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Platelets are very important blood cells to ensure the health of mammals. These structures are responsible for ensure blood clotting, leaving it in a suitable consistency to be transported throughout the animal's body and are also responsible for the healing process, forming the famous "cone" in when there is a wound. In the case of low platelets in dogs, there is a name that classifies this condition as a disease and is called thrombocytopenia, this condition can affect both dogs and humans.
If you have a dog with low platelets in the blood, we at Animal Expert have this article explaining better about thrombocytopenia and its treatment, as well as examples of foods to increase platelets in dogs.
Low platelets in dogs
The name of low platelet disease in dogs means: Thrombus (clots) cyto (cell) penia (decrease), ie, decrease in blood clot-promoting cells. If your dog has low platelets, you should know that your dog is at serious health risks. The main symptoms for animals that suffer from this clinical condition are:
- Apathy
- Weakness
- be unwilling to play
- trouble sitting
- blood in urine
- blood in feces
- blood in the nose
- Fever
Even with the symptoms in common, this disease can originate in different ways. The main ways that the dog develop this disease that causes the reduction of platelets in the blood are:
- Lymphoma: Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects lymphocytes, cells responsible for defending the body. Therefore, in addition to decreasing the amount of platelets, animals with lymphoma can have their immune system impaired.
- Leukemia: Leukemia is a disease that affects the circulatory system, especially the blood. In cases of leukemia, there is an exaggerated proliferation of cells, which is why it is a disease called cancer. In addition to decreasing the number of platelets, it can affect the dog's immune system.
- bleeding wounds: Due to the large amount of blood loss in bleeding wounds, there is also a considerable loss of the amount of platelets in the animal's body.
- Immune-mediated thrombocytonemia: This disease results in the development of antibodies in the animal's body and these antibodies attack the platelets, which ends up reducing the amount of platelets in the dog's blood.
- Infections: Some infections such as tick disease and ehrlichiosis can affect the amount of platelets. Also, some types of infections can cause low white blood cells in dogs, which can result in a deficient immune system.
- Anemia: It is also possible to see the relationship of a dog with anemia and low platelets, as the disease can interrupt or hinder the production of blood cells
Treatment for low packs in dogs
Once you see the symptoms in your dog, it is of utmost importance that you bring him as soon as possible. monitoring by a veterinarian. The veterinarian is the specialized professional who has several laboratory tests and can diagnose your animal as accurately as possible, as well as prescribe the best treatment for your clinical condition.
Once the diagnosis is made, there are several ways you can treat the dog. The veterinarian can prescribe some medicine to increase platelets in dogs, blood transfusions, steroids and iron. It is important that you follow what is prescribed to be able to reverse the situation of low platelets in the dog.
In addition to the measures requested by the veterinarian, you can take some measures at home to solve the problem of low packs in dogs as quickly as possible, such as:
Rest
The attitude of letting your dog rest may seem silly, but rest can greatly help the animal's body in being able to deal with the situation that is happening, helps to reduce the exhaustion that the dog may be feeling and also prevents the animal from being exposed to the various parasites he could find on the street, which would further affect his health.
Hydration
Water is known as the liquid of life and this concept is not just limited to human life. Water is very important as it participates or is responsible for several metabolic activities in the animals' bodies, such as preventing dehydration caused by fever in animals with low platelets. Ideally, you should change the dog's water at least twice a day to reduce the risk of contamination. If your dog doesn't want to drink water, you can feed him small ice cubes.
food
Food, in addition to being a basic need, is care for the health of all organisms. What the body can absorb of nutrients can be used as a way to prevent and treat various diseases, and in this case it is not the other way around. There are some foods to increase platelets in dogs and these are:
- Coconut Water: Many handlers do not know, but balanced consumption of this drink is also recommended for dogs. Coconut water contains iron, vitamin C, potassium and calcium, and these nutrients help the dog's body produce more platelets.
- Chicken soup: Chicken soup is one of the best known foods to treat the low amount of platelets in humans and can also be used to treat dogs with this same clinical condition. To make chicken soup you need:
- Boneier parts of chicken or chicken
- Carrot
- Potato
- Celery
Mix all ingredients in a pan of water until cooked, for approximately an hour. After that, crush everything in a blender to form a soup and strain the solution to prevent your dog from choking on small solid parts.
- Chicken: In addition to being a rich food in relation to the protein index, chicken can be a great food to aid the recovery of a dog with low platelets. It is ideal that you serve the chicken already cooked and no added spices, like salt and pepper.
- chicken or veal liver: These are foods rich in iron and this nutrient is essential for the production of new blood cells. Therefore, we recommend that you use it for the treatment of animals with low platelets.
- Vitamin K: Vitamin K is one of the best vitamins for the dog, it can aid in blood clotting, aids in the anti-inflammatory process and can be found in foods such as broccoli, cabbage, spinach and kale.
- Vitamin C: Vitamin C helps with iron absorption, so it is essential in the treatment of low platelets in dogs. Foods like broccoli and peppers are sources of vitamin C.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Foods to Increase Platelets in Dogs, we recommend that you enter our Cardiovascular Diseases section.