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Liver Disease in Dogs

By the Dog Health Handbook team · Updated · Fact-checked against current veterinary references (see sources)

Key takeaways

  • The liver can regrow, but clear signs of liver failure often appear only after about 80% of function is lost.
  • Common causes: chronic hepatitis, copper build-up, toxins, infections, Cushing's disease and cancer.
  • Early signs are vague: poor appetite, tiredness, vomiting and drinking more.
  • Jaundice, belly swelling and confusion usually mean advanced disease.
  • Some dogs live 5 years or more when the cause is found and treated early.

Table of Contents

Research Causes Breeds Signs Diagnosis Treatment Outlook FAQ Sources

Liver Disease Quicklinks

Liver Disease Symptoms Liver Enzymes Treatment Diet Liver Shunt Liver Cancer Leptospirosis

Liver disease in dogs covers any condition that damages the liver or stops it from working properly. The liver stores energy, processes nutrients, removes toxins and makes clotting proteins, and it has a large reserve and can regrow.1,2 Common causes include chronic hepatitis (often linked to copper build-up), infections such as leptospirosis, toxins and medicines, hormone diseases such as Cushing's disease, gallbladder disease, liver shunts and cancer.1,3,4 Early signs are vague, such as a poor appetite, tiredness, vomiting, weight loss and drinking more. Jaundice (yellow gums, eyes or skin), a swollen belly and confusion usually appear later.3,1 Clear signs of liver failure often don't show until about 80% of liver function is lost, so blood tests are important.2 With treatment of the cause, some dogs live well for 5 years or more.3

Go to a vet or emergency clinic now if your dog:

  • May have eaten xylitol (found in sugar-free gum and some peanut butters), sago palm, wild mushrooms or blue-green algae. Xylitol poisoning can start within 20 minutes.5,6,7
  • Has yellow gums, eyes or skin, especially with fever, vomiting or lethargy1,8
  • Is confused, circling, pressing its head against walls, having seizures or collapsing1,9
  • Has bleeding, black stool or a rapidly swelling belly1,3

For possible poisoning, call your vet, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661.

What the Research and Guidelines Say

  • Copper is a leading cause. The Merck Veterinary Manual now calls copper-associated liver disease "the dominant cause" of chronic inflammatory liver disease in North American dogs.3
  • High liver copper is common. In a 2022 study of 4,559 dog liver samples, half had copper above 400 ppm and 19% above 1,000 ppm, the level usually seen in copper-associated hepatitis.10,4
  • Biopsy is needed to confirm it. The 2019 ACVIM consensus statement says diagnosing copper-associated hepatitis "requires a liver biopsy and copper quantitation."4
  • The liver can regrow. Healthy dogs tolerate removal of 70% of the liver, and about 91% of the mass returns within 6 weeks.2

Common Causes of Liver Disease in Dogs

  • Chronic hepatitis: long-term inflammation that can lead to scarring and cirrhosis. Most cases have no known cause, and copper is the most common toxic cause.4,3
  • Copper build-up: some breeds are predisposed, but specialists warn any dog can be affected, and some say the amount of copper in dog foods plays a role.3,11 See diet for liver disease.
  • Infections, especially leptospirosis, and less often fungal or protozoal infections.1,3
  • Toxins and medicines: xylitol, sago palm, toxic mushrooms, blue-green algae, moldy food containing aflatoxin, and some medicines, including some anticonvulsants and pain relievers.6,4,12
  • Hormone diseases and steroids: Cushing's disease, diabetes and steroid medicines can cause a "vacuolar" liver change and high liver enzymes.1,13 See elevated liver enzymes.
  • Gallbladder disease, such as a gallbladder mucocele (a gallbladder stretched by thick mucus).14,1
  • Liver shunts: abnormal blood vessels that bypass the liver, usually present from birth. See liver shunt in dogs.15
  • Cancer, which may start in the liver or spread there. See liver cancer in dogs.16,17

Breeds at Higher Risk

Chronic hepatitis and copper build-up are more common in Bedlington Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, Doberman Pinschers, Dalmatians, West Highland White Terriers, Cocker Spaniels and English Springer Spaniels.4,3 Small breeds such as Yorkshire Terriers and Maltese are prone to shunts outside the liver, and large breeds such as Labradors and Irish Wolfhounds to shunts inside it.15 Shetland Sheepdogs are prone to gallbladder mucoceles, and Scottish Terriers to a breed-related vacuolar liver change.14,13

Signs of Liver Disease

  • Early: reduced appetite, tiredness, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, drinking and urinating more4,3,1
  • Later: jaundice, fluid in the belly (ascites), bleeding problems and hepatic encephalopathy, a brain disturbance caused by toxins the liver normally removes3,1

See liver disease symptoms and signs of liver failure for more detail.

Diagnosis

Blood tests are the first step. A persistent rise in the liver enzyme ALT that lasts more than 2 months without explanation is the most useful early sign of chronic hepatitis.4 Bile acid tests measure how well the liver works, and ultrasound, x-rays or CT show its size and structure.1,15 A normal ultrasound doesn't rule out liver disease, and a biopsy is needed to diagnose chronic hepatitis and measure copper. Before a biopsy, vets check clotting.4,3

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause: removing toxins or drugs, antibiotics for infections, copper-lowering treatment and a low-copper diet for copper disease, medicines to calm inflammation once infection and copper are ruled out, surgery for shunts, gallbladder disease or tumors, and supportive care while the liver regenerates.1,3,4 See liver disease treatment.

How Long Can a Dog Live With Liver Disease?

It varies widely with the cause and how early it's found. Some dogs with chronic hepatitis live 5 years or more after diagnosis, and in Labradors with copper-associated disease, Merck says the response to treatment is "rapid and dramatic if diagnosed early", though they need lifelong care.3 Advanced hepatitis in Dobermans, infections that spread widely and tumors in several liver lobes carry a poorer outlook.3,1 A high bilirubin level is a sign of a worse prognosis.4

If your dog's disease is advanced, a quality-of-life scale such as the HHHHHMM scale can help you and your vet decide when it's time to consider euthanasia. Adequate pain control and comfortable breathing come first.18,19

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the first signs of liver disease in dogs?

Often vague: a poor appetite, tiredness, vomiting, weight loss and drinking more water.

Can a dog's liver heal?

The liver can regenerate if the cause is removed or treated early, but long-term disease often needs lifelong management.

Are dogs with liver disease in pain?

Some conditions, such as gallbladder disease, can cause belly pain. Ask your vet about pain relief if your dog seems uncomfortable.

What foods cause liver disease in dogs?

Xylitol, moldy food with aflatoxin and possibly long-term high copper intake. See our diet page.

Is liver disease in dogs contagious?

Most liver disease isn't, but leptospirosis can spread to other dogs and, rarely, to people.

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Sources and further reading

This article was rewritten and fact-checked on October 23, 2026 against current veterinary references and specialist guidelines:

  1. Center SA. Disorders of the Liver and Gallbladder in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual (pet owner version), updated June 2026.
  2. Amsellem PM, Twedt DC. Pathophysiology of Hepatocellular Diseases. In: Mechanisms of Disease in Small Animal Surgery, 3rd ed., 2013 (IVIS).
  3. Center SA. Canine Chronic Hepatitis. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated September 2024.
  4. Webster CRL, Center SA, Cullen JM, et al. ACVIM consensus statement on the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis in dogs. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2019.
  5. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Paws Off Xylitol; It's Toxic to Dogs. FDA Animal Health Literacy, February 2025.
  6. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Hepatotoxicant Table. ASPCApro, 2020.
  7. Lake Z, Ludwik T, Hake C. Case Report: Alpha-amanitin toxicosis leading to acute death in a puppy. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2025.
  8. Lunn KF. Leptospirosis in Dogs. MSD Veterinary Manual, updated July 2026.
  9. Braund KG. Endogenous Metabolic Disorders. In: Braund's Clinical Neurology in Small Animals, 2002 (IVIS).
  10. Ullal TV, Lakin S, Gallagher B, Sbardellati N, Abdo Z, Twedt DC. Demographic and histopathologic features of dogs with abnormally high concentrations of hepatic copper. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2022.
  11. Center SA, Wakshlag JJ, Cullen JM, Richter KP, Twedt DC, Watson PJ, Webster CRL. Possible diet-related increase in copper-associated liver disease in dogs (letter). Veterinary Record, 2021.
  12. American Kennel Club. FDA Recalls Dog Food With Fatal Aflatoxin Levels. AKC News, August 2021.
  13. Center SA. Canine Vacuolar Hepatopathy. MSD Veterinary Manual.
  14. American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Gallbladder Mucocele. ACVS, accessed October 2026.
  15. Center SA. Hepatic Portal Venous Hypoperfusion in Small Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual, updated July 2026.
  16. Center SA. Hepatic Neoplasia in Small Animals. MSD Veterinary Manual, updated July 2026.
  17. American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Liver Tumors. ACVS, updated April 2026.
  18. Merck Veterinary Manual. The HHHHHMM Scale. Merck Veterinary Manual (after Villalobos AE, 2004).
  19. Hunter T, Downing R. Quality of Life at the End of Life for Your Dog. VCA Animal Hospitals, updated August 2024.

About this article

Last updated : fully rewritten using the 2019 ACVIM chronic hepatitis consensus statement, the Merck Veterinary Manual, the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and animal poison control references, plus International Veterinary Information Service (IVIS) proceedings and research published 2022 to 2026.

This page is for general information and is not a substitute for an exam by your veterinarian.