Introduction
Anemia is a blood condition that develops when a dog's blood doesn't have enough healthy red blood cells. This condition can occur for a variety of reasons, and while anemia is a serious condition it can be treated with the proper medications. If your dog has been diagnosed with anemia, it is important to find out why the anemia developed and how it can be prevented in the future.
Symptoms of Anemia in Dogs
Within red blood cells there is a protein called hemoglobin. This protein is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the other areas of the body. Anemia is a condition in which the hemoglobin levels in the body are too low, and as a result the body is experiencing oxygen starvation. Symptoms such as lethargy, pale gums, confusion, rapid breathing, and difficulty walking may occur. If left untreated, severe anemia can result in heart murmurs and even death.
Types of Anemia
There are two types of anemia that can occur in dogs: regenerative anemia and non-regenerative anemia. Regenerative anemia develops when a dog loses more red blood cells than it can replace. Non-regenerative anemia occurs when a dog’s body loses the ability to produce new red blood cells.
Some factors which can cause regenerative anemia in dogs include: high loads of intestinal parasites, high loads of parasites such as fleas and ticks, a traumatic injury which caused large amounts of blood loss, or bleeding from ulcers in the stomach and small intestine. Regenerative anemia can be treated by addressing the cause of the blood loss.
Non-regenerative anemia is a more serious condition which is often a side-effect of an underlying disease. Some conditions which can cause non-regenerative anemia include cancer, kidney failure, and auto-immune disorders. In these cases the anemia cannot be cured unless the underlying condition is treated.