Wilson’s disease in dogs: origins, symptoms and genetic test

Wilson’s disease in dogs is a rare but serious metabolic condition of hereditary genetic origin, which leads to abnormal copper accumulation in the liver and other organs.

This condition is caused by a mutation that disrupts copper transport within liver cells, resulting in progressive damage.

Understanding the hereditary nature of this disease and preventing its spread through genetic testing of breeding dogs is one of the most important responsibilities for anyone who breeds with seriousness and respect for animal life.

What Wilson’s Disease in Dogs Is and Where It Comes From

Wilson’s disease (or copper storage hepatopathy) is a genetic disease caused by a mutation in the ATP7B gene — or, in some breeds, the ATP7A gene — which is responsible for copper transport within cells.

When this mechanism breaks down, copper is no longer correctly eliminated through bile and accumulates in the liver, leading to chronic inflammation, cell necrosis, and hepatic failure.

It is not a congenital disease in the clinical sense of the term: “congenital” refers to a condition present at birth, even if not hereditary.

Wilson’s disease is instead hereditary and genetic: the puppy is born with the mutation but develops symptoms only later in life, once copper accumulation reaches toxic levels.

Breeds Predisposed to Wilson’s Disease

Some breeds show a greater predisposition to the ATP7B mutation:

• Bedlington Terrier, the breed in which the disease was first identified;
• Dobermann and West Highland White Terrier;
• Labrador Retriever, in which the mutation has been documented in several bloodlines;
• Dalmatian, Skye Terrier, and Springer Spaniel.

Transmission follows an autosomal recessive pattern: an affected dog inherits the mutation from both parents, while healthy carriers can pass it on without showing any symptoms.

Symptoms and Disease Progression

Symptoms typically appear between 2 and 6 years of age. The most common include:

• fatigue and lethargy;
• loss of appetite and weight loss;
• vomiting, pale stools, and digestive issues;
• jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and gums);
• in advanced cases, neurological disorders caused by copper toxicity.

Many individuals remain asymptomatic until an advanced stage, by which point the liver damage has become irreversible.

This is precisely why genetic prevention is so important.

Diagnosis: Genetic Testing and Veterinary Investigation

Diagnosis requires a combination of assessments:

• blood tests to evaluate liver function;
• liver ultrasound;
• liver biopsy to quantify copper accumulation;
• DNA genetic tests to identify the ATP7B or ATP7A mutation.

Genetic tests are today the most reliable and least invasive tool for identifying carriers and affected individuals, making it possible to act on a bloodline before the disease manifests clinically.

Genetic Disease or Congenital Disease? Setting the Record Straight

In veterinary terminology, a genetic disease is one caused by an inherited mutation, while a congenital disease is any condition present at birth, even if not hereditary.

Wilson’s disease in dogs is therefore a hereditary genetic condition: the defective gene is present in the DNA from conception, but symptoms only appear in adulthood.

This distinction is crucial to understanding that treating the symptoms alone is not enough: it is essential to prevent genetic transmission through targeted testing.

Genetic Testing of Breeding Dogs: True Prevention

Today it is possible to identify the mutation through a simple buccal swab.

Genetic laboratories analyse the dog’s DNA to determine whether it is:

• Clear (healthy, non-carrier);
• Carrier (healthy carrier — does not develop the disease but can pass it on);
• Affected (clinically affected, with symptoms).

An ethical breeder always carries out these checks before mating, avoiding the pairing of two carriers.

In this way, it is possible to gradually eliminate the mutation from the population and ensure puppies free from this hereditary disease.

The Role of Nutrition: Can Kibble Make the Problem Worse?

Diet plays a fundamental role in copper metabolism.

All extruded industrial kibble contains mineral additives such as copper sulphate or chelated copper in amounts exceeding a dog’s natural requirements.

These inorganic compounds, added to compensate for nutrient loss during the extrusion process, have low bioavailability and can accumulate in liver tissue, particularly in genetically predisposed dogs.

A kibble-based industrial diet, fed over many years, can therefore worsen the disease or bring forward its onset.

By contrast, a fresh, balanced natural diet — made with selected ingredients and controlled mineral intake — reduces the toxic burden on the liver and helps maintain healthy copper metabolism.

A practical example? Avoiding foods high in copper (such as liver, shellfish, and whole grains) and favouring lean meats, low-mineral vegetables, and targeted natural supplementation.

Genetics and Nutrition: Two Complementary Tools

Health does not arise by chance — it is the result of a series of conscious choices.

Genetic selection prevents the birth of affected individuals, while natural, balanced nutrition supports the wellbeing of healthy dogs and carriers alike.

It is the synergy between science and daily care that lays the foundations for stronger, longer-lived, and happier generations.

Wilson’s disease in dogs is a hereditary genetic condition that can be prevented through targeted testing of breeding dogs and a correct nutritional approach.

A Labrador breeder who carries out genetic health checks and provides a natural diet contributes not only to the health of their own dogs, but to the improvement of the breed as a whole.

In our kennel, we believe that health begins with genetics and is maintained through natural nutrition.