Thrombocytopenia in Dogs

Thrombocytopenia in dogs is a serious blood disorder that can occur in any breed of dog or in mixed breeds. According to "The Veterinarians' Guide to Your Dog's Symptoms" by Michael S. Garvey, D.V.M, et al, dogs with thrombocytopenia are also prone to bruising easily. The danger is that the dog can bleed to death.

  1. Significance

    • In thrombocytopenia, the number of platelets in a dog's blood plummets. Blood platelets are important because they help to clot blood when there is an injury. Without platelets, the dog keeps on bleeding. The reason the blood is missing platelets is because the dog's bone marrow is no longer producing enough.

    Causes

    • According to the "Merck Veterinary Manual," dogs can be born with this blood platelet disorder. It is known as congenital thrombocytopenia. But dogs can also develop this condition due to complications from illnesses such as ehrlichiosis; from a bad reaction to a live vaccine or as a result of bad side effects from being certain drugs, such as the common painkiller acetaminophen.

    Symptoms

    • Common symptoms of thrombocytopenia in dogs include purple or red spots on the gums or skin; sudden nosebleeds; unexplained bruises anywhere on the skin or gums; blood in stool; blood in urine; bloody gums and tiny blood-colored spots in the dog's eyes. A dog does not need to exhibit all these symptoms to have thrombocytopenia.

    Diagnosis

    • Symptoms of canine thrombocytopenia are similar to swallowing rat poison, a bad reaction to medication, lupus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever or other potentially lethal conditions. Tests need to be done to be sure the cause of the sudden bleeding and bruising is from thrombocytopenia. These tests include urinalysis, chest X-rays and a complete blood count.

    Treatment

    • If the dog is still bleeding, then the vet will first stop the bleeding and then discus medication. Medication will vary, depending on what caused the dog to have problems with its bone marrow. According to Leah Cohn, D.V.M., these medications include antibiotics and corticosteroids. Blood transfusions with whole blood are performed in severe cases.