Anemia Home Remedies

Anemia in dogs: the overriding symptom of anemia is weakness, exacerbated by loss of appetite. Dogs tend to have pale gums; the color inside their ears may be pale, too, rather than pink. Because anemia is a generalized condition, it also exaggerates other symptoms: a lame dog, for example, will appear lamer if he becomes anemic.

Dog Anemia occurs, in essence, when the body’s red blood cell count drops. Since iron is needed to produce these cells, an iron-poor diet, especially when accompanied by general malnutrition, can lead to anemia. Another obvious cause is chronic loss of blood; a pet with a serious open wound will almost certainly become anemic if the bleeding is not stopped. Kittens can die of anemia when attacked by enough blood-drawing fleas. Worms, especially hookworms in severe infestations, can also absorb enough blood to cause anemia. Internal bleeding from ulcers or tumors can cause anemia, which may become life-threatening. The kidney can be involved more subtly. Chronic kidney disease can cause anemia.

Cancer involving the bone marrow normally causes anemia too. So does leukemia, which, while a cancer of the white blood cells, wreaks havoc on the red blood cells, too. Lastly, anemia can be an autoimmune disease— autoimmune hemolytic anemia—in which the body attacks its own red blood cells.

Because the causes are so varied, the first step in treating dog anemia is to determine just what the cause is.  Diagnosis by a veterinarian is critical — especially if, for example, the cause turns out to be autoimmune hemolytic anemia, from which a dog can die within twenty-four hours. Emergency cortisone and a lifesaving transfusion are typically required. If parasites are the cause, they must be handled appropriately.

At times, a severely anemic dog will require a blood transfusion. Pets, like people, have different blood types, but the differences are much more muted than ours are. The good thing about dogs needing transfusions is that almost all are universal donors. Rejections have been reported on occasion. (Often, in critical cases you don’t even have time to obtain the blood type results from a laboratory.)

DOG ANEMIA SYMPTOMS