Hepatic amyloidosis is a common sequela for individuals with Shar-pei fever. It is a familial disorder in which young animals demonstrate episodic fever and swollen hocks. The periodic inflammatory episodes cause reactive amyloidosis, and amyloid accumulates in tissues over time. The tissues most commonly affected are the liver and kidneys. Patients may present with evidence of liver disease or renal disease or both. Tissue biopsy is required for diagnosis. Congo red staining under polarized light confirms the presence of amyloid. The disease is progressive, and long-term prognosis is poor. Colchicine therapy may help to slow the accumulation of additional amyloid.
See Hepatic Amyloidosis for more details in The Manuals.
References
Olsson M, Tintle L, Kierczak M, Perloski M, Tonomura N, Lundquist A, et al. (2013) Thorough Investigation of a Canine Autoinflammatory Disease (AID) Confirms One Main Risk Locus and Suggests a Modifier Locus for Amyloidosis. PLoS ONE 8(10): e75242. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0075242
Olsson M, Meadows JRS, Truvé K, Rosengren Pielberg G, Puppo F, Mauceli E, et al. (2011) A Novel Unstable Duplication Upstream of HAS2 Predisposes to a Breed-Defining Skin Phenotype and a Periodic Fever Syndrome in Chinese Shar-Pei Dogs. PLoS Genet 7(3): e1001332. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1001332
Tellier LA. Immune-mediated vasculitis in a shar-pei with swollen hock syndrome. Can Vet J. 2001 Feb; 42(2): 137–139.
McAlister A, Center SA, Bender H, McDonough SP. Adverse interaction between colchicine and ketoconazole in a Chinese shar pei. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2014 Nov-Dec;50(6):417-23. doi: 10.5326/JAAHA-MS-6080.
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