Effect of Metadoxine on Chronic Primary Hepatopathies in Canines: Number of Cases

Abstract

Objective. Evaluate the effect of metadoxine in a case series of dogs with primary liver diseases, through the analysis of the paraclinical test, ultrasound, and histopathological features. Materials and methods. Seven canines from 2 to 14 years of age with mild to moderate clinical signs of liver disease and abnormal bile acids or ALT or ALP activity greater than threefold of the upper limit underwent 4 weeks of sonographic assessment and ultrasound-guided Tru-Cut liver biopsies to confirm the liver disease, according to the histopathologically WSAVA guidelines. To take a biopsy, they ought to have had fibrinogen >100 mg/dl, platelets >100 cells x 103/µl, and prothrombin time <11.5 seconds. When primary liver disease diagnosis was histologically confirmed, they received metadoxine at 17 mg/kg every 12 hours for 4 weeks. Clinical, paraclinical, ultrasound, and histopathological follow-up was performed at the end of this period. Results. After end-of-period follow-up was conducted, there were several elements detected: Vomiting and hyporexia decrease (p=0.03), a non-significant ALT and ALP increase (p=0.84; p=0.43), a reduction in postprandial biliary acids (p=0.4), and no change in hepatic ultrasound score (p=0.42) or histopathology diagnosis (p>0.05). Conclusions. Despite important limitations, this case series represents a preliminary observation suggesting metadoxine could improve clinical signs of canines with liver disease but does not significantly modify paraclinical, ultrasound, and histological variables; further research is needed with a Randomized Clinical Trial design. These findings are not enough to set metadoxine indication protocols in canines.