Canine anemia: causes, symptoms and treatment

Like ours, the health of our dogs is conditioned by different aspects. Food, exercises, attention and care, are the main elements that pets require to remain with stable well -being. Good diet is essential, especially when our dog has low defenses, it is recommended to use quality feed to offer good diet, in blue wolf feed we have a wide catalog of Quality feed Super Premium, references such as the super premium lamb for adults and the feed super premium puppy sensitive for puppies would be two good options to feed our pets.

However, there are diseases that affect dogs progressively and whose symptoms are not recognized with the naked eye. One of the most common is Canine anemia. It is a disease caused by the lack of red blood cells in the blood, causing dogs to weaken and have different symptoms. But what is canine anemia? How to know when a dog suffers from this condition? How to treat it? These issues are unknown to many owners, causing the dog to be largely affected. For this reason, we have prepared an informative article where we will provide All details about dog anemia, its symptoms and the treatment that must be followed to reduce the disease. Do not stop reading this important post and ensures a good state of health in your dog.

What is it?

In the same way that happens with human beings, a large number of cells are found in the animals organism: from nutrients, to red, white and platelets. These elements constitute a fundamental role for canine health. Each has a specific function and a specific presence in the blood that, if superior or lower than its standard, can cause alterations in the health of the dog. In the specific case of red blood cells, its primary function is oxygen transport, not only to the blood itself, but to the whole body. Its presence in the blood of canines is usually not less than 39% and not more than 60%. A lower value that would mean the presence of anemia in the dog. Already known the function of the red blood cells in the blood, a decrease in these translates into a serious risk to the health of the dog, because we would be talking about a oxygen deficiency in the canine body. In simpler terms: canine anemia. But why are this disease? Let us know below the main reasons for the appearance of anemia in a dog.

Causes

The Causes of canine anemia They may vary according to the animal's body. However, the most common will be presented below: one of the main causes of anemia in a dog is that it does not produce the right amount of red blood cells. The poor bloodway production of the organism is one of the evils that this disease generally causes. On the other hand, the self -destruction of the red blood cells by the dog's immune system may be another cause that generates this disease. An external wound that causes the loss of an excessive amount of blood or internal bleeding, can be another cause of canine anemia. The presence of parasites in the dog's digestive system, or serious infections in their body, can produce a decrease in red blood cell count, which would give way to this disease. Some medications supplied to the dog to treat other conditions may cause that red blood cells decrease, causing anemia. According to the typology of anemia that occurs, the causes may vary. Let's look at the types of anemia and their causes.

Types of canine anemia

According to the causative factor of anemia, the type or characterization of it can be identified individually. In this case, You can distinguish three types of anemia that can affect dog's health:

Hemorrhagic anemia

This type of anemia is directly associated with blood loss, either due to internal hemorrhage, an open wound, the presence of parasites in the digestive system, appearance of ulcers or bleeding in the feces or urine, can be causes of this condition. Warn if the dog suffers from any of these characteristics is necessary.

Hemolytic anemia

We talk about this type of anemia when it is the dog's own immune system that destroys red blood cells, which decreases their production and prevents them from acting favorably in the animal's health. It can be of two types:

Immunomedied

The destruction of red blood cells is produced by antibodies produced by the body itself.

Congenital

The destruction of red blood cells is caused by hereditary conditions.

Aplastic anemia

It is caused when the amount of red blood cells produced by the organism are not enough to compensate for the destroyed ones. This can be associated with the presence of tumors or infections. Surely you are wondering how to identify canine anemia? Well, then, we will see some symptoms that will help you detect this disease.

Canine anemia symptoms

The weakness in the canine is one of the most visible ways of demonstrating anemia in our dog. The red blood cell deficiency translates into lack of oxygen in the tissues, therefore, it will not have the necessary strength to perform their daily activities. The lack of appetite, depression and even fainting, are also aspects that are commonly seen in a dog suffering from canine anemia. Accompanied in addition to bleeding in feces, tachycardia and paleness in specific areas such as gums and mucous membranes. To observe some of these symptoms, it is necessary to go to a veterinarian to diagnose the cause.

Treatment

Talking about a specific treatment for dogs suffering from anemia is a bit complicated, because it depends largely on the cause that originates the disease. Once the cause is determined, the veterinarian can establish a treatment based mainly on food, supply of vitamins and other aspects that significantly improve the health of the dog and disappear the disease. Beyond talking about treatment, emphasizing the prevention of this disease is really important. Well, although not all causes are preventable, there are aspects that, when care, may improving the health of our dogs in this regard. In the first instance, take care of food, making sure that it contains the vitamins and nutrients necessary for the dog to remain in good health. Likewise, periodic visits to the veterinarian and proper care of the dog based on their quality of life will be sufficient for Prevent this disease in some cases. Due to food, there are some foods that can favor the health of a dog suffering from anemia: liver, yogurt or vitamin C, are some of the most recommended foods. However, it will be the veterinarian who determines the food and care that the dog must receive to improve its defenses. Other articles that may interest you: