What antibiotic should I be using with suspected infectious cholangiohepatitis in dogs?
The most common bacterial infections of the liver ascend through the biliary system from the duodenum, and include Staphylococcal spp, E coli, and Clostridia. Good old Amoxycillin clavulanate at 20mg/kg BID would be an ideal choice to cover these most common organisms. If I am not seeing a response (resolution of pyrexia, reduction of liver enzymes), I get suspicious that this may not be a bacterial infection and consider liver biopsy / bile cytology and culture, and recommend further testing before escalating antimicrobial coverage.
