Anemia in dogs is defined as a deficiency of red blood cells. Red blood cells deliver nutrients and oxygen to cells and organs and carry carbon dioxide to the lungs to be exhaled. Without adequate red blood cells, your dog’s heart and lungs go into overdrive to try to make up for the lack of oxygen in the dog’s body and keep the body functioning. Anemia is serious.
What Causes Anemia in Dogs?
A healthy dog has a nice balance of new red blood cells being produced in the bone marrow and obsolescent and damaged cells being extracted in the spleen. Any disease that reduces the production of new cells or hastens the destruction of red blood cells can cause anemia. Disease, trauma, and parasitic infections can cause anemia.
How Do I Know My Dog Is Anemic?
With a lack of circulating red blood cells, your dog’s heart and lungs are working overtime to try make up for body’s oxygen deficit. Most dogs with anemia will be lethargic, often not interested in usual fun activities or only able to do them for a short time.
A dog battling anemia may show:
- Pale gum and mucous membrane color
- Slow capillary refill time
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Lack of appetite
- Increased heart rate
- Increased respiratory rate
How Is Anemia in Dogs Diagnosed?
Diagnosis of the cause will start with bloodwork, a tick-disease panel, fecal analysis, and a thorough physical examination, including checking for external parasites. More extensive testing might include imaging studies or a bone-marrow aspiration.
What Causes Anemia in Dogs?
Obviously, heavy blood loss, such as from trauma, will result in anemia, but anything that causes inadequate red blood cell production in the bone marrow will result in anemia. Common causes include:
Parasites: Heavy loads of parasites, both internal and external, can cause anemia in a puppy or any dog in poor nutritional status.
Autoimmune disease: Anemia may be related to autoimmune diseases. In these cases, your dog’s body attacks and destroys its own red blood cells.
Ulcers: Other causes include slow gastrointestinal bleeding associated with stomach or intestinal ulcers.
Urinary disease: Chronic blood loss through the urinary system can result in anemia.
Hemolytic anemia: This is a process where the red blood cells break down prematurely. Drug reactions and poisonous snake bites can cause hemolytic anemia.
Chronic illness: Any disease, like kidney or liver disease, can result in inadequate red blood cell production in your dog. Depending on the cause, some dogs may bleed from various orifices.
Cancer: Not surprisingly, some cancers interfere with red blood cell production, such as leukemia. Others may cause dangerous major blood loss such as bleed-outs of hemangiosarcoma masses in the liver or spleen.
How Do I Treat Anemia in My Dog?
True anemia is not something you can just treat at home. You will need veterinary assistance, prescribed medications, and possibly a blood transfusion for your dog. Veterinary treatment will aim at eliminating or controlling the cause of anemia.
If the cause is parasitic, proper use of dewormers and drugs to manage fleas, ticks, and lice are required to gain control. Anemia due to tick-borne disease will require appropriate antibiotics.
Corticosteroids and immune-modulating medications will be necessary if the cause is an autoimmune disease. In some cases, these medications may be temporary and tapered off, but some dogs will need to stay on them for life.
Erythropoietin is a substance made by the kidneys that helps to stimulate red blood cell production. Injections of erythropoietin may help to speed recovery.
A healthy, well-balanced diet is important in treating anemia. Most dogs do not have iron deficiency, but if your veterinarian feels it is warranted, iron may be prescribed.
Depending on the exact cause, anemia may be a treatable condition, or it may be a sign of a potentially fatal health condition, like cancer.
I lost a dog to Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia a few years ago. I gave him every treatment available, including a splenectomy. Unfortunately, the IMHA won out and I lost him. He was a fearful dog and I regret putting him through all of that treatment.
Same here. Three years ago my dog Molly had immune mediated hemolytic anemia probably from her annual vaccinations including rabies the month prior. She was was given blood transfusions etc. But passed away from a blood clot during her treatments. Only 10 years old.
I adopted a 10 years old dog terrier mix.Used some topical flea meds and then tried apoquel was a no and then cytopoint for allergies per her. Weight which later I found out it could cause this anemia.She did have treatment and lived 3 more years.I suggest no allergy med or cytopoint internally.SadieCake was a wonderful dog.She lived to 15 years.I am cautious more in vaccines and flea meds now.I have 2 young dogs.
I agree on Apoquel. Lost my 14.5 year old Cock-a-poo Kyra just before Christmas.
Enormous growth on the spleen. When you read the fine print now, you can see this potential is
not atypical. 14.5 is considered a good life for a Cock-a-poo, but as you know it was too soon and perhaps something that could have well been prevented and we could have had a little more time.