How to treat Anaemia in dogs?

Does your dog appear weak and lethargic? Do they suffer from a high pulse rate and rapid breathing? If so, do not neglect your pet at this stage as they can be anaemic and need quicker medical intervention.

Red blood cells are found in abundance in our body. They have haemoglobin which carries oxygen to our body. Anaemia is a medical condition that causes the body to produce lower levels of red blood cells. Diagnosing the condition is very easy with the presence of physical symptoms and simple blood tests can show the level of anaemia in your pet.

There are two types of anaemia in dogs:

Regenerative anaemia – It is a condition where the animal’s body is trying to recover from the loss of red blood cells and the bone marrow is trying to produce new cells.

Non-regenerative anaemia – If a dog has nutritional deficiencies, cancer or a chronic disease then it is very difficult for the bone marrow to produce new red blood cells therefore leading to non-regenerative anaemia.

Causes of anaemia in dogs

Blood loss is a common cause of anaemia in dogs. A lot of blood can be lost through the diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. An external bleeding caused by a sudden trauma can also reduce the count of the blood cells.

When there is a disease of the bone marrow or a damage to it, automatically the production of red blood cells gets affected. So, the dog’s body will not be able to regenerate red blood cells.

Also, the presence of infections or if the dog’s immune system is compromised then it will cause the body to destroy and kill the red blood cells.

Symptoms of anaemia in dogs

• Weakness
• Lethargic
• Inability to exercise
• If the membranes of the upper and lower part of their eyes appear white or pale
• Pale gums

Treatment of anaemia in dogs

The best way to treat anaemia is to first diagnose the cause and to attend to it. Your dog may need to undergo further specific tests to detect the presence of cancers, tumours or immune disorders. If the cause is difficult to determine then the best way to treat anaemia would be through blood transfusions or by administering certain medicines that increase the blood count.

It is always better to seek treatment as soon as your pet is diagnosed with anaemia. If you neglect, it can turn fatal. Their red blood cells will do down drastically and so will their oxygen level causing a major life threat. So, take your pet to the vet immediately as soon as you notice the symptoms for a quicker medical intervention.