Low Platelets in Dogs

Low palette count in your dog's blood can be a serious issue. Getting your dog properly tested, to understand where the issue has evolved, can save your dog further complications in the future. It's difficult to see your dog ill, but listening to the advice of your vet can help your beloved pet recover.

  1. Thrombocytopenia

    • When your dog has a low palette count in the blood (platelets being cells that promote blood clotting), it is usually due to a condition called thrombocytopenia. When palettes become low in a dog's blood, the dog may bleed easily when cut, or bruise when touched lightly.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of thrombocytopenia are varied. If you see dark red spots in the dog's eyes or gums, bruises on the skin, nose bleeds, blood in the stool or urine, limping and whimpering are all signs that your dog may be suffering from low palette count.

    Diagnosis

    • Tests can be run on your dog to test for low palette count. A blood count can be taken form a blood sample, and this is compared to the dog's medical history. Tests can be run on other organs in the dog's body to test for further abnormalities. Urine tests can find infections, blood in the urine, and excess protein, all indicators of low palette count.

    Treatments

    • Antibiotics can be used to treat infections in the dog's body that may be causing thrombocytopenia. Corticosteroids, or cortisone-like drugs, can be used to lower the dog's immune system, keeping it from destroying palettes due to infection. If the infection is bad, and the dog begins to bleed out, a whole blood transfusion may be necessary.

    Care

    • If your dog has been diagnosed with a low palette count, try to keep the pet indoors. This will prevent confrontations that might cause bruising or bleeding. Keeping the pet calm will keep the dog resting. Keep the dog out of situations where ticks may be able to bite them. This can cause further infection.

    Prevention

    • Thrombocytopenia is often an inherited disease, and cannot be prevented. Many animals have thrombocytopenia but do not bleed out, and live a normal life. If a dog acquires thrombocytopenia, it is usually due to infection in another area of the dog's body, or cancer.

    Relax

    • Thrombocytopenia tends to respond quickly to treatment. Getting your dog back to its former self should be a breeze. If you stay relaxed, your dog will too.