Acute hepatic necrosis associated with the administration of mebendazole to dogs
Polzin, D.J.; Stowe, C.M.; O'Leary, T.P.; Stevens, J.B.; Hardy, R.M.
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 179(10): 1013-1016
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-1488 PMID: 7341557 Document Number: 175238
Mebendazole was administered to 7 adult Dachshunds and 2 adult Doberman Pinschers at 6-month intervals for routine parasite control. Two weeks after the 1st treatment, a 3-year-old Dachshund died of acute hepatic failure. Approximately 2 weeks following the 2nd treatment, two 5-year-old Dachshunds and one 3-year-old Dachshund had evidence of acute hepatic necrosis; 1 of these dogs died of fulminant hepatic failure. Typical clinical signs in affected dogs included anorexia, depression, vomiting, icterus, and hemorrhagic diarrhea. Two additional Dachshunds had biochemical evidence of hepatic dysfunction, ie. high serum alanine aminotransferase and serum alkaline phosphatase activities. One Dachshund and 2 Doberman Pinschers had no clinical or laboratory evidence of hepatic disease.