Anemia in dogs: treatment, symptoms, causes. Symptoms and treatment of anemia in a dog (autoimmune hemolytic anemia and blood transfusion) What to give a dog with low hemoglobin

Anemia in dogs is a condition of their body in which there is not enough hemoglobin or red blood cells in the blood. Red blood cells have a special function - they carry oxygen from the lungs to other organs. Accordingly, the development of anemia leads to the fact that organs and tissues begin to suffer from a lack of oxygen. In particularly serious cases, this can lead to the death of the animal.

Erythrocytes - red blood cells containing hemoglobin - are formed in the bone marrow. They are based on a specific chemical element - iron. And this is true even for a dog, even for a person. The lifespan of these cells is about 2 months, after which the liver filters them out of the blood, the main components are processed in the spleen, and the hemoglobin is sent back to the bone marrow to end up in new red blood cells. This is the life cycle of an erythrocyte.

At any stage of this process, various violations are possible, which lead to the development of anemia. So, iron deficiency, as well as B vitamins and folic acid, leads to a lack of hemoglobin in blood cells. There are also diseases that block the recovery of blood cells. Others provoke premature breakdown of red blood cells - hemolysis.

As a rule, dogs do not have primary anemia associated with iron deficiency, although, for example, people suffer from it quite often. However, dogs have a slightly different metabolism, and for them, anemia is not an independent disease, but a symptom of other diseases.

In this case, often the amount of blood in the dog's body does not change, only the qualitative composition is disturbed. Moreover, intuitively, the animal will try to improve blood quality by increasing water intake. And this, in turn, can even lead to an increase in the amount of blood in the vessels.

It is not possible to single out any breeds or age categories that are most predisposed to the development of anemia. It can only be said that animals that had diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or a tendency to serious infectious diseases fall into the risk zone.

Causes of Anemia in Dogs

Anemia in dogs is classified according to a variety of criteria. For example, there are regenerative and non-regenerative anemias in dogs.

Regenerative anemia in dogs is a condition in which the body is able to make up for the loss of blood on its own. Non-regenerative - a state in which the body copes with the situation on its own.

Anemia can also be divided into primary and secondary. But, as already mentioned, primary anemia in dogs is extremely rare.

Symptoms of Anemia in Dogs

If anemia is associated with a sharp loss of a large amount of blood, then it will not be difficult to determine it, even if we are talking about internal bleeding. The condition of the animal will deteriorate sharply, up to loss of consciousness. The situation is complicated by the fact that in this case you need to act very quickly, otherwise you may not have time to save the animal.

In other cases, diagnosing anemia can be quite difficult. The most striking symptoms may be the pallor of the mucous membranes. Their color becomes pale pink or even almost white. In addition, the animal becomes more lethargic, gets tired quickly, weakens.

Much more vivid and pronounced signs appear in the case of autoimmune anemia:

• dyspnea,
• vomiting, diarrhea,
• an increase in the amount of urine,
• increased thirst,
• fever.

Diagnostics

If the owner suspects anemia in his pet, then, first of all, veterinarians will do a blood test, checking the amount of hemoglobin in the blood. It is this indicator that allows you to say with accuracy whether the dog really has problems with anemia.

However, this diagnosis is unlikely to be completed, since it is very important for dogs to determine the cause of anemia. Without this, it will be impossible to find the right treatment. Iron preparations in most cases can only be maintenance therapy. It is the cause that needs to be treated, not the effect.

Treatment

In the case of acute anemia from blood loss, hemotransfusion is performed - blood transfusion for anemia in dogs. This allows you to quickly fill the lack of blood. In some hereditary diseases, transfusion is also used, but not pure blood, but its products: plasma, red blood cells, and so on. A bone marrow transplant is also possible.

In parallel with the elimination of the cause of the disease, it is also necessary to stimulate the production of new red blood cells and hemoglobin. To do this, the dogs are given preparations of iron, potassium, phosphorus and other minerals, vitamin K1, folic acid, and so on.

Predictions for sick dogs

Like treatment, prognosis depends entirely on the cause of the disease and on the general condition of the dog's body. So, if the cause of anemia is a cancerous tumor, then this, most often, leads to the death of the animal. This happens both because of the weakening of the body by a serious illness, and because of aggressive chemotherapy.

Severe chemical poisoning also leaves the dog with little chance of being shown. However, this does not mean that it makes no sense to fight for the life and health of the animal.

But if the cause of anemia is an external injury, and at the same time the animal was helped on time, then most likely the forecasts will be favorable.

It must be understood that many conditions that lead to anemia are almost impossible to completely cure. Especially when it comes to hereditary diseases. While others, for example, helminthic invasion, although they require long-term treatment, make it possible to get rid of anemia completely.

Prevention

Erythrocytes - red blood cells containing hemoglobin - are formed in the bone marrow. They are based on a specific chemical element - iron. And this is true even for a dog, even for a person. The lifespan of these cells is about 2 months, after which the liver filters them out of the blood, the main components are processed in the spleen, and the hemoglobin is sent back to the bone marrow to end up in new red blood cells. This is the life cycle of an erythrocyte.

At any stage of this process, various violations are possible, which lead to the development of anemia. So, iron deficiency, as well as B vitamins and folic acid, leads to a lack of hemoglobin in blood cells. There are also diseases that block the recovery of blood cells. Others provoke premature breakdown of red blood cells - hemolysis.

As a rule, dogs do not have primary anemia associated with iron deficiency, although, for example, people suffer from it quite often. However, dogs have a slightly different metabolism, and for them, anemia is not an independent disease, but a symptom of other diseases.

In this case, often the amount of blood in the dog's body does not change, only the qualitative composition is disturbed. Moreover, intuitively, the animal will try to improve blood quality by increasing water intake. And this, in turn, can even lead to an increase in the amount of blood in the vessels.

It is not possible to single out any breeds or age categories that are most predisposed to the development of anemia. It can only be said that animals that had diseases of the gastrointestinal tract or a tendency to serious infectious diseases fall into the risk zone.

The main causes of the disease

It is not a disease, but rather a symptom of some other process, disease, or disorder.

Hemoglobin delivers vital oxygen to the body's tissues and cells, and an animal that suffers from anemia will suffer from oxygen-deficient symptoms.

Red blood cells are made in the bone marrow and then released into the blood, where they live for about two months. As they age or become damaged, they are filtered out of the blood and their components re-form new red blood cells. The number of red blood cells may decrease due to a decrease in their production or increased loss.

Symptoms of anemia

The main obvious clinical symptom of anemia in dogs, as in cats, is pale or pale pink gums. Anemia dogs also have low stamina and tire very quickly. Pale gums and general lethargy indicate the need for a blood test.

Diagnostics

There are many diseases that can cause anemia. They are divided into three groups: 1) diseases that cause blood loss, 2) diseases that cause hemolysis (breakdown and destruction of red blood cells), and 3) diseases that suppress the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow.

The main causes of blood loss in dogs are:

The main causes of bone marrow suppression, which leads to a decrease in the production of red blood cells, are:

• Severe or chronic illness (such as kidney failure or liver disease)
• Very poor diet or nutritional imbalance
• Autoimmune diseases
• Hypothyroidism
• Poisoning by chemicals or toxins
• Neoplasia (tumor)

Iron deficiency anemia is a fairly common disease in humans. But in dogs, iron deficiency is rare, and usually develops due to chronic blood loss or a very poor diet.

Anemia treatment

If anemia in a dog has developed into such a severe form that it is a threat to his life, then he will need a blood transfusion. The purpose of the transfusion is to stabilize the dog, but the root cause of the anemia must be diagnosed and an appropriate treatment program instituted.

Treatment for anemia depends on the diagnosis and severity of the animal's condition. Treatment may include corticosteroids, diet therapy, other drugs, and surgery.

The prognosis for dogs suffering from anemia depends on the specific diagnosis and the general health of the animal at the time of diagnosis. With timely diagnosis of anemia and good health of the dog, the prognosis is favorable. Dogs that suffer from chemical poisoning, cancer, or autoimmune diseases have a less favorable prognosis.

Depending on the cause of development, anemia is divided into several types:

Anemia can be the result of a number of diseases. There are the following causes of anemia:

Let's dwell on them in more detail. As already mentioned, there are many factors that can provoke the development of anemia. But qualified veterinarians say that the most common causes of anemia in dogs are:

• decrease in circulating blood volume due to severe bleeding;
• various pathologies in which erythrocyte damage occurs;
• violation of the functioning of the hematopoietic system.

It is worth noting that no matter what causes anemia in dogs, it can be regenerative in nature. Simply put, the animal's body is independently able to restore the missing volume of blood, as a result of which the disease will disappear. But most often non-regenerative anemia occurs, in which the chances of a full recovery are practically reduced to zero.

In general, it is extremely diverse and can be masked by signs of other diseases, but general symptoms can still be distinguished. To begin with, the animal becomes lethargic and passive, he is not interested in food. The dog tries to spend more time lying down, getting up only to empty the bladder and intestines.

Types of anemia in dogs

Depending on the cause that led to the development of anemia, the following types of anemia in dogs are distinguished:

Also distinguish

In the first case, the dog's body is able to compensate for the loss of red blood cells and hemoglobin on its own, in the second case it is not.

Anemia in dogs is classified according to a variety of criteria. For example, there are regenerative and non-regenerative anemias in dogs.

Regenerative anemia in dogs is a condition in which the body is able to make up for the loss of blood on its own. Non-regenerative - a state in which the body copes with the situation on its own.

Anemia can also be divided into primary and secondary. But, as already mentioned, primary anemia in dogs is extremely rare.

Associated with immune disorders. The animal's body regards its tissues as foreign and seeks to damage them. As a result, hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells) occurs, which provokes anemia.

The main reason for this is a genetic predisposition. It often occurs as a result of cancer, systemic lupus erythematosus, due to infection with infectious diseases. Poodles, bobtails, Irish setters, cocker spaniels are especially located for this type of anemia. The most vulnerable age period in dogs is from 2 to 8 years. Bitches get sick much more often than males.

Diagnosed by laboratory analysis of blood smears, which allows you to determine the external changes in red blood cells. Treatment involves taking drugs that lower the dog's immune system (immunosuppressants) and steroid hormones (corticosteroids). In severe forms of the disease, a blood transfusion is done and the spleen is removed. Lethal outcomes in this disease are 40%.

The symptoms of autoimmune hemolytic anemia are often subtle. Often this is:

• darkening of urine to brown;
• darkening of feces to black;
• pale or icteric mucous membranes;
• vomit;
• muscle pain;
• refusal to eat or loss of appetite;
• severe weakness;
• heavy breathing;
• frequent pulse;
• enlarged spleen and peripheral lymph nodes.

Depending on the cause of the development of pathology, veterinarians divide anemia into several types. To date, the following types of anemia in dogs are known:

• posthemorrhagic;
• hemolytic;
• hypoplastic;
• aplastic.

Depending on the stage of the course of the pathology, it can be primary and secondary. Forms of anemia differ from each other in the intensity and severity of clinical manifestations, as well as related problems. In addition, hemolytic anemia in dogs can be acute or chronic. The first is manifested due to a sharp decrease in the volume of circulating blood, and the second proceeds slowly and leads to a slow depletion of the animal's body.

So, what are the types of anemia in the "wild nature"? Alas, but its types abound. Let's give the simplest classification, which is followed by almost all practicing veterinarians:

• Posthemorrhagic."Lent" - after, and "hemorrhage" doctors call bleeding. It's simple - if your dog got hurt and lost a lot of blood, then the number of red blood cells in his body will be much lower than normal for some time.

• Hemolytic. "Heme" - blood, "lysio" - destruction, decomposition. This is the name of anemia caused by some pathogenic factor (substance, microorganism), which contributes to the destruction of red blood cells in the bloodstream of the animal.

• Hypo- and aplastic anemia in dogs. Sometimes they are called trophic. The point is that the body simply does not have enough resources to build red blood cells. Of course, dogs are rarely brought to the state of a concentration camp prisoner, but with a combination of certain factors, this form of this pathological condition is also possible.

• There is also regenerative anemia in dogs and non-regenerative anemia. In the first case, the body can compensate for the loss of red blood cells by producing new ones, while in the other it does not.

It should be noted that a picture of the latter type of anemia can be obtained even with severe blood loss, when the dog's body is forced to spend resources and nutrients both on wound healing and on replenishing red blood cells in the body. The situation is further complicated by the fact that in this state the dog is often not very interested in food.

If we translate this term from unknown Latin, we get something like “little color”. This word means that the body simply does not have iron to build hemoglobin and red blood cells. It occurs in dogs whose owners are absolutely indifferent to the nutrition of their pets. As for the course of the disease, it can be chronic and acute.

Causes of Anemia in Dogs

The course of anemia, the intensity of clinical manifestations and the consequences depend on its cause, the individual characteristics of the animal, the severity and many other factors, for example, whether the dog had internal bleeding or there are genetic features.

Red blood cells contain a protein responsible for transporting oxygen and nutrients. They have a short life cycle, so erythrocytes must be constantly reproduced in the body of any living being. The hematopoietic system is responsible for this. Dead cells are engulfed by macrophages, and hemoglobin returns to the red bone marrow, from which it is produced.

If there are too few red blood cells, then the dog's body begins to experience oxygen starvation. If the pathology is regenerative in nature, then there will be no serious consequences from the disease, provided that complex therapy is carried out and the pathological process can be stopped.

Clinical picture (signs)

Symptoms of anemia in dogs are directly dependent on the causes that provoked the development of the disease. So, for example, in case of arsenic poisoning, the animal will vomit and

And with piroplasmosis, a high temperature will join the same symptoms. And yet, the characteristic signs of anemia, independent of the cause of the disease, exist:

• Severe weakness, the dog spends almost all the time outside of sleep in a prone position, does not play, does not run;
• Paleness of the mucous membranes (up to blue). The easiest way to determine that a dog is suffering from anemia is to look into its mouth: an unusual shade of gums is a reason to sound the alarm;
• Decrease or disappearance of appetite;
• Heavy breathing, shortness of breath with minimal motor movements;
• Tachycardia;
• Jaundice (occurs with a hemolytic variety).

Anemia in dogs - symptoms, causes and treatment

Anemia in dogs manifests itself in different ways. The disease requires complex treatment, it occurs if the level of hemoglobin in the blood decreases. Hemoglobin is part of erythrocytes - red blood cells.

Erythrocytes are needed for the body to work smoothly. Blood cells deliver oxygen to organs and tissues.

The production of red blood cells is carried out in the structures of the bone marrow, from these departments they enter the blood.

Anemia is a rare disease and the causes of development are associated with numerous factors. The animal suffers from anemia if the body is deficient in vitamins and trace elements, in particular iron.

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

• Pathology develops against the background of inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Other predisposing factors: infectious disease, hepatitis, urinary tract pathology. With such ailments, blood clotting is disturbed, anemia appears.
• Some dogs have a hereditary tendency to get sick.
• The possible reason is poisoning. If an animal has inhaled lead or zinc compounds, severe intoxication appears. Take your pet to the clinic immediately!
• The cause of the pathology may be improper medication. To avoid anemia, do not self-medicate.
• The disease is diagnosed in dogs that lack iron, vitamins A, B, C, folic acid.
• The diet should be balanced.
• Anemia develops in puppies with helminthic invasion.

Causes of anemia

Signs of anemia depend on the pathogenetic factor that caused it, but one way or another they are associated with impaired oxygen supply to tissues. The most typical, rather striking symptoms of anemia are usually pallor (up to pearly white) of the mucous membranes and loss of activity. The dog becomes lethargic, drowsy, inhibited, quickly tired.

Symptoms of the disease can also be:

• bloating;
• loss of appetite;
• jaundice (with hemolytic form);
• petechial hemorrhages on the mucous membrane of the eyes and oral cavity;
• subfebrile temperature;
• traces of blood in stool or urine;
• rapid pulse;
• hard breath;
• cardiac arrhythmia, tachycardia.

Unfortunately, there is no single model of the symptoms of this disease. The clinical signs of anemia depend on the factor that caused the disease.

However, in most cases, anemia is not indicated by the normal pallor of the mucous membranes, in particular, the oral mucosa. It may acquire a pale pink or white hue.

With anemia, the dog also has severe weakness, a constant craving for sleep, breathing is noticeably difficult, and the pulse quickens.

If a dog develops jaundice, it may be a direct consequence of a certain type of this disease, namely hemolytic anemia.

HEMOGLOBIN

Reasons for an increase in hemoglobin concentration:
1. Myeloproliferative diseases (erythremia);
2. Primary and secondary erythrocytosis;
3. Dehydration;

Causes of a decrease in hemoglobin concentration:
1. Iron deficiency anemia (relatively moderate decrease - up to 85 g / l, less often - more pronounced - up to 60-80 g / l);
2. Anemia due to acute blood loss (significant reduction - up to 50-80 g/l);
3. Hypoplastic anemia (significant decrease - up to 50-80 g/l);
4. Hemolytic anemia after hemolytic crisis (significant decrease - up to 50-80 g/l);
5. B12 - deficiency anemia (significant decrease - up to 50-80 g / l);
6. Anemia associated with neoplasia and/or leukemia;
7. Hyperhydration (hydremic plethora).

Reasons for a false increase in hemoglobin concentration:
1. Hypertriglyceridemia;
2. High leukocytosis;
3. Progressive liver diseases;
4. Sickle cell anemia (appearance of hemoglobin S);
5. Multiple myeloma (with multiple myeloma (plasmocytoma) with the appearance of a large number of easily precipitating globulins).

HEMATOCRIT

Reasons for a decrease in hematocrit:
1. Anemia of various origins (may decrease to 25-15%);
2. An increase in the volume of circulating blood (pregnancy, especially the 2nd half, hyperproteinemia);
3. Hyperhydration.

Causes of an increase in hematocrit:
1. Primary erythrocytosis (erythremia) (increases to 55-65%);
2. Erythrocytosis caused by hypoxia of various origins (secondary, rises to 50-55%);
3. Erythrocytosis in neoplasms of the kidneys, accompanied by increased formation of erythropoietin (secondary, increases to 50-55%);
4. Erythrocytosis associated with polycystic and hydronephrosis of the kidneys (secondary, increases to 50-55%);
5. Reducing the volume of circulating plasma (burn disease, peritonitis, repeated vomiting, diarrhea, malabsorption, etc.);
6. Dehydration.
Hematocrit fluctuations are normal.
The ability of the spleen to contract and expand can cause significant changes in hematocrit, especially in dogs.

Causes of a 30% increase in hematocrit in cats and 40% in dogs due to contraction of the spleen:
1. Physical activity immediately before taking blood;
2. Excitement before taking blood.
Reasons for a drop in hematocrit below the standard range due to spleen enlargement:
1. Anesthesia, especially when using barbiturates.
The most complete information is provided by the simultaneous assessment of hematocrit and total protein concentration in plasma.
Interpretation of the data for determining the hematocrit value and the concentration of total protein in plasma:

Normal hematocrit
1. Loss of protein through the gastrointestinal tract;
2. Priteinuria;
3. Severe liver disease;
4. Vasculitis.
b) The normal concentration of total protein in plasma is the normal state.
1. Increasing protein synthesis;
2. Anemia masked by dehydration.

High hematocrit
a) Low concentration of total protein in plasma - a combination of "shrinkage" of the spleen with loss of protein.
1. "Reduction" of the spleen;
2. Primary or secondary erythrocytosis;
3. Hypoproteinemia masked by dehydration.
c) High concentration of total protein in plasma - dehydration.

Low hematocrit
a) Low concentration of total protein in plasma:
1. Significant current or recent blood loss;
2. Over-hydration.
b) Normal concentration of total protein in plasma:
1. Increased destruction of red blood cells;
2. Decreased production of red blood cells;
3. Chronic blood loss.
c) High concentration of total protein in plasma:
1. Anemia in inflammatory diseases;
2. Multiple myeloma;
3. Lymphoproliferative diseases.

AVERAGE RED CELL VOLUME

Macrocytosis (high MCV values) - causes:
1. Hypotonic nature of water and electrolyte balance disorders;
2. Regenerative anemia;
3. Non-regenerative anemia due to impaired immune system and/or myelofibrosis (in some dogs);
4. Myeloproliferative disorders;
5. Regenerative anemia in cats - carriers of the feline leukemia virus;
6. Idiopathic macrocytosis (without anemia or reticulocytosis) in poodles;
7. Hereditary stomatocytosis (dogs, with a normal or slightly increased number of reticulocytes);
8. Hyperthyroidism in cats (slightly elevated with normal or elevated hematocrit);
9. Newborn animals.

False macrocytosis - causes:
1. Artifact due to erythrocyte agglutination (in immune-mediated disorders);
2. Persistent hypernatremia (when blood is diluted with a liquid before counting the number of red blood cells in an electric meter);
3. Long-term storage of blood samples.
Microcytosis (low MCV values) - causes:
1. Hypertonic nature of the violation of water and electrolyte balance;
2. Iron deficiency anemia due to chronic bleeding in adult animals (about a month after their onset due to the depletion of iron in the body);
3. Iron deficiency alimentary anemia in suckling animals;
4. Primary erythrocytosis (dogs);
5. Long-term therapy with recombinant erythropoietin (dogs);
6. Violations of heme synthesis - prolonged deficiency of copper, pyridoxine, lead poisoning, medicinal substances (chloramphenicol);
7. Anemia in inflammatory diseases (MCV is slightly reduced or in the lower normal range);
8. Portosystemic anastomosis (dogs with normal or slightly reduced hematocrit)
9. Portosystemic anastomosis and hepatic lipidosis in cats (mild decrease in MVC);
10. May be with myeloproliferative disorders;
11. Violation of erythropoiesis in English Springer Spaniels (in combination with polymyopathy and heart disease);
12. Persistent elliptocytosis (in crossbred dogs as a result of the absence of one of the proteins in the erythrocyte membrane);
13. Idiopathic microcytosis in some breeds of Japanese Great Danes (Akita and Shiba) - not accompanied by anemia.

False microcytosis - causes (only when determined in an electronic counter):
1. Severe anemia or severe thrombocytosis (if platelets are taken into account with MCV when counting with an electronic counter);
2. Persistent hyponatremia in dogs (due to erythrocyte shrinkage when diluting blood in vitro to count erythrocytes in an electronic counter).

AVERAGE CONCENTRATION OF HEMOGLOBIN IN ERYTHROCYTES
Mean erythrocyte hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)- an indicator of saturation of erythrocytes with hemoglobin.
In hematology analyzers, the value is calculated automatically or calculated by the formula: MCHC = (Hb (g \ dl) \ Ht (%)) x100
Normally, the average concentration of hemoglobin in erythrocytes in dogs is 32.0-36.0 g/dl, in cats 30.0-36.0 g/dl.

An increase in MCHC (it happens extremely rarely) - causes:
1. Hyperchromic anemia (spherocytosis, ovalocytosis);
2. Hyperosmolar disorders of water and electrolyte metabolism.

False increase in MCHC (artifact) - causes:
1. Hemolysis of erythrocytes in vivo and in vitro;
2. Lipemia;
3. The presence of Heinz bodies in erythrocytes;
4. Agglutination of erythrocytes in the presence of cold agglutinins (when counting in an electric meter).

Decrease in MCHC - reasons:
1. Regenerative anemia (if there are many stress reticulocytes in the blood);
2. Chronic iron deficiency anemia;
3. Hereditary stomatocytosis (dogs);
4. Hypoosmolar disorders of water and electrolyte metabolism.
False MCHC Downgrade- in dogs and cats with hypernatremia (because the cells swell when blood is diluted before counting in an electronic counter).

AVERAGE HEMOGLOBIN CONTENT IN ERYTHROCYTE
Calculation of the average content of hemoglobin in an erythrocyte (MCH):
MCH = Hb (g / l) / number of red blood cells (x1012 / l)
Normal in dogs is 19-24.5 pg, in cats 13-17 pg.
The indicator does not have independent significance, since it directly depends on the average volume of an erythrocyte and the average concentration of hemoglobin in an erythrocyte. It usually correlates directly with the value of the mean volume of erythrocytes, with the exception of cases when macrocytic hypochromic erythrocytes are present in the blood of animals.

Anemia has been classified according to erythrocyte parameters, taking into account the average erythrocyte volume (MCV) and the average concentration of hemoglobin in the cell (MCHC) - see below.

NUMBER OF ERYTHROCYTES
Normally, the content of erythrocytes in the blood in dogs is 5.2 - 8.4 x 1012 / l, in cats 6.6 - 9.4 x 1012 / l.
Erythrocytosis - an increase in the content of red blood cells in the blood.

Relative erythrocytosis- due to a decrease in the volume of circulating blood or the release of red blood cells from the blood depots ("reduction" of the spleen).

Absolute erythrocytosis- an increase in the mass of circulating red blood cells due to increased hematopoiesis.

Erythrocytopenia is a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood.

Classification of anemia by erythrocyte parameters, taking into account the average erythrocyte volume (MCV) and the average concentration of hemoglobin in the cell (MCHC)

b) Macrocytic normochromic anemia:
1. Regenerative anemia (the average concentration of hemoglobin in the erythrocyte is not always reduced);
2. In infections caused by feline leukemia virus without reticulocytosis (usually);
3. Erythroleukemia (acute myeloid leukemia) and myelodysplastic syndromes;
4. Non-regenerative immune-mediated anemia and/or myelofibrosis in dogs;
5. Macrocytosis in poodles (healthy mini-poodles without anemia);
6. Cats with hyperthyroidism (weak macrocytosis without anemia);
7. Insufficiency of folates (folic acid) - rarely.

c) Macrocytic hypochromic anemia:
1. Regenerative anemia with marked reticulocytosis;
2. Hereditary stomatocytosis in dogs (often mild reticulocytosis);
3. Increased osmotic instability of erythrocytes of Abyssinian and Somali cats (reticulocytosis is usually present);

d) Anemia microcytic or normocytic hypochromic:
1. Chronic iron deficiency (months in adult animals, weeks in sucklings);
2. Portosystemic shunts (often without anemia);
3. Anemia in inflammatory diseases (usually normocytic);
4. Hepatic lipidosis in cats (usually normocytic);
5. Normal condition for Japanese Akita and Shiba dogs (no anemia);
6. Long-term treatment with recombinant human erythropoietin (moderate anemia);
7. Copper deficiency (rare);
8. Drugs or agents that inhibit gemma synthesis;
9. Myeloproliferative disorders with impaired iron metabolism (rarely);
10. Pyridoxine deficiency;
11. Familial disorder of erythropoiesis in English Springer Spaniels (rare);
12. Hereditary elliptocytosis in dogs (rare).

NUMBER OF PLATELETS

Thrombocytosis is an increase in the number of platelets in the blood.

Causes:
I. Thrombocytopenia associated with a decrease in the formation of platelets (insufficiency of hematopoiesis).
a) acquired
1. Cytotoxic damage to the red bone marrow:
- cytotoxic anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs;
 introduction of estrogens (dogs);
- cytotoxic drugs: chloramphenicol (cats), phenylbutazone (dogs), trimetoptim-sulfadiazine (dogs), albendazole (dogs), griseofulvin (cats), probably thiacetarsemide, meclofenamic acid and quinine (dogs);
- cytotoxic estrogens produced by tumors from Sertoli cells, interstitial cells and granulosa cell tumors (dogs);
 increase in the concentration of cytotoxic estrogens with functioning cystic ovaries (dogs).
2. Infectious agents:
- Ehrlichia canis (dogs);
- parvovirus (dogs);
 infection with feline leukemia virus (FLK-infection);
- panleukopenia (cats - rarely);
- Infection with the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV infection).
3. Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia with death of megakaryocytes.
4. Irradiation.
5. Myelophthisis:
- myelogenous leukemia;
- lymphoid leukemia;
- multiple myeloma;
- myelodysplastic syndromes;
- myelofibrosis;
- osteosclerosis;
- metastatic lymphomas;
- Metastasizing mast cell tumors.
6. Amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (rarely);
7. Long-term use of recombinant thrombopoietin;
8. Absence of endogenous thrombopoietin.
b) hereditary
1. Moderate cyclic thrombocytopenia with an undulating decrease and increase in platelet production in gray collies with hereditary cyclic hematopoiesis;
2. Thrombocytopenia with the appearance of macroplatelets in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (asymptomatic).
II. Thrombocytopenia due to increased destruction of platelets:
1. Immune-mediated:
- primary autoimmune (idiopathic) - idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (may be combined with autoimmune hemolytic anemia - Evans syndrome) - common in dogs, more often in females, breeds: cocker spaniels, dwarf and toy poodles, Old English and German shepherds;
 secondary in systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis;
 secondary in allergic and drug-allergic;
 secondary in infectious diseases accompanied by deposition of antigen-antibody-complement complexes on the surface of platelets (with ehrlichiosis, rickettsiosis);
 secondary in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
2. Haptenic - associated with hypersensitivity to certain drugs (drug-toxic) and uremia;
3. Isoimmune (posttransfusion thrombocytopenia);
4. Infectious processes (viremia and septicemia, some inflammations).
III. Thrombocytopenia due to increased platelet utilization:
1. DIC;
2. Hemangiosarcoma (dogs);
3. Vasculitis (for example, with viral peritonitis in cats);
4. Other disorders causing damage to the endothelium;
5. Inflammatory processes (due to damage to the endothelium or an increase in the concentration of inflammatory cytokines, especially the adhesion factor and platelet aggregation);
6. Bites of snakes.
IV. Thrombocytopenia associated with increased platelet sequestration (deposition):
1. Sequestration in the hemangioma;
2. Sequestration and destruction in the spleen with hypersplenism;
3. Sequestration and destruction in the spleen with splenomegaly (with hereditary hemolytic anemia, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, spleen lymphoma, congestion in the spleen, myeloproliferative diseases with splenomegaly, etc.);
4. Hypothermia.
V. Thrombocytopenia associated with external bleeding:
1. Acute bleeding (minor thrombocytopenia);
2. Massive blood loss associated with poisoning with anticoagulant rodenticides (pronounced thrombocytopenia in dogs);
3. When transfusion of platelet-depleted donor blood or erythrocyte mass to animals that have suffered a large blood loss.
Pseudothrombocytopenia - can be when using automatic counters for counting platelets.

Causes:
1. Formation of platelet aggregates;
2. In cats, since their platelets are very large in size, and the device cannot reliably distinguish them from erythrocytes;
3. In Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, macroplatelets are normally present in their blood, which the device does not distinguish from small erythrocytes.

LEUKOCYTE COUNT

A decrease or increase in leukocytes in the blood can be both due to certain types of leukocytes (more often), and general, while maintaining the percentage of certain types of leukocytes (less often).
An increase or decrease in the number of certain types of leukocytes in the blood can be absolute (with a decrease or increase in the total content of leukocytes) or relative (with a normal total content of leukocytes).
The absolute content of certain types of leukocytes in a unit of blood volume can be determined by multiplying the total content of leukocytes in the blood (x109) by the content of a certain type of leukocytes (%) and dividing the resulting number by 100.

LEUKOCYTE BLOOD FORMULA

Cells Percentage of all white blood cells
Dogs Cats
Myelocytes 0 0
Metamyelocytes (young) 0 0 - 1
Stab neutrophils 2 - 7 1 - 6
Segmented neutrophils 43 - 73 40 - 47
Eosinophils 2 - 6 2 - 6
Basophils 0 - 1 0 - 1
Monocytes 1 - 5 1 - 5
Lymphocytes 21 - 45 36 - 53
When evaluating the leukocyte formula, it is necessary to take into account the absolute content of certain types of leukocytes (see above).
Shift to the left - a change in the leukogram with an increase in the percentage of young forms of neutrophils (stab neutrophils, metamyelocytes, myelocytes).

Causes:
1. Acute inflammatory processes;
2. Purulent infections;
3. Intoxication;
4. Acute hemorrhages;
5. Acidosis and coma;
6. Physical overstrain.

Regenerative left shift- the number of stab neutrophils is less than the number of segmented neutrophils, the total number of neutrophils is increased.
Degenerate shift to the left- the number of stab neutrophils exceeds the number of segmented neutrophils, the total number of neutrophils is normal or there is leukopenia. The result of increased demand for neutrophils and/or increased destruction of neutrophils, leading to destruction of the bone marrow. A sign that the bone marrow cannot meet the increased need for neutrophils in the short term (several hours) or long term (several days).
Hyposegmentation- shift to the left, due to the presence of neutrophils, which have condensed nuclear chromatin of mature neutrophils, but a different nuclear structure compared to mature cells.

Causes:
 Pelger-Huin anomaly (hereditary trait);
 transient pseudoanomaly in chronic infections and after the administration of certain drugs (rarely).

Shift to the left with rejuvenation- in the blood there are metamyelocytes, myelocytes, promyelocytes, myeloblasts and erythroblasts.

Causes:
1. Chronic leukemia;
2. Erythroleukemia;
3. Myelofibrosis;
4. Metastases of neoplasms;
5. Acute leukemia;
6. Coma states.

Shift to the right (hypersegmentation)- change in the leukogram with an increase in the percentage of segmented and polysegmented forms.

Causes:
1. Megaloblastic anemia;
2. Diseases of the kidneys and heart;
3. Conditions after blood transfusion;
4. Recovery from chronic inflammation (reflects increased residence time of cells in the blood);
5. Exogenous (iatrogenic) rise in the level of glucocorticoids (accompanied by neutrophilia; the reason is a delay in the migration of leukocytes into the tissue due to the vasoconstrictive effect of glycocorticoids);
6. Endogenous (stressful situations, Cushing's syndrome) rise in the level of glucocorticoids;
7. Old animals;
8. Dogs with a hereditary defect in cobalamin absorption;
9. Folate-deficient cats.

NEUTROPHILS

Neutrophilia (neutrophilia)- an increase in the content of neutrophilic leukocytes in the blood above the upper limits of the norm.
May develop as a result of increased production of neutrophils and / or their release from the bone marrow; reducing the migration of neutrophils from the bloodstream into tissues; decrease in the transition of neutrophils from the regional to the circulating pool.

a) Physiological neutrophilia- develops with the release of adrenaline (the transition of neutrophils from the regional to the circulating pool decreases). Most often causes physiological leukocytosis. More pronounced in young animals. The number of lymphocytes is normal (may increase in cats), there is no shift to the left, the number of neutrophils increases by no more than 2 times.

Causes:
1. Physical activity;
2. Seizures;
3. Fright;
4. Excitation.
b) Stress neutrophilia - with increased endogenous secretion of glucocorticoids or with their exogenous administration. Causes stress leukocytosis. Glucocorticoids increase the release of mature leukocytes from the bone marrow and delay their transition from blood to tissue. The absolute number of neutrophils rarely increases by more than two, compared with the norm, the shift to the left is absent or weak, often there is lymphopenia, eosinopenia and monocytosis (more often in dogs). Over time, the number of neutrophils falls, but lymphopenia and eosinopenia persist as long as the concentration of glucocorticoids in the blood remains elevated.

Causes:
1. Increased endogenous secretion of glucocorticoids:
- pain;
- prolonged emotional stress;
- abnormal body temperature;
hyperfunction of the adrenal cortex (Cushing's syndrome).
2. Exogenous administration of glucocorticoids.
in) Inflammatory neutrophilia- often the main component of inflammatory leukocytosis. Often there is a shift to the left - strong or slight, the number of lymphocytes is often reduced.

Causes of extremely high neutrophilia (over 25x109/l) with high leukocytosis (up to 50x109/l):
1. Local severe infections:
 pyometra, pyotherax, pyelonephritis, septic peritonitis, abscesses, pneumonia, hepatitis.
2. Immune-mediated disorders:
- immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, polyarthritis, vasculitis.
3. Tumor diseases
- lymphoma, acute and chronic leukemia, mast cell tumor.
4. Diseases accompanied by extensive necrosis
 within 1-2 days after surgery, trauma, pancreatitis, thrombosis and biliary peritonitis.
5. First 3 weeks after administration of a toxic dose of estrogen (dogs, subsequently developing generalized hypoplasia or aplasia of the bone marrow and panleukopenia).

Leukemoid reaction of the neutrophilic type- a sharp increase in the number of neutrophilic leukocytes in the blood (above 50x109 / l) with the appearance of a large number of hematopoietic elements, up to myeloblasts. It resembles leukemia in terms of the degree of increase in the number of leukocytes or in cell morphology.

Causes:
1. Acute bacterial pneumonia;
2. Malignant tumors with multiple bone marrow metastases (with and without leukocytosis):
- cancer of the parenchyma of the kidney;
- prostate cancer;
- breast cancer.

Neutropenia- decrease in the absolute content of neutrophils in the blood below the lower limit of the norm. Often it is absolute neutropenia that is the cause of leukopenia.
a) Physiological neutropenia- in dogs of the Belgian Tervuren breed (together with a decrease in the total number of leukocytes and the absolute number of lymphocytes).
b) Neutropenia associated with a decrease in the release of neutrophils from the red bone marrow (due to dysgranulopoiesis - a decrease in the number of progenitor cells or a violation of their maturation):

1. Myelotoxic effects and suppression of granulocytopoiesis (without a shift in the leukocyte formula):
 some forms of myeloid leukemia, some myelodysplastic syndromes;
- myelophthisis (with lymphocytic leukemia, some myelodysplastic syndromes, myelofibrosis (often associated with anemia, less often with leukopenia and thrombocytopenia), osteosclerosis, in the case of lymphomas, carcinomas and mast cell tumors);
- in cats, infections caused by feline leukemia virus, feline immunodeficiency virus (together with leukopenia);
- toxic effect on endogenous (hormone-producing tumors) and endogenous estrogen in dogs;
- ionizing radiation;
- anticancer drugs (cytostatics and immunosuppressants);
- some medicinal substances (chloramphenicol)
 infectious agents - an early stage of a viral infection (infectious hepatitis and parvovirus of dogs, panleukopenia of cats, Ehrlichia canis infection in dogs);
- lithium carbonate (delayed maturation of neutrophils in the bone marrow in cats).
2. Immune neutropenia:

- isoimmune (post-transfusion).

c) Neutropenia associated with redistribution and sequestration in organs:

1. Splenomegaly of various origins;
2. Endotoxic or septic shock;
3. Anaphylactic shock.

d) Neutropenia associated with increased utilization of neutrophils (often with a degenerative shift of the leukocyte formula to the left):

1. Bacterial infections (brucellosis, salmonellosis, tuberculosis);
2. Severe purulent infections (peritonitis after intestinal perforation, abscesses that opened inside);
3. Septicemia caused by gram-negative bacteria;
4. Aspiration pneumonia;
5. Endotoxic shock;
6. Toxoplasmosis (cats)

e) Neutropenia associated with increased destruction of neutrophils:

1. Hypersplenism;
2. Severe septic conditions and endotoxemia (with a degenerative shift to the left);
3. DIC.

f) Hereditary forms:

1. Hereditary deficiency of absorption of cobolamine (dogs - together with anemia);
2. Cyclic hematopoiesis (in blue marble collies);
3. Chediak-Higashi syndrome (in Persian cats with partial albinism - light yellow eyes and smoky blue coat).

In addition to the above cases, neutropenia can develop immediately after acute blood loss. Neutropenia accompanying non-regenerative anemia indicates a chronic disease (eg, rickettsiosis) or a process associated with chronic blood loss.

Agranulocytosis- a sharp decrease in the number of granulocytes in the peripheral blood up to their complete disappearance, leading to a decrease in the body's resistance to infection and the development of bacterial complications.

1. Myelotoxic - develops as a result of the action of cytostatic factors, is combined with leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and, often, with anemia (i.e., with pancytopenia).
2. Immune
- haptenic (idiosyncrasies to medicinal substances) - phenylbutazone, trimethoprim / sulfadiazine and other sulfonamides, griseofulvin, cephalosporins;
 autoimmune (with systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic lymphocytic leukemia);
- isoimmune (post-transfusion).

EOSINOPHILES

Eosinophilia - an increase in the level of eosinophils in the blood.

Causes:

Eosinopenia - a decrease in the content of eosinophils in the blood below the lower limit of normal. The concept is relative, since they may be absent normally in healthy animals.

Causes:

1. Exogenous administration of glucocorticoids (sequestration of eosinophils in the bone marrow);
2. Increased adrenocorticoid activity (Cushing's syndrome primary and secondary);
3. The initial phase of the infectious-toxic process;
4. Severe condition of the patient in the postoperative period.

BASOPHILES

LYMPHOCYTES

Absolute lymphocytosis - an increase in the absolute number of lymphocytes in the blood above the normal range.

Causes:

1. Physiological lymphocytosis - an increased content of lymphocytes in the blood of newborns and young animals;
2. Adrenaline rush (especially cats);
3. Chronic viral infections (relatively rare, more often relative) or viremia;
4. Reaction to vaccination in young dogs;
5. Chronic antigenic stimulation due to bacterial inflammation (with brucellosis, tuberculosis);
6. Chronic allergic reactions (type IV);
7. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia;
8. Lymphoma (rare);
9. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Absolute lymphopenia - a decrease in the absolute number of lymphocytes in the blood below the normal range.

Causes:

1. An increase in the concentration of endogenous and exogenous glucocorticoids (with simultaneous monocytosis, neutrophilia and eosinopenia):
- treatment with glucocorticoids;
- Primary and secondary Cushing's syndrome.
2. Viral diseases (canine parvovirus enteritis, feline panleukopenia, canine distemper; infection with feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus, etc.);
3. The initial stages of the infectious-toxic process (due to the migration of lymphocytes from the blood into tissues to the foci of inflammation);
4. Secondary immune deficiencies;
5. All factors that can cause a decrease in the hematopoietic function of the bone marrow (see leukopenia);
6. Immunosuppressants;
7. Irradiation of the bone marrow and immune organs;
8. Chronic uremia;
9. Heart failure (circulatory failure);
10. Loss of lymphocyte-rich lymph:
- lymphangiectasia (loss of afferent lymph);
- rupture of the thoracic duct (loss of efferent lymph);
- lymphatic edema;
 chylothorax and chylascite.
11. Violation of the structure of the lymph nodes:
- multicentric lymphoma;
- generalized granulomatous inflammation
12. After stress for a long time, together with eosinopenia - a sign of insufficient rest and poor prognosis;
13. Myelophthisis (together with a decrease in the content of other leukocytes and anemia).

MONOCYTES

Monocytosis - an increase in the number of monocytes in the blood.

Causes:

1. Infectious diseases:
 recovery period after acute infections;
- fungal, rickettsion infections;
2. Granulomatous diseases:
- tuberculosis;
- brucellosis.
3. Blood diseases:
- acute monoblastic and myelomonoblastic leukemia;
- chronic monocytic and myelomonocytic leukemia.
4. Collagenoses:
- systemic lupus erythematosus.
5. Acute inflammatory processes (with neutrophilia and shift to the left);
6. Chronic inflammatory processes (with a normal level of neutrophils and / or without a shift to the left);
7. Necrosis in tissues (inflammatory or in tumors);
8. Increase in endogenous or exogenous glucocorticoids (in dogs, together with neutrophilia and lymphopenia);
9. Toxic, superosseous inflammatory or severe viral infections (canine parvovirus enteritis) - together with leukopenia.
Monocytopenia - a decrease in the number of monocytes in the blood. Monocytopenia is difficult to assess due to the low content of monocytes in the blood is normal.
A decrease in the number of monocytes is observed with hypoplasia and aplasia of the bone marrow (see leukopenia).

PLASMACYTES

Causes of the appearance of plasma cells in peripheral blood:

1. Plasmacytoma;
2. Viral infections;
3. Long-term persistence of the antigen (sepsis, tuberculosis, actinomycosis, autoimmune diseases, collagenoses);
4. Neoplasms.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

Accelerate ESR:

1. The formation of coin columns and agglutination of erythrocytes (the mass of settling particles increases) due to the loss of a negative charge on the surface of erythrocytes:
- increase in the concentration of certain blood proteins (especially fibrinogen, immunoglobulins, haptoglobin);
- blood alkalosis;
the presence of anti-erythrocyte antibodies.
2. Erythropenia.
3. Reduced plasma viscosity.
Diseases and conditions accompanied by accelerated ESR:
1. Pregnancy, postpartum period;
2. Inflammatory diseases of various etiologies;
3. Paraproteinemia (multiple myeloma - especially pronounced ESR up to 60-80 mm/hour);
4. Tumor diseases (carcinoma, sarcoma, acute leukemia, lymphoma);
5. Diseases of the connective tissue (collagenoses);
6. Glomerulonephritis, amyloidosis of the kidneys, occurring with nephrotic syndrome, uremia);
7. Severe infectious diseases;
8. Hypoproteinemia;
9. Anemia;
10. Hyper- and hypothyroidism;
11. Internal bleeding;
12. Hyperfibrinogenemia;
13. Hypercholesterolemia;
14. Side effects of drugs: vitamin A, methyldopa, dextran.

Leukocytosis, increased ESR and corresponding changes in the leukocyte formula are a reliable sign of the presence of infectious and inflammatory processes in the body.

Slow down ESR:

1. Blood acidosis;
2. Increasing plasma viscosity
3. Erythrocytosis;
4. A pronounced change in the shape and size of erythrocytes (crescent, spherocytosis, anisocytosis - since the shape of the cells prevents the formation of coin columns).
Diseases and conditions accompanied by a slowdown in ESR:
1. Erythremia and reactive erythrocytosis;
2. Pronounced phenomena of circulatory failure;
3. Epilepsy;
4. Sickle cell anemia;
5. Hyperproteinemia;
6. Hypofibrinogenemia;
7. Obstructive jaundice and parenchymal jaundice (presumably due to the accumulation of bile acids in the blood);
8. Taking calcium chloride, salicylates and mercury preparations.

Animals share many common diseases with humans. So, a dog can be diagnosed with "anemia", the common name of which is "anemia", is not entirely correct, since in pathology the volume of blood does not decrease, its component composition changes: the level of hemoglobin drops.

In vertebrates, hemoglobin is found in red blood cells, a special iron-containing protein that provides oxygen transport to tissues. Red blood cells are produced by the bone marrow, and those that have served are excreted in the feces and urine. The processes of formation and decay of cells are balanced, this ensures a constant number of red blood cells in the blood.

When the balance is disturbed and there is a lack of red blood cells, the body experiences cellular oxygen starvation. Anemia can be caused by many reasons, and in any case requires immediate treatment, because with unhindered development it poses a threat to the life of the animal.

Depending on the cause of development, anemia is divided into several types:

Signs of anemia depend on the pathogenetic factor that caused it, but one way or another they are associated with impaired oxygen supply to tissues. The most typical, rather striking symptoms of anemia are usually pallor (up to pearly white) of the mucous membranes and loss of activity. The dog becomes lethargic, drowsy, inhibited, quickly tired.

Symptoms of the disease can also be:

• bloating;
• loss of appetite;
• jaundice (with hemolytic form);
• petechial hemorrhages on the mucous membrane of the eyes and oral cavity;
• subfebrile temperature;
• traces of blood in stool or urine;
• rapid pulse;
• hard breath;
• cardiac arrhythmia, tachycardia.

Diagnostics

The main diagnostic method for detecting anemia is a clinical (general) blood test. Normal hematological parameters for adult dogs are:

• hemoglobin - 120÷180 g/l;
• ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) - up to 13 mm/hour;
• leukocytes - 6–17 thousand/mkl;
• hematocrit (volume of red blood cells) - 38 ÷55 vol%.

Attention! The day before blood donation, the animal must limit physical activity, the last feeding should be no later than 8 hours before the blood sampling procedure. This is necessary to ensure the reliability of the analysis results.

Treatment

The tactics of treating anemia in animals is developed on the basis of the data obtained during the examination on the cause of the pathology and the extent of the violation of the blood composition. For any form of anemia, vitamins B12 (cyanocobalamin), B9 (folic acid), as well as preparations containing potassium, iron, cobalt, selenium, and zinc are prescribed.

It is important! In case of anemia, it is recommended to feed the dog with foods that contain a large amount of iron and B vitamins. This will help to quickly replenish the level of hemoglobin in the blood. One of the most iron-rich foods is raw liver.

Anemia Prevention in Dogs

There are no preventive measures that would be able to completely eliminate the development of anemia in a dog. Compliance with the general rules for keeping and feeding an animal can greatly reduce the chance of getting anemia. These include:

• regular preventive examinations at the veterinarian;
• timely vaccination;
• agreement with the doctor on taking any medications;
• ensuring safe living conditions that exclude contact with toxic substances.

Particular attention should be paid to the dog's diet. The feed must be balanced and contain the elements necessary for hematopoiesis: minerals, vitamins. When choosing ready-made feeds, it is advisable to give preference to those made on the basis of meat waste. The amount of food eaten by an animal per day should be sufficient to meet the needs of its body. For example, a pregnant or lactating bitch, or an actively "working" hunting dog will need more food than a dog that spends almost all the time in the apartment.

Have you noticed that recently your pet has become lethargic and indifferent to entertainment? He reluctantly goes for a walk, and when he returns home, he tries to lie down as soon as possible? It is quite possible that the cause is low hemoglobin and a breakdown caused by pathology.

First of all, it is worth understanding that low hemoglobin (or anemia) in itself is not a disease. This symptom indicates the presence of other, more serious, problems in the body.

At the first signs of a breakdown, it is advisable to take your pet to the doctor. Clinical urine and blood tests, as well as additional ultrasound and X-ray examinations, will give the veterinarian a complete picture of the condition of the pet's internal organs. Based on the collected history, the doctor will prescribe a treatment regimen for your pet.

Together with the treatment of the underlying disease, try to quickly return the dog to a normal level of hemoglobin. After all, not only the well-being of your four-legged friend, but also the rate of recovery from the underlying disease depends on how oxygenated the blood is. There are a sufficient number of medical and folk ways to get rid of anemia. Let's look at the most common and effective ones.

If the hemoglobin level is slightly low, try to make up for iron deficiency by eating foods rich in this trace element. The leaders in iron content are beef liver and meat, as well as apples. It is desirable to give meat and offal half-baked, ideally - just scalded with boiling water.

When the hemoglobin is low enough, iron-containing products alone will not solve the problem. Ask your veterinarian to prescribe iron supplements for your dog, either by mouth or by injection. Just do not try to self-medicate - when prescribing these medicines, the weight, age and health of the pet are important. Only taking into account all these data, therapy will give a positive result.

Most often, after treatment of the underlying disease and additional intake of iron preparations, the level of hemoglobin in the blood is completely restored.

Fortunately, for the most part, our four-legged pets are quite healthy creatures, and with the full care and attention of the owner, they quickly restore their strength and continue to delight us with all sorts of pranks and petty pranks.

Natasha Sherwood