Use of ursodeoxycholic acids in a dog with chronic hepatitis: effects on serum hepatic tests and endogenous bile acid composition.

A dog with severe cholestasis secondary to chronic hepatitis was treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) PO. After 2 weeks of daily treatment, the dog was more active and had an improved appetite. Monthly serum biochemical determinations and analysis of individual bile acid profiles documented improvement in hepatobiliary tests and a marked reduction in the concentrations of potentially hepatotoxic endogenous bile acids. These effects were maintained for approximately 6 months. The findings in this dog are similar to those reported for human patients treated with UDCA and provide preliminary evidence in support of its continued evaluation in the treatment of cholestatic liver disease in the dog.