Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Splenectomy added to treatment for dogs with immune anemia
By Horgan, Jason Elliott et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2009·Veterinary Specialists of South Florida, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Splenectomy as an adjunctive treatment for dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia: ten cases (2003-2006).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of ten dogs diagnosed with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (a condition where the immune system attacks red blood cells) underwent surgery to remove their spleens, in addition to standard treatments. After the surgery, nine out of ten dogs survived for at least 30 days, and four of those did not need any immunosuppressive medications. The dogs showed improved blood cell counts and required fewer blood transfusions after the surgery compared to before. This suggests that splenectomy may help improve outcomes for dogs suffering from this serious condition.
People also search for: dog immune-mediated hemolytic anemia treatment · splenectomy for dogs · dog blood transfusion needs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the patient population, disease severity, and outcome in dogs with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) that underwent splenectomy. To compare presurgical and postsurgical data. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Emergency clinic/referral hospital. ANIMALS: Ten dogs diagnosed with IMHA. INTERVENTIONS: Splenectomy in addition to standard medical management for IMHA. MEASUREMENTS: Medical records of 10 dogs with IMHA, in which a splenectomy was performed were reviewed. The population was analyzed with regards to physical and clinicopathologic data, severity, treatment, and outcome. Outcome was defined as survival at 30 days, percentage of dogs on medications at 30 days, and number of relapses documented by 30 days. The presurgical and postsurgical PCV and transfusion requirements were documented and compared for each dog. RESULTS: Nine of 10 dogs survived to 30 days. Four of the 9 that survived were not on any immunosuppressive medications. There were no relapses during the 30 days. The 3-day postsplenectomy PCVs were significantly higher than presplenectomy. The number of transfusions administered postsplenectomy was significantly less than those administered presplenectomy. CONCLUSION: The use of splenectomy may be associated with an improved outcome in dogs with IMHA.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19691510/