Anemia is a disease that develops not only in humans, but also in animals. It occurs due to a decrease in the level of red blood cells - these cells are associated with oxygen supply body. A lack of red blood cells can have a detrimental effect on the condition of the dog’s organs and systems and significantly worsen its condition. How to promptly recognize the presence of anemia in a dog, and how is this disease treated?
There are several types of this disease:
- Posthemorrhagic anemia. It occurs due to blood loss, and it does not matter whether the bleeding is internal or external. It may appear as a result of trauma affecting the blood vessels circulatory system and internal organs. Of course, it is extremely difficult to detect a disease if the bleeding is internal, especially if we are talking about a chronic process. But you can notice blanching of the mucous membranes, and subcutaneous hemorrhages of a pinpoint type often appear.
- Hypoplastic anemia. This form of the disease is associated with a lack of any microelements, proteins or iron, copper, zinc, selenium, B vitamins or folic acid. If the pet receives a complete diet enriched with useful elements, hypoplastic anemia may develop due to cell damage bone marrow toxic substances. Toxins can accumulate in the body due to past infectious diseases or impaired metabolism.
- Nutritional anemia. Belongs to the category of hypoplastic anemia. Develops in puppies with early age if they get it wrong, unbalanced diet. It may be associated with a lack of iron in the diet; the pathology of impaired absorption from the intestines is much less common.
- Aplastic form of pathology. Develops as a result severe violations in the activity of the hematopoietic system. Pathology concerns not only the formation of red blood cells, but also other blood cells. Complicated hypoplastic anemia can develop over time into aplastic anemia.
In addition, veterinarians can diagnose regenerative and non-regenerative forms of anemia in dogs. With the first type of pathology, the body is able to compensate for the loss of red blood cells by producing new ones quite quickly, but with the second form, rapid recovery does not occur.
The occurrence of the disease can be affected by the following conditions and processes:
- Injuries that cause large blood loss.
- Abundant internal bleeding, formed in gastrointestinal tract(arise due to strong inflammatory processes or infectious diseases).
- Infectious diseases (most often anemia develops against the background of tick-borne infestation); in most cases, small dogs suffer from anemia.
- Immune-mediated (autoimmune) diseases that cause the body's systems to destroy its own red blood cells.
- Reception medicines, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which often cause bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Aphanipterosis - infection. As with tick-borne infestations, there is increased danger for representatives dwarf breeds and puppies.
- Poisoning of a dog with toxic substances or heavy metals, causing severe intoxication of the body.
- Ailments in chronic form(often dogs, especially older ones, suffer from renal failure and oncology), in the treatment of which they use medications, reducing the process of red blood cell production.
Symptoms of anemia can be different and depend directly on the causes of its development.
Symptoms and signs of anemia in dogs
The main function of red blood cells is to carry oxygen, which is extremely important for their functioning, to all tissues and organs. Therefore, a decrease in the level of red blood cells leads to lethargy in the dog, and it is difficult for the animal to bear physical exercise. The pet is increasingly in a lying position, does not show activity, and gets up only when needed.
The pet's appetite decreases, or it may even lose its appetite. With anemia, paleness or blueness of the mucous membranes is observed; if you feel the dog’s gums, then with anemia they are cold.
If the disease does not appear due to bleeding, but against the background of severe intoxication or helminthic or tick infestation, then these symptoms develop at a slow pace. Most often dog owners long time and have no idea that their pet is sick.
During autoimmune anemia More severe symptoms may occur:
- Dyspnea.
- Malfunctions of the gastrointestinal tract - vomiting, loose stools.
- Polyuria is an increase in the amount of urine (does not always occur).
- Polydipsia – increased thirst, the pet drinks a lot a large number of water.
- Feverish condition.
During the examination, tachycardia, systolic murmurs, rapid breathing, and jaundice may be detected. Urine may have Brown color due to hemoglobin or bilirubin staining. Ultrasound and other research methods reveal enlargement of organs - liver, spleen, and lymph nodes.
Which dogs are at risk?
Anemia can develop in absolutely all dogs, purebreds, mixed breeds, adults or puppies. But dogs at particular risk include those with a history of stomach ulcers or duodenum, as well as animals with hereditary pathologies.
This also includes greyhounds, since these breeds are prone to diseases infectious origin, and those, in turn, lead to the development of anemia.
Diagnosing the disease in dogs
Anemia is detected through a blood test. The most commonly used method for determining the hemocrit value is carried out as part of a clinical blood test. If the indicator is 35% below normal, the pet will be diagnosed with anemia.
Among other tests to diagnose anemia, the following are taken:
A set of measures allows you to find out exactly what caused the dog’s anemia. Based on the results, timely effective treatment is prescribed.
Therapeutic treatment of anemia in dogs
Considering the above, we can agree that there is no single method of treating anemia. Therapy directly depends on what caused the disease. In addition, when prescribing treatment, the veterinarian evaluates the pet’s condition, taking into account its age and body characteristics.
For anemia, the following procedures can be used:
During the treatment process, monitoring the pet’s condition is extremely important, and regular monitoring after treatment.
At adequate treatment signs acute form aplastic anemia is eliminated after 21-28 days. The chronic course of diseases of this type is more complex and requires a very serious approach. Even after a course of therapy, the animal cannot fully recover for a long time.
Naturally, a young animal recovers faster from any type of illness, and the disease is relatively easier. U young body recovery period, including after surgery, takes less time.
Anemia in dogs on video
Prognosis for dogs with anemia
Of course, the prognosis for a pet with anemia depends on the type and form of the disease, the state of the body and other factors. With hemolytic anemia, dogs of any age, even older ones, recover fairly quickly. Naturally, if timely diagnosis and treatment were carried out.
If anemia is caused by intoxication with toxic substances or autoimmune diseases, then the forecasts are less favorable.
Anemia associated with cancer, in most cases, ends in the death of the animal, since the dog’s body reacts poorly to chemotherapy or surgery.
Anemia is a serious illness, so it is important to help your pet in time!
Anemia in dogs is not an independent disease, it is more a symptom of another – main (primary) – pathology associated with hematopoiesis. With this condition, the number of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in the blood decreases and/or the level of hemoglobin in them decreases.
Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein whose main purpose is to transport oxygen to cells and tissues. Obviously, when anemia develops in dogs, the symptoms are associated precisely with oxygen starvation. Absolutely all pets are at risk, regardless of their age, gender or breed.
It should be noted that due to the high compensatory properties of the body, anemia in dogs is extremely rare, but every dog breeder should know the symptoms of pathology!
How to tell if a dog has anemia
By the following signs A dog owner may suspect that their pet is sick:
What should you do if your dog has this condition? The most right action the owner will contact the veterinarian with subsequent examination general analysis blood, by which the diagnosis is determined accurately.
It should also be noted that the listed symptoms usually accompany already severe degree anemia. At the very beginning, the pathology may be asymptomatic. Therefore, one should not wait for the manifestation of all signs of anemia, pallor of the mucous membranes in combination with increased fatigue- already a good reason to take a blood test to check cellular composition.
Types of anemia
Depending on the pathological processes of anemia, there are:
According to the method of compensation it is divided into:
- regenerative, when the body copes with red blood cell deficiency by intensively producing new cells;
- non-regenerative when rapid restoration of the cellular composition of the blood does not occur.
How to help and how to treat
Before treating anemia, it is imperative to find out and eliminate the cause that led to this state. Without this, therapy will not only be ineffective, but also meaningless. In addition, treatment of anemia in dogs is carried out only in a comprehensive manner - bleeding is stopped, the root cause is eliminated, and the volume of blood, red blood cells and hemoglobin is restored.
Infusion therapy
in case of blood loss to replenish the volume of circulating blood. Depending on how extensive the blood loss was, such solutions are dripped:
- less than 20% blood loss: saline solution, glucose 5%, Ringer/Ringer-Locke solution, Trisol, etc.
- up to 40%: polyglucin, reopolyglucin, perftoran are added to the above solutions (especially good for piroplasmosis).
- above 40%: blood transfusion and red blood cell replenishment may be required.
All dosages are individual, calculated by the veterinarian based on the condition of the dog in this particular case and its weight.
Recovery time:
- acute form of anemia with correct and timely intensive care eliminated in 21-30 days, followed by restoration of the function of all systems and organs. In general, the earlier the diagnosis was made and treatment started, the higher the chances of recovery;
- Chronic anemia takes much longer to treat (time intervals vary from person to person), it is more difficult and there are high risks that the dog will never fully recover (it will be necessary to undergo almost lifelong specific therapy with a certain period of time).
Predictions:
- hemolytic anemia: usually favorable.
- autoimmune pathologies, poisoning: from cautious to unfavorable.
- anemia in oncology: always unfavorable, the animal dies despite supportive therapy.
What causes anemia
As already noted, anemia is not an independent disease; it is always a symptom of some primary pathology. Main causes of anemia:
To make a diagnosis, a general (cellular) blood test is usually done. The veterinarian just needs to pay attention to three main indicators: hemoglobin, the number of red blood cells and the color indicator (how saturated the red blood cells are with hemoglobin).
The following anemias are determined by analysis:
- normochromic;
- hypochromic;
- hyperchromic.
Normochromic anemia is characterized by a normal hemoglobin content in red blood cells, but at the same time the number of red blood cells themselves decreases. The color indicator in the analyzes is normal - approximately equal to 1.
With hypochromic anemia, the level of hemoglobin in red blood cells is low. In this case, the color indicator becomes less than 1. In addition, the drop in the total hemoglobin level is more pronounced than the decrease total number red blood cells This kind of anemia is always iron deficiency.
Hyperchromic anemia is accompanied by a sharp drop in the level of red blood cells, but at the same time, their hemoglobin sharply increases. In addition, the size and shape of red blood cells changes, and the level of immature cells increases.
A decrease in hematocrit level below 37% also indicates anemia. This is the same indicator of the level of red blood cells.
In addition to the main indicators (hematocrit, color index and hemoglobin level), the levels of monocytes and reticulocytes sharply decrease.
Have you noticed that in Lately Has your pet become lethargic and indifferent to entertainment? Is he reluctant to go for a walk, and when he returns home, he tries to lie down as quickly as possible? It is quite possible that the problem is low hemoglobin and loss of strength caused by pathology.
First of all, it’s worth understanding what low hemoglobin(or anemia) is not a disease in itself.
This sign indicates the presence of other, more serious problems in the body. At the first sign of loss of strength, it is advisable to take your pet to the doctor. Clinical tests urine and blood, as well as additional ultrasound and x-ray examinations will give the veterinarian a complete picture of the condition internal organs
pet. Based on the collected medical history, the doctor will prescribe a treatment regimen for your pet. Along with treating the underlying disease, try to quickly return the dog to normal level hemoglobin. After all, not only the well-being of your four-legged friend, but also the rate of recovery from the underlying disease. Exists sufficient quantity medicinal and
folk ways getting rid of anemia. Let's look at the most common and effective of them. If the hemoglobin level is slightly reduced, try to compensate for iron deficiency by eating foods rich in this trace element. The leaders in iron content are considered
beef liver Iron-containing products alone will not solve the problem. Ask your veterinarian to prescribe iron supplements for your dog, taken orally or by injection. Just don’t try to self-medicate - when prescribing these medications, the pet’s weight, age and health condition are important. Only taking into account all this data will therapy give a positive result.
Most often, after treatment of the underlying disease and additional intake iron supplements, the level of hemoglobin in the blood is completely restored.
Fortunately, for the most part, our four-legged pets are quite healthy creatures and with proper care and attentive attention from the owner, they quickly regain their strength and continue to delight us with all sorts of pranks and small pranks.
Natasha Sherwood
High hemoglobin can result from dog poisoning and subsequent dehydration, as well as very serious violations in organism.
How to increase low hemoglobin in a dog?
You can restore your hemoglobin level by adjusting proper nutrition dogs. It is necessary to introduce foods high in iron into your dog's diet. These should be scalded with boiling water before serving to the animal:
- beef liver,
- offal,
- meat.
But too many of these products should not be on a dog’s menu either. It is also worth giving your pet apples and hard-boiled eggs. And a children's hematogen will be a wonderful treat for him. If the hemoglobin level is critically low, it is necessary to use special medicines, which will be prescribed by the veterinarian.
How to lower hemoglobin?
High hemoglobin is reduced with the help of special drugs that thin the blood. They are prescribed only by a veterinarian after full examination animal. Because the main task is not to reduce hemoglobin, but to cure the underlying disease. Necessary and special diet, limiting the intake of foods that increase hemoglobin into the body:
- beef liver,
- meat,
- red fruits and berries.
And, on the contrary, in daily diet you need to include foods that lower hemoglobin: cereals, vegetables and green fruits, salads from fresh herbs. Sometimes they reduce hemoglobin and a procedure such as erythrophoresis.
Anemia ( Anaemia) from Greekan– negative particle and haima – blood – clinical and hematological syndrome associated with a decrease in the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin per unit volume of blood.
Hemoglobin performs the function of delivering oxygen to the tissues and cells of the animal’s body. Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow and from there enter the blood, where they live for about 2 months. As red blood cells age or become damaged, they are filtered from the bloodstream, destroyed in the spleen, and removed from the circulatory system. The iron found in red blood cells is recycled to create new red blood cells.
Anemia in dogs, as a rule, is secondary and anemia is based on a variety of pathological processes. Sometimes anemic syndrome is the main one in clinical picture and determines the prognosis of the disease; in other cases, anemia can be expressed very moderately.
During the diagnostic process, veterinary specialists must determine the pathogenetic mechanism of anemic syndrome (bleeding, deficiency of iron, vitamin B12, hemolysis, etc.) with subsequent identification of the disease underlying the anemia.
Etiology. Anemia in dogs can be caused by:
Anemia affects dogs of all breeds and ages. Blood mass in anemia can be normal, reduced, or even increased due to compensatory replenishment of the lack of fluid with tissue fluid. Simultaneously with quantitative changes during anemia, qualitative changes also occur in the body of a sick dog. shaped elements blood, which are caused by a reduced hemoglobin content in each erythrocyte and accompanied by functional failure of the erythrocyte system.
Pathogenesis. When anemia occurs in the body of a sick dog due to impaired blood supply to organs and tissues, oxidative processes, develops in tissues oxygen starvation(hypoxia) and hypoxemia. In the blood of a sick dog, under-oxidized metabolic products and waste products accumulate, which must be excreted from the body in the urine. Thanks to the body's adaptive reactions (reflex increase in cardiac activity, respiration, the supply of red blood cells from blood depots, activation of hematopoiesis), gas exchange and oxidative processes are maintained at a sufficient level even with significant anemia in dogs. At the same time, with severe anemia, even a small load on the dog causes its heart to increase in speed, shortness of breath and other pathological phenomena appear. With severe anemia in a dog, the central part of the body suffers first. nervous system, as a result of which the dog may faint.
At chronic course The dog becomes anemic dystrophic changes V parenchymal organs(fatty degeneration of the muscles of the heart, liver, kidneys) to the point that sometimes minor hemorrhages are observed in the serous and mucous membranes.
Clinical picture. Depending on the degree of saturation of red blood cells with hemoglobin (color indicator), veterinary specialists distinguish between normo-, hypo- and hyperchromic anemia in dogs. In normochromic anemia, the hemoglobin content in erythrocytes is within the range physiological norm(blood color index is close to one). With hypochromic anemia, red blood cells appear in the blood with low content hemoglobin. At the same time, the decrease in hemoglobin content is more pronounced than the decrease in the number of red blood cells. The color index is less than one. All hypochromic anemia are iron deficient. Hyperchromic anemia is characterized by sharp decline the number of red blood cells and an increase in the content of hemoglobin in them. In the dog's blood, anisocytosis is observed, as well as normablastosis and poicolocytosis.
During a clinical examination of a dog with anemia, a veterinarian notes lethargy, depression, decreased activity, visible mucous membranes are pale, pinkish and white, and bleeding of the mucous membranes (gums) is noted. The pulse is frequent on palpation, the heartbeat is rapid, murmurs are heard on auscultation of the heart, as a result of a sharp fall blood pressure The dog may collapse. A sick dog often refuses food and has frequent, labored breathing. We record fever, thirst, and the presence of blood in the stool.
Diagnosis Anemia in dogs is diagnosed based on clinical presentation and results laboratory research blood and urine. The blood is examined for coagulation, the laboratory reveals a decrease in the number of red blood cells, their structure, and red blood cell anomalies. A biochemical study of the bone marrow is performed. If internal bleeding is suspected, a veterinarian performs laparocentesis (puncture abdominal cavity with a special needle and taking a small amount abdominal fluid). When conducting complex diagnostics In case of anemia, veterinary clinics perform an x-ray and ultrasound of the abdominal cavity. If there is a suspicion of a tumor, ulcer, etc., which can cause anemia in the dog, an endoscopy is performed. Special tests for the purpose of determining in the blood - mycoplasmas, leptospira, babesia, etc. If, during an examination of a dog with anemia, the veterinarian suspects cancer A chest x-ray is performed.
Forecast for anemia depends on the cause that caused the anemia and the general condition of the dog’s body. At timely diagnosis anemia and satisfactory general condition sick dog, the prognosis is favorable. If anemia was a consequence of poisoning with pesticides (), leukemia, autoimmune diseases often unfavorable.
Treatment. Treatment of anemia in dogs is directly dependent on the cause that led the dog to anemia.
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