Low Platelet Counts: How Can I Help My Dog?
The platelet counts are important because the platelets play an important role in blood clotting and circulation. Serious health problems could arise when a dog shows low levels.
So today we’re telling you what you can do if your dog’s platelet counts are too low. Read on to learn more about this topic.
Why are the platelet counts too low?
If you observe that your dog is lame and weak and doesn’t feel like playing with you, the platelet count may be too low. The following reasons could be responsible for this:
- Leukemia: In blood cancer, there is a reduced number of blood platelets. As a result, the immune system is weakened and the disease has an easy time of it.
- Lymphoma: All malignant cancer cells have a very negative effect on the blood and can cause thrombocytopenia in dogs.
- Immune-related thrombocytopenia: In this disease, the animal’s body makes antibodies that destroy its own blood platelets.
- Bleeding wounds: The loss of blood can also reduce the number of platelets.
- Infections from ticks or Ehrlichiosis: Here too low platelet counts occur.
Low platelet counts: symptoms
How do you know if your four-legged friend has too few platelets in their blood? You can observe his behavior and pay particular attention to the following signs:
- Laxity and listlessness, not only when playing, but also when eating
- fever
- Bruises on the skin due to poor blood clotting
- Blood in the urine or stool
- Blood in the nose
- Problems getting up
How can platelet counts be improved?
As soon as the causes are established, therapy can be started. Have your dog checked out by a veterinarian who can also initiate the correct treatment.
Usually, transfusions, cortisone, iron, or drugs are given intravenously or orally.
However, there are also ways to support home veterinary treatment with additional measures. But don’t forget to follow the veterinarian’s advice carefully!
- Sufficient water is very important because too few platelets usually lead to a fever.
- Chicken broth is an excellent way to increase platelet counts. Prepare the broth with lots of vegetables and let everything cook long enough. You can then process the vegetables into puree and give them to your dog as well. Both the broth and the vegetable puree will do him good.
- The vet will probably prescribe iron, but you can also feed your dog iron-rich foods, such as chicken liver. He’ll like it and speed recovery.
- Give your dog a few days to recover. Avoid straining him during this time and only take him for a short walk. An additional infection could make the problem worse.
- Natural coconut water provides many vitamins and minerals that will also help your four-legged friend to produce more blood platelets.
- In addition, you can give him cooked chicken with no other additives to help him recover faster.
With these tips and proper veterinary treatment, your dog will get better quickly. However, watch for any changes and seek advice from your vet.
