pathomorphological and electronmicroscopic findings observed in a 7 1/2 year old spayed female Dobermann suffering from chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis are described. During almost the whole period of observation the clinical signs were nonspecific. The laboratory findings indicated a progressive liver disease. Gross findings revealed an atrophic cirrhosis. Histopathologically characteristic features of chronic active hepatitis were also seen together with a moderate copper accumulation localized in the periphery of the hepatic lobules. There was no evidence of cholestasis.