home Audience 3 Symptoms and treatment of anemia in dogs (autoimmune hemolytic anemia and blood transfusion). Anemia in dogs: treatment, symptoms, causes

Symptoms and treatment of anemia in dogs (autoimmune hemolytic anemia and blood transfusion). Anemia in dogs: treatment, symptoms, causes

Anemia is serious disease, which affects not only the human body, but also many animals. It occurs against the background of a significant decrease in the number of red blood cells (blood cells that are responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body). A deficiency of red blood cells can have harmful influence on the general health of the animal, and affect the functioning of many body systems.

Types of anemia in dogs

Veterinarians identify several various types this disease:

Posthemorrhagic anemia – a decrease in blood volume develops due to blood loss (internal or external bleeding). The etiology of this type is injuries that affect blood vessels or internal organs. If the bleeding is internal, it will be difficult to notice, especially if it is chronic. But according to certain signs, the presence of anemia can be recognized (pallor of the mucous membranes, frequent appearance of subcutaneous foci of hemorrhage).
Hypoplastic anemia - this form of the disease occurs due to the absence or deficiency of certain microelements, proteins or vitamins. If the dog eats a complete fortified food, then the cause of hypoplastic anemia may be hidden behind pathological changes in cells bone marrow caused by toxins. Toxins can accumulate in the body due to many diseases.
Nutritional anemia is one of the varieties of the hypoplastic form. It is mainly detected in puppies that eat unbalanced food. It may be associated with insufficient intake of iron into the body from the diet; much less often it occurs due to impaired absorption of iron by the intestines.
Aplastic anemia - occurs due to severe pathologies in the functioning of the circulatory system. The disease affects not only the formation of red blood cells, but also all other blood cells.

Causes of anemia in dogs

For the development of anemia in pet, can be influenced by many factors. The main ones are:

Injuries accompanied by significant blood loss.
Massive internal bleeding caused by gastrointestinal pathologies (severe inflammatory or infectious processes).
Infectious diseases (often, anemia develops due to tick infestation), this cause is characteristic small breeds dogs.
Autoimmune diseases that regard one's own red blood cells as pathogenic cells.
Treatment with certain groups of drugs, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which often provoke bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
Infestation by fleas, as well as with tick infestations, there is a high risk of pathology in small breeds.
Poisoning of the dog’s body with poisons and heavy metals, which lead to severe general intoxication of the body.
Pathologies chronic course— many dogs that live to old age suffer from cancer. These diseases are treated with drugs that reduce the level of red blood cell production.

Clinical picture

The main function of red blood cells is to transport oxygen to all tissues and organs, which is very important for smooth functioning. If the level of red blood cells decreases, it will be reflected throughout the body.

A sick dog looks lethargic and apathetic, and has difficulty withstanding physical activity. You can also notice changes in behavior: the dog spends all the time lying in one place. Doesn't show the same activity, gets up only when absolutely necessary. The animal's appetite worsens or completely disappears. A characteristic feature Anemia is pallor or cyanosis of the mucous membranes; if you feel the gums, then in sick animals they will be cold.

With the autoimmune etiology of anemia, you can notice a more pronounced set of symptoms:

Shortness of breath, even at rest.
Dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract - vomiting, diarrhea.
Increased urine output (rare symptom).
Intense thirst, causing the animal to drink a lot of water.
Fever.

During the examination, veterinarians may note the presence of a rapid heartbeat, systolic murmurs, tachypnea, and signs of jaundice. Urine may vary by more dark color, due to the high concentration of hemoglobin or bilirubin in it. On ultrasound and other instrumental diagnostic methods, you can notice an increase in the size of the liver, spleen and lymph nodes.

At-risk groups

Anemia can develop in any dog, regardless of breed, age or gender. But to the group increased risk, includes those animals with a history of peptic ulcer stomach or duodenum, as well as some hereditary diseases.

This includes the pit bull terrier and greyhound, because these dog breeds are prone to infectious diseases, which, as written above, can cause anemia.

Diagnostics

Anemia can be diagnosed after a blood test. Most often, they use the method of calculating the hematocrit value, which is a component of a general blood test. If deviations from the norm in the downward direction exceed 35%, then the dog is confidently diagnosed with anemia.

Of the main diagnostic methods, a bone marrow biopsy is most often prescribed - this analysis provides maximum information about its condition and can indicate the cause of anemia. Less frequent diagnostic procedures:

After passing full complex diagnostic procedures, doctors can determine the exact cause of anemia in a dog. Based on the results, the animal can be prescribed timely and adequate therapy.

Treatment

Therapeutic measures largely depend on the etiological factor; in addition, when drawing up a treatment plan, the veterinarian takes into account such data as: the general condition of the dog, its age, gender, individual characteristics, medical history, etc.

During the entire course of treatment, it is important to monitor the general condition of the dog, and as soon as it is completed, carry out regular checkups and register with a veterinarian. With timely assistance, acute manifestations anemia can be eliminated in just 3-4 weeks.

Chronic anemia is a more complex and severe problem that requires a serious approach. Even after undergoing treatment, the dog is still for a long time will recover and return to normal. Of course, the body of young individuals copes with the disease faster, and their disease progresses in a shorter period of time. mild form. In young dogs, the rehabilitation period (even after surgical treatment) proceeds faster and more successfully than in older dogs.

Forecasts

The assumptions that doctors give to animals with anemia largely depend on the diagnosed type and form of the disease, as well as general condition pet's body. At hemolytic form Anemia recovery period is quite fast and successful, but only if diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.

If anemia was caused by poisoning or an autoimmune disease, then the prognosis will not be so rosy. Anemia caused by oncology ends in many cases fatal, because the animal’s body reacts negatively to chemotherapy or surgery.

Anemia is a decrease in the normal amount of red blood cells (RBCs) and hemoglobin in a dog's blood. Hemoglobin is a protein molecule inside red blood cells that is very important for transporting oxygen to all tissues of the body. There are a number of causes of anemia in domestic dogs. And it is important to find out the cause of the disease in order to draw up a suitable treatment plan.

Causes of anemia in dogs

There are three main anemia categories in domestic animals:

Anemia caused by blood loss (hemorrhagic or iron deficiency anemia)

Anemia resulting from the destruction of red blood cells in the blood ( hemolytic anemia)

Anemia caused by insufficient production of red blood cells (aplastic anemia)

Hemolytic anemia may be associated with the state of the immune system or develop separately from it. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a condition in which the dog's body, for some reason, perceives its red blood cells as foreign bodies and begins to produce a cascade of various immunological processes aimed at destroying these cells.

Hemolytic anemia may also be associated with hereditary diseases, exposure to toxins, extremely low levels of phosphorus or inherited red blood cells, and enzyme defects.

Aplastic anemia can be caused by both insufficient production of red blood cells and some other disorders of the dog’s body. Red blood cells are produced by the bone marrow. The reduction in their number is also influenced by tumors in the bone marrow areas, renal failure, some chemotherapy drugs, sulfa drugs, estrogens, some infections (such as parvovirus) and other diseases that negatively affect the production of red blood cells.

Prevention of anemia in dogs

There are no rules for strict categorical prevention of anemia in domestic animals. The causes of this disease are so diverse that the categories of anemia can be fundamentally different from each other. Therefore, prevention of its occurrence should be considered in each specific case separately.

For example, dogs receiving any medications associated with hemolytic anemia should undergo regular complete blood counts.

Symptoms of Anemia in Dogs

Signs by which an owner can notice that his dog has of this disease, may differ depending on whether it occurs suddenly (acute anemia) or develops slowly (chronic).

But there are still some general symptoms anemia, which is expressed in: weakness of the animal, lethargy, depression, lack of appetite, fever, bloody stools, bloating, bleeding of mucous membranes (for example, gums), difficult or frequent shallow breathing, increased heart rate, heart murmurs and collapse (falling) blood pressure).

Most of these signs are not specific for anemia. However, when several of them appear together, then anemia should be high on the list of suspects.

Diagnosis of anemia in dogs

Diagnose anemia It's not difficult at all for dogs. The veterinarian must conduct full analysis blood (which includes microscopic observation of the structure of red blood cells) and the animal’s urine.

For prevention, during any visit to the veterinarian, a test can be performed to determine the dog’s blood clotting ability.

A blood test will show the presence of abnormalities related to red blood cells, their number, structure and production process. However, not every examination will be able to show the underlying cause of the disease.

An advanced diagnostic test may be done that includes a bone marrow biopsy. It is usually carried out under general anesthesia. The veterinarian may also take a sample of free fluid in abdominal cavity using a procedure called laparocentesis. This involves puncturing the skin of the abdominal cavity with a special needle and removing large quantity liquids from it.

Such an analysis can also reveal the presence of blood in the abdominal cavity, which could have accumulated there as a result of any injury due to a blood clotting disorder, diseases of the spleen, etc.

Other diagnostic methods include abdominal x-ray, abdominal ultrasound, and endoscopy. It is also useful for identifying tumors, ulcers and other problems. Special tests to identify the presence of mycoplasma in the blood consist of a DNA test, which helps identify the deficiencies and predispositions of specific dog breeds.

If neoplasia is suspected, the veterinarian should prescribe X-ray chest.

Dogs at increased risk

Dogs of all breeds, ages and genders have the same chance of developing anemia. But among them there is also a risk group. It includes pets with gastrointestinal ulcers and hereditary defects. And pit bull terriers and greyhounds can be susceptible to anemia due to a predisposition to infectious diseases.

Treatment Options for Anemia in Dogs

Based on all of the above, it is quite logical that the treatment of anemia cannot have any one plan. But veterinarians still have a number of treatment options for this disease, which are used depending on the causes of its occurrence in a particular animal.

Treatment options for anemia include:

Careful monitoring and subsequent regular follow-up of your dog's condition are critical in controlling anemia. Depending on the underlying cause of the disease, the prognosis for the future is often quite good.

Symptoms of acute aplastic anemia usually disappear within 3-4 weeks after starting treatment. Chronic aplastic anemia is a more serious problem and can be a little more difficult to resolve. Often, even after a month of treatment, the dog is not able to fully restore its health.

Dogs with hemolytic anemia recover well in most cases at any age.

And only anemia associated with cancer most often ends fatal due to the animal's poor response to chemotherapy or surgery.

What is this?

Immune-mediated (autoimmune) hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a condition where the body's immune system attacks its own red blood cells.
The part of the immune system that produces antibodies begins to direct them against the body's own red blood cells.

Antibody proteins are attached to red blood cells - markers for destruction. When a large number of red blood cells are destroyed, they speak of the development of anemia, the patient feels sick and weak. As red blood cells are destroyed in the body, the patient becomes jaundiced rather than pale. skin and mucous membrane.

Removing old blood cells and recycling their components is normal

Red blood cells have a specific duration life cycle from the moment it leaves the bone marrow until the end of life as an oxygen carrier, when the cells become too dense to pass through the thin capillaries.

Red blood cells must be sufficiently pliable and plastic to participate in the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and when cells become functionally unusable, the body recycles (destroys) them and reuses their components.

Disease

When the immune system flags too many cells for removal, problems begin.
The spleen increases in size due to the need to synthesize more cells.
The liver cannot cope with the huge amount of bilirubin and the patient becomes icteric, which is manifested by a yellow or orange coloration of the tissues.
Massive destruction of innocent red blood cells occurs, this process is called intravascular hemolysis.

Ultimately, there is a lack of red blood cells in the bloodstream, insufficient oxygen supply to tissues and removal of metabolic products.
The situation is getting critical life threatening patient.

Signs of the disease that can be seen at home

The animal has severe weakness, lack of activity, lack of interest in food.
The urine may be dark orange or even brown.
The color of visible mucous membranes and conjunctiva is pale or yellow.
Fever may occur.

Diagnostics

Part clinical examination are blood tests.

With severe hemolysis, a decrease in the content of red blood cells, a decrease in hematocrit, a yellow or orange coloration of the blood serum, and an increase in bilirubin in the blood are usually detected. biochemical analysis blood.

Anemia is a condition in which the content of functional red cells (erythrocytes) in the blood is reduced. Anemia can be mild or severe and may be due to bleeding, red blood cell destruction (RAC), or insufficient red blood cell production. If anemia is detected, it is necessary to find out the cause.

Research to detect regenerative anemia

Anemia that develops due to insufficient production of red blood cells in the bone marrow is called regenerative anemia.

The cause of such anemia is chronic inflammatory diseases(chronic diseases of the skin, teeth and others), kidney failure, cancer various types or certain drugs (especially chemotherapy).

Normally, when red blood cells are lost, oxygen levels in the blood decrease, which stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. These types of anemia are called “regenerative” because the bone marrow responds by increasing the production of red blood cells.
In bleeding and autoimmune diseases, destruction of red blood cells is also observed regenerative anemia. Several ways have been developed to determine the type of anemia (whether it is regenerative or not).

The laboratory produces complete clinical analysis blood, examining the number of red blood cells and white blood cells, their size, shape, maturity, and ratios. A patient with regenerative anemia has very active bone marrow. Red blood cells enter the bloodstream not mature enough, so they can differ in size and pigment brightness (less mature red blood cells are larger and paler than mature cells).
Moreover, the precursors of erythrocytes, reticulocytes, can enter the bloodstream (they are so immature that they cannot be called erythrocytes).

When the bone marrow is very strongly stimulated, red blood cells can be released into the bloodstream with cell nucleus. These indicators indicate regenerative anemia. This means that red blood cells are lost during bleeding, hemorrhage or during active work the immune system destroys its own blood cells.

Studies revealing autoimmune destruction

When examining blood, there are several indicators that can determine the destruction of red blood cells or blood loss. You might think that blood loss is easy to detect, but internal hemorrhages occur that are difficult to detect.

Jaundice

Jaundice is the yellow coloration of animal tissues when the liver cannot cope with large amounts of bilirubin (iron-containing pigment formed when red blood cells are destroyed) supplied to it with the blood.

Normally, red blood cells are removed from the bloodstream as cells age and lose plasticity. The iron in red blood cells is used again in the liver.

When a large number of red blood cells are destroyed, the liver does not have time to utilize all the pigment, and it spreads throughout the body, turning the urine, gums and whites of the eyes yellow-orange.

Can jaundice only be caused by autoimmune destruction of red blood cells? Of course not. Liver failure leads to jaundice when the diseased liver cannot process normal amount bilirubin.

Typically, regenerative anemia with jaundice indicates autoimmune destruction of red blood cells.

Spherocytes

Spherocytes are spherical red blood cells that are found in the blood when the spleen does not completely remove old red blood cells from the bloodstream.

The spleen cells “bite off” part of the red blood cell, and it goes on to circulate in the blood. A normal red blood cell is biconcave and disc-shaped, the center of the cell is paler than the peripheral part. After the loss of part of the cell, the red blood cell acquires a spherical shape and becomes darker in color. The presence of spherocytes indicates the process of destruction of red blood cells.

Autoagglutination

In acute cases of AIHA, the autoimmune destruction of red blood cells is so severe that they clump together (as their membranes with attached antibodies stick to each other) when a drop of blood is placed on a glass slide under a microscope. The picture appears as follows: yellow spot with a small red lump in the center. This sign is very unfavorable.

Leukemoid reaction

In the classic case of AIHA, the bone marrow response is so strong that white blood cells also undergo changes, since they are also produced in the bone marrow. The number of leukocytes in the blood increases significantly.

Additional Research

Coombs test (direct antibody test)

The Coombs test is designed to detect antibodies on red blood cells and is a classic reaction for detecting AIHA.

Unfortunately, the test results are not clear. It may be false positive in the presence inflammatory processes or infectious diseases (resulting in the attachment of antibodies to the membrane of red blood cells), or after a blood transfusion (ultimately, foreign cells are eliminated by the immune system).

Also, the Coombs test may be falsely negative due to various reasons.
If clinical picture the disease coincides with AIHA, the Coombs test is often not performed. Remember, the causes of hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells) are not always associated with immune reactions. Bow in large quantities(garlic is also thought to be) can cause hemolysis in dogs.

Zinc poisoning, such as from licking zinc oxide ointment from the skin, can lead to hemolysis.

In young animals, a genetically determined deformation of erythrocytes can be suspected.

Treatment and observation during a crisis

Patients with AIHA are often unstable.
If the hematocrit is critically low, a blood transfusion may be required. At acute form The course of the disease may require multiple blood transfusions.

General supportive care includes maintaining fluid balance and providing the body with essential nutrients.

It is most important to stop hemolysis by suppressing the destructive effect of the immune system on red blood cells.

Blood transfusion

Whole transfusion donated blood can save the patient with a critically low hematocrit. However, it is necessary to remember: the problem is that the immune system destroys its own cells, then what is the chance of preserving foreign cells?

A good red cell compatibility is ideal, but due to the increased immune response, the outcome of the transfusion may be different. Therefore, multiple blood transfusions should not be performed.

Immune suppression

Corticosteroid hormones in high doses have an immunosuppressive effect. Prednisolone And dexamethasone are most often used for this purpose.
These hormones have a direct toxic effect on lymphocytes - cells that synthesize antibodies. If red blood cells are not bound by antibodies, they are not removed by the immune system, so stopping antibody production is important part treatment of AIHA.
These hormones inhibit the activity of reticuloendothelial cells that remove antibody-labeled blood cells.

Corticosteroids are usually sufficient to suppress the immune system. The problem is that if they are stopped early, hemolysis will begin again. You will likely need to take the hormones for weeks, even months, before tapering.

The medications are taken under the control of the blood picture. Expect the animal to be on steroid therapy for about 4 months, many will require ongoing low doses to prevent relapse.

Corticosteroids in high doses cause thirst, redistribution of body fat, thinning of the skin, shortness of breath, predisposition to diseases of the urinary system and other signs characteristic of Cushing's syndrome. Such side effects accompany long-term use corticosteroids, but in cases of AIHA there is often no other choice.
It is important to remember that side effects decrease with decreasing dosage of drugs.

More severe immune suppression

If there is no desired effect on the administration of corticosteroids, additional immunosuppressants are necessary. In this case it is often used azathioprim And cyclophosphamide, they are very strong drugs.

Cyclosporine is an immunomodulator, popular in transplantology.
Its advantage is that it does not suppress bone marrow function. It was used as a promising additional drug for AIHA, but 2 significant drawbacks emerged: high cost and blood monitoring to control the correct dose of the drug. The cost of treatment is very high, but the results can be very good.

Why did this disease affect your animal?

When something serious happens, you always want to know why.
Unfortunately, if the patient is a dog, then this question will be difficult to answer.
Research results show that in 60-75% of cases the exact cause cannot be identified.

In some cases, the cause can be found: a factor provoking the reaction. Some medications can cause a reaction that stimulates the immune system and masquerades as red blood cell coat proteins. The immune system tracks not only proteins similar to the drug, but also red blood cells with a similar protein. Such drugs are penicillin, trimethoprim sulfa and methimazole.

Some breeds are predisposed to developing AIHA: Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, Old English Sheepdog, Irish Setter.

Complications of AIHA

Thromboembolism

This disease is the leading cause of death in dogs with AIHA (30-80% of dogs dying from AIHA have this disease).

A large blood clot is called blood clot, clogging blood vessel. The vessel is called thrombosed. Embolism is the process when small parts break off from a blood clot and spread throughout the body. These mini blood clots clog more than small vessels, which leads to impaired circulation. In areas of blockage, an inflammatory reaction occurs that dissolves the clots; it can become health threatening when many vessels are affected.

AIHA is a relatively rare but very serious disease with high level mortality. Unfortunately, many dogs die.

Anemia manifests itself in different ways in dogs. The disease requires complex treatment, it occurs if the level of hemoglobin in the blood decreases. Hemoglobin is part of erythrocytes - red blood cells. Red blood cells are needed for the body to work smoothly. Blood cells deliver oxygen to organs and tissues. The production of red blood cells takes place in the bone marrow structures, from these parts they enter the blood.

Red blood cells live 50-60 days, they can be damaged and detached from the blood. The destruction of red blood cells occurs in the spleen. If the body loses a lot of red blood cells, anemia occurs. Rare disease is anemia and the causes of development are associated with numerous factors. An animal suffers from anemia if the body is deficient in vitamins and microelements, in particular iron. Iron is found in red blood cells, a microelement essential for any living organism.

How does anemia manifest itself in dogs?

There are primary and secondary forms of the disease, the secondary is more common, it has predetermining factors. Symptoms of pathology depend on the cause. Before starting treatment, the doctor conducts a diagnosis, identifies predisposing factors to anemic syndrome, and also determines which vitamin (or microelement) the body lacks. Anemia is more often associated with iron deficiency; the cause of the pathology may be a lack of vitamin B12. The disease develops under the influence of certain factors.

If a pet is injured and has lost a lot of blood, the body weakens and the preconditions for anemia arise.

The pathology develops against the background of inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Other predisposing factors: infectious disease, hepatitis, pathology urinary tract. With such ailments, blood clotting is impaired and anemia appears.
Some dogs have a hereditary tendency to the disease.
Possible cause: poisoning. If an animal inhales lead or zinc compounds, severe intoxication occurs. You should immediately take your pet to the clinic!
The cause of the pathology may be improper medication use. To avoid anemia, you should not self-medicate.
The disease is diagnosed in dogs that lack iron, vitamins A, B, C, and folic acid.
The diet should be balanced.
Anemia develops in puppies with helminthic infestation.

The disease hits dogs of different ages, in most cases it has predisposing factors. Despite the development of anemia, blood mass may be normal, as replacement reactions occur in the body. The main predisposing factor is low level hemoglobin in erythrocytes. Anemia develops with functional deficiency in the red blood cell system.

Types of disease

Treatment must be competent. The disease is divided into several types.

When anemia occurs, blood circulation in the internal organs, fabrics are tested oxygen starvation. The blood begins to accumulate toxins and wastes, and they are not eliminated in full. If the disease is pronounced, a malfunction occurs of cardio-vascular system. The dog begins to feel short of breath and the heart rate changes. As anemia progresses, the dog's central nervous system suffers, and the pet may faint. If anemia becomes chronic, parenchymal organs are affected. IN in rare cases hemorrhage occurs in the mucous membranes.

If normochromic anemia is diagnosed, this means that the level of red blood cells is normal. In the hypochromic form, red blood cells contain little hemoglobin. Symptoms of anemia are anisocytosis, normoblastosis, poikilocytosis. With such anemia, the dog is not active, feels tired, and weak. Some dogs develop depression.

During the examination, the doctor reveals that the mucous membranes are pale and slightly pinkish. Anemia can lead to bleeding gums. When listening, the doctor determines that the heart rate is high and noises are heard. If blood pressure falls sharply, collapse occurs. The disease leads to fever, the animal experiences severe thirst. Blood is visible in the feces.

Diagnostic measures

If anemia is suspected, carry out comprehensive examination. The veterinarian analyzes the clinical picture and then prescribes tests. Making a diagnosis is not complete without laboratory research. It is necessary to take a blood sample to determine clotting. If anemia develops, the level of red blood cells is reduced, some changes in the structure. To confirm the diagnosis, bone marrow biochemistry is required. If the doctor suspects internal bleeding, he will prescribe laparocentesis. During the procedure, the abdominal cavity is punctured and several milliliters of abdominal fluid are removed using a needle.

If the veterinarian suspects a tumor or ulcer, he or she will perform an endoscopy. If oncology is suspected, a chest x-ray is prescribed. The prognosis depends on the cause of the disease, taken into account accompanying pathologies and symptoms. If anemia is detected in a timely manner and the breeder adheres to the doctor’s recommendations, the prognosis is favorable. If the pathology arose as a result of serious poisoning or leukemia, the prognosis is disappointing.

Treatment of anemia in dogs

Treatment depends on the cause of the dog's anemia. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the veterinarian prescribes solutions for intravenous administration.

It is important to eliminate other symptoms. Good result provides vitamin therapy. If anemia leads to intense bleeding, surgery is performed.

Description of the drug "Ferran": in what cases is it prescribed?

The medicine is prescribed by a doctor, taking into account the form of the disease and the clinical picture. The main component of Ferran is iron; it also contains vitamins, they increase immunity, normalize hematopoiesis, and restore oxidative processes. Ferran is intended for intravenous administration; it mainly replenishes iron deficiency. If your body does not have enough vitamin B12, your doctor may prescribe this medicine. Ferran is used if anemia is caused by blood loss and if the animal did not receive vitamins with food.

When the doctor gives the injection, active ingredients quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Deposition occurs in the liver and hematopoietic organs. Ferran is part of complex therapy, it is low-risk. The drug is used not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of pathology. If it is used in winter, it warms up to a temperature of + 37 degrees. Dosages are individual. Ferran can lead to side effects. In some animals, the color of the skin changes after administration, in which case an antihistamine is prescribed.

If the use of Ferran leads to allergies and anaphylactic processes, the doctor immediately administers adrenergic agonists. If signs of overdose are observed, the animal refuses food. At the injection site there are inflammatory reactions. In such a situation, therapy with chelating medications is needed (they are also prescribed if the pet has an allergy).

Ferran and analogs are not used if anemia is not associated with iron deficiency.
The medicine is not prescribed if there is an excess amount of iron or if the process of utilization of the microelement is disrupted.
Ferran is not recommended for animals diagnosed with glomerulonephritis.
Contraindication is allergic skin disease.
The drug is not prescribed for severe liver pathologies and acute vitamin E deficiency.
Ferran is not compatible with antibiotics and glucocorticosteroids.

Prevention measures

To protect your pet from a dangerous disease, you need to monitor where he is and what he eats. The diet should be varied: dry food alternates with vegetables, cereals, and quality meat. If the animal is injured, you must immediately call a veterinarian (or take it to the clinic). It is important to detect and treat diseases in a timely manner. Healthy image life - best prevention anemia in dogs!

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Probably every dog owner has sometimes noticed that his beloved pet for some reason refuses or gets tired of the usual physical activity. If this passes quickly, then this state of the animal does not cause any particular concern. But if this is repeated very often or becomes a constant occurrence, then some suspicions arise about the pet’s health. Often the cause of this phenomenon can be a disease such as anemia.

What is anemia

Anemia can affect both people and animals. Cause of the disease- decrease in red blood cells in the blood. Red blood cells are cells that provide the body with oxygen. Their deficiency worsens the condition of all systems and organs of the animal.

Anemia can affect dogs of any breed and at any age. With this disease, blood mass can remain normal, decrease, or even increase. The increase can occur due to the fact that the lack of the liquid component of the blood is replenished with tissue fluid. At the same time, qualitative changes occur in the composition of the blood. The reason for this is the low hemoglobin content in red blood cells.

Anemia is also popularly called anemia. It's pretty dangerous disease in dogs. Often it occurs as an independent disease, and sometimes it is a symptom of other serious illnesses. Anemia must be noticed and diagnosed in time, otherwise it can lead to the death of the animal. To do this right away, you need to know the symptoms of the disease and its causes.

Anemia is extremely diverse and is often hidden under the signs of other diseases, but nevertheless we can identify its general symptoms.

Red blood cells carry oxygen to all organs and tissues of the body, which is very important for the life of the animal. If the level of red blood cells decreases, the dog becomes lethargic and gets tired very quickly from physical activity. Her activity decreases, she wants to lie down more often, and sometimes gets up only to relieve herself.

Pets' appetite decreases, sometimes so much that they refuse to eat at all. One more a clear sign anemia is the paleness and even blueness of the mucous membranes of the animal, the gums become cold to the touch.

And also other quite severe symptoms anemia:

disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract - loose stool, vomit;
dyspnea;
feverish condition;
polydipsia - the animal begins to drink water intensively;
polyuria - the amount of urine excreted increases, but this does not always happen.

During the examination, veterinarians may detect other malfunctions in the body: jaundice, rapid breathing, tachycardia, systolic murmurs. Bilirubin or hemoglobin may color urine Brown color. At ultrasound examinations Enlargement of the lymph nodes, liver and spleen can be detected.

Contact veterinary hospital, as soon as you suspect anemia in your dog.

Very often, the cause of anemia in an animal is a large loss of blood due to serious injury or caused by illness or severe inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract.

The disease can be provoked infectious diseases caused by ticks. This happens more often in small breed dogs.

The disease can also be provoked by an immune-mediated disease, due to which one’s own red blood cells are destroyed.

Internal bleeding, and then anemia, can be caused by the use of certain medications, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Flea infestation is no less dangerous than tick infestation. This is especially true for young animals and small breed dogs.

Poisoning caused by ingestion heavy metals or potent poisons, which causes intoxication of the body, can ultimately also lead to anemia. This is very dangerous species, it is capable of developing very quickly, and sometimes simply at lightning speed. A disease in which under the influence of hemolytic poisons(mercury, arsenic, lead, insect poisons, snakes, ammonia) increased destruction of red blood cells occurs, called hemolytic anemia.

Both external and internal bleeding occur with cancer.

The formation of blood cells may be suspended medical supplies, which are used in the treatment of such chronic diseases like cancer or kidney failure.

General diagnostic principles

It should be noted that anemia is not difficult to diagnose. It is more difficult to determine the disease that caused anemia, because it is only a symptom of some other disease.

After the dog gets into veterinary clinic, she is doing general analysis blood and urine. This makes it possible to determine whether the animal has anemia and, if it is present, then doctors then begin to search for the disease that caused it.

When a dog is diagnosed with anemia, but the reason why the red blood cells are destroyed is unknown, then a blood smear is taken and examined under a microscope. In case of blood loss for unknown reasons A stool examination is performed to determine if there is hidden blood.

In some cases, when it is difficult to determine the underlying disease, the diagnosis must be carried out in more detail. If there is a suspicion of pathology in the production of red blood cells, then a bone marrow biopsy is performed. Sometimes a sample of free fluid is taken from the abdomen, this method helps detect free blood.

Thanks to these research methods, it becomes possible to detect anemia in dogs.

Treatment

After diagnosing anemia in an animal, which shows whether it is a separate phenomenon or a symptom of another dangerous disease, you should immediately begin treatment for the disease. It will depend on the severity of the pet's condition. Treatment can include both medications and surgery.

If the disease progresses to severe form and already threatens the life of the animal, then in this case a blood transfusion is given. This helps stabilize the dog's condition. Appropriate treatment should also be prescribed.

Therapy depends on what disease caused the anemia. As a rule, the veterinarian, when prescribing treatment, looks at the condition of the dog and its age.

When treating anemia, the following procedures are performed:

If other methods are ineffective, then surgery is performed.

During the treatment period, it is necessary to constantly monitor the pet's health.

Treatment prognosis

How quickly a dog copes with anemia depends on the pet’s health status at this moment and what caused this disease.

If treatment was started on time, then after 3-4 weeks the symptoms of the disease stop. But when the disease turns into chronic form, then therapy may be delayed. Even after the dog will be complete course of treatment, she will return to normal for a long time.

The speed of recovery also depends on the age of the animal. Young dogs recover faster, in about 16-23 days.

Prevention of anemia in dogs

It is impossible to completely insure against this disease. But if the owner takes care of his pet, gives him the right food, walks with him, takes him for examination to specialists on time, treats him, carries out the necessary vaccinations, then this will help avoid serious illnesses which lead to anemia.

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