| An
autoimmune disease of dogs in which the red blood cells are damaged or
destroyed by the animals' own antibodies resulting in anaemia. The commonest
form is an apparently spontaneous haemolysis which can occur at any age.
Haemolysis may take place within within the blood cells and may be acute
or chronic.
Acute HA presents as a haemolytic crisis. Chronic HA presents as a moderate to severe intolerance of exercise with frequent episodes of breathlessness and high pulse rate. In addition to haemolysis, permanent or intermittent inactivity of the bone marrow is common. Affected animals sometimes show spontaneous agglutination of their red cells when blood samples are examined with the naked eye. This is a strongly suggestive finding. There is frequently antibody and/or complementary bound to the red cells, as revealed by a positive Coombs test. etc... (Conventional) Treatment is by steroids. etc . . . in high doses. The disease tends to persist, however, and will frequently require maintenance doses to be continued over long periods. Relapses are common. Blood transfusion is used as a life saving measure but cross-matching for blood group compatibility is desirable. Furthermore transfusion may suppress the natural processes of regeneration in the bone marrow. (and so on!) HA is a group of diseases which are usually terminal. There is research in progress but it is slow. In the meantime the best method of prevention is sound diet. |
