Copper Toxicity

[dobesign]

I'm trying to get a feel for REAL number of dogs that have succumbed to Copper Toxicosis. There's plently of tracking in other breeds, such as the bedlington and soft coated wheatens, but as a PRIMARY cause of death, it still seems limited in dobes. I am not interested in other liver disorders with similar circumstances. There's a bazillion that have similar presentation. But specifically DIAGNOSED Copper Toxicity as a cause of death. Give me feedback please...

[Kissntell]

I have heard that copper is running in our breed at about 30% now. I have had a Doberman with copper and treated it. If the disease is present, there is a 50% morbity rate. Dogs surcumb to the disease in death more so than bitches. This is a mean disease. Treating it takes a boat load of money and the drugs to treat are very expensive.

My information comes from a specialist vet, not a vet that you see for general veternairy care.

If you can contol the disease, the issues than are the side effects of the medicine which can lead to opportunist ailments which can leed to the animal's demise. Therefore, it is important to have monthly or in three month blood draws depending on the results of each individual blood draw.

I found this to be a disease that many people are silent on.

[dobesign]

There's a lot of conflicting info out there. I can see where you might get confused. There's the "it's an autosomal recessive" approach, the "dietary" approach, and the "it's viral hepatitis" approach. It is a bit like people who think that DCM is ONE disease, and not realise that it is actually a catagory of cardiac ailment. Cu Toxicity is not ONE disease either. There are many antecedents, and many outcomes. Please read the article attached to the link I've provided! I hope it will be helpful. And best of luck with your boy!

In some breeds, CAH is an inherited defect of metabolism involving biliary excretion (Bedlingtons), while in others the cause is not known to be linked to genetics but is thought to be related to a storage defect, perhaps influenced by diet (Dobermans).

In Dobermans, females of middle-age (approximately 7 years) are by far the most often affected, but the disease is also seen in males.

Other reported possible causes of CAH in dogs are leptospire infections, adenovirus infections, and primidone therapy (Crawford 1985). A further proposed cause is an immune-mediated reaction from the infectious canine hepatitis virus (Franklin 1988).

Although the cause has not been definitively determined, CAH has been studied and much has been learned about its diagnosis and treatment. The disease is progressive, with copper accumulating in the hepatocellular lysosomes as the dog ages, reaching levels that are toxic, and resulting in damage to and eventual failure of the liver (Dill-Macky 1995).

http://www.auntjeni.com/copper.htm




here's some good info.