Anemia is a disease that causes a deficiency of red blood cells in the blood. This deficiency leads to a reduced ability to transport oxygen in the blood. Symptoms of anemia in dogs can be difficult to recognize and develop slowly, but mainly consist of lack of energy and fatigue. If you notice that your dog is having a hard time following you on walks or is more tired and sleepy than usual, he may be anemic. If you suspect that your dog may be suffering from this condition, it is essential to see a veterinarian right away.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Assess if the Dog is Anemic
Step 1. Consider if your dog may have anemia
Has he suddenly become very tired and lethargic all the time? Are you losing weight for no apparent reason? If you can't find a logical explanation for these symptoms, anemia could be the cause.
Anemia can be caused by many health problems, from parasites to cancer drugs. Two of the most common causes of anemia in dogs are bleeding from bleeding tumors and autoimmune disorders, in which the body attacks its own red blood cells
Step 2. Check the color of the dog's gums
They should be pink, like yours. Observe them in a sunlit room, as the bulbs can give the gums an artificial cream or yellow tint. Gently lift your dog's lip and look at the gums; if they are pale pink or white, they may have anemia.
- Another point to look at is the inside of the eyelid, which should be pink. The eyelid lining of an anemic dog on the other hand is pale pink or white.
- If your dog's gums are pale, take him to a vet.
Step 3. Take your dog to the vet
The doctor will examine it carefully, looking for problems such as fleas, lice or other parasites, unusual hypertrophy of the organs, or masses within the abdomen that may indicate a tumor. To conclude the visit, the vet will take a blood sample from the animal so that it can be examined.
Blood tests analyze the biochemical composition of the dog's blood to check that its organs are functioning properly (looking for the cause of the problems) and hematology. The latter is the count of red and white blood cells. This value can tell the veterinarian if the specimen is anemic, the severity of the problem, if it is a recent or chronic disease and if the animal is producing new red blood cells. All of these parameters help the vet understand what the problem is, how severe it is and what treatments are required
Method 2 of 5: Treating Anemia Caused by an Autoimmune Disease
Step 1. Consider the possibility that anemia is caused by an autoimmune disease
Due to these disorders, the immune system attacks its own tissues as if they were external invaders. This can also happen to red blood cells, causing a reduction in hemoglobin and consequently anemia.
Step 2. Determine if your dog has anemia due to an autoimmune disease
The vet will carry out a series of tests to verify this possibility. It will usually require blood tests to look for some indicators.
- The Coombs test looks for antigens that attach to the cell membrane of red blood cells. It is these antigens that cause the immune system to react. Unfortunately, the test results can be misinterpreted or inconclusive, because the test can only detect large amounts of antigen on the surface of the cell membrane. A false negative can be obtained when cells are contaminated with antigen but in quantities that are too low to give a positive result.
- An alternative test involves the vet adding drops of saline to a microscope slide with the animal's blood. The slide is shaken to help mix the saline and blood, then examined under the microscope. If the red blood cells clot even though the blood has been diluted, this is known as "autoagglutination": it indicates that the cells are covered with sticky antigens and the test is considered positive.
- Another important diagnostic test is looking at the shape and size of red blood cells under a microscope. Red blood cells attacked by the immune system have an unusual appearance (they are smaller and lack a pale central area) and are called spherocytes. If the vet notices their presence, it is reasonable to assume that the body is attacking its own red blood cells.
Step 3. Treat anemia caused by autoimmune disease
If your vet identifies a similar condition as the source of your dog's problems, they will treat it with immunosuppressive drugs, mainly corticosteroids. These drugs inhibit the immune response, stop the attack and allow the body to regenerate red blood cells.
High dosages (known as "immunosuppressants") are needed to inhibit this dangerous reaction. In principle, the therapy is followed for two weeks. If after this time the tests show improvement in the disease, the dose is gradually reduced, often over several months
Method 3 of 5: Treating Bleeding-Caused Anemia
Step 1. Determine if your dog has recently lost blood
An animal can have bleeding from injuries (traffic accidents), parasites (fleas and ticks), inflammation or ulcers in the intestines, or a bleeding tumor. In all of these examples, the rate at which blood is lost is greater than the rate at which the body produces new erythrocytes, so the number of red blood cells drops. Once it drops below a certain level, the dog becomes anemic.
Step 2. Stop the bleeding caused by trauma
In case of injuries, you need to locate any bleeding points and stop the blood from leaking. If your dog has been in an accident and is bleeding, apply a pressure bandage (in other words tight) or press the wound with a clean cotton towel. You need to stop the bleeding while seeking help from a veterinarian.
The vet will pinch the bleeding vessel with arterial forceps, then close it securely
Step 3. Have your dog examined for bleeding tumors
One of the most common causes of bleeding in dogs, aside from wounds, are bleeding vascularized tumors. Older specimens have a tendency to develop tumors of the spleen, an organ that receives an abundant supply of blood. Usually these tumors are delicate and fragile, so it only takes a blow or a collision to make them bleed. If the bleeding is not severe, the effect is a deposit of blood in the belly. In the worst cases, the bleeding can cause collapse, or even death, from internal bleeding.
- Signs of abdominal bleeding include blood in vomit, stool, or very dark colored stool. If in doubt, collect a sample to show the vet.
- In the case of bleeding tumors, the vet must perform diagnostic tests such as ultrasounds, CT scans, MRI scans, or x-rays, in order to identify the tumor and choose the best treatment option.
- In case of bleeding tumors, the vet will try to stabilize the animal with intravenous fluids, in order to maintain the correct blood pressure; if the bleeding is particularly severe, a transfusion will also be needed. Once the specimen is strong enough to withstand the anesthetic, surgery is performed to remove the spleen.
Step 4. Look for signs of other internal problems
Stomach ulcers or severe inflammation of the intestines can also cause bleeding. In these cases, the vet will give your dog treatments to protect the ulcers and heal them or to reduce inflammation.
If your dog is taking any medications, particularly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as meloxicam, stop the drug therapy immediately and inform your trusted veterinarian. In fact, these medicines are associated with stomach ulcers
Method 4 of 5: Treating Parasite-Caused Anemia
Step 1. Determine if your dog has a parasitic infection
A severe infestation of fleas or lice can cause anemia, because these parasites suck blood. Another common cause of blood loss is the Angiostrongylus vasorum parasite. The mechanics by which this infection causes bleeding is not known, but it can be serious and even fatal. For all infestations, the treatment is to eliminate the parasite, stopping the blood loss and allowing the dog to regenerate the missing hemoglobin.
The problem can also be caused by blood-borne parasites, such as the babesia protozoan or the haemobartonella bacterium, which can damage red blood cells and lead to their destruction. It is very important to have your dog visit the vet to treat these infestations, which require specific medications, such as primakine or quinine in the first case and tetracycline in the second
Step 2. Get your dog on preventive drug therapy
There are many excellent effective flea medications on the market. Make sure you are using specific products for dogs that are proven to be effective, such as fipronil (Frontline), selamectin (Stronghold) or many others.
Angiostrongylus vasorum is common in Europe and dogs become infected through contact with infected feces, snails and snails. In this case, prevention is better than cure and to do this it is necessary to subject the dog to a monthly preventive treatment. If the animal tests positive for the parasite, the same treatments are used to treat it, but you can also give it antibiotics to prevent pneumonia, as well as steroids to prevent inflammation and a possible allergic reaction to dead parasites
Step 3. Follow your veterinarian's instructions on how to continue the treatment
In the event of profuse blood loss, a transfusion may be required. Fortunately, there are blood "banks" for dogs that can send blood quickly. The vet should check the dog's blood type with a simple outpatient test, then call the blood bank to request the right type.
This treatment is particularly useful if surgery is planned, such as the removal of the bleeding spleen, but unfortunately the delay of even a few hours to wait for blood can be fatal for specimens with very severe bleeding
Method 5 of 5: Treating Anemia Caused by Kidney Disease
Step 1. Look for the least likely causes of anemia
If you've ruled out all the common problems, don't give up and don't stop investigating. A rarer cause is kidney disease, which affects dogs less than other species, such as cats. For individuals with kidney problems, anemia occurs because these organs produce the hormone erythropoietin, which stimulates the bone marrow to make new red blood cells. However, in dogs with kidney disease, as active kidney tissue is replaced with scar tissue, the amount of cells available to produce erythropoietin is reduced.
Step 2. Give home treatments for anemia
You can give your dog iron supplements and B vitamins. Many dogs with kidney disease have poor appetite, so they may be deficient in the essential substances for creating hemoglobin (the molecule that carries oxygen) in red blood cells. However, the benefits of these supplements are limited given the scale of the problem.
Step 3. Treat the underlying cause of the anemia
This means solving the erythropoietin deficiency. In theory, giving your dog regular injections of synthetic erythropoietin should encourage the production of new red blood cells, but sadly, this simple fix brings many other problems. First of all, synthetic erythropoietin is difficult to obtain and very expensive. Furthermore, the incidence of allergic reactions to this artificial product is very high and can cause the dog's body to reject even the normally produced erythropoietin, aggravating the problem.
