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Immune Deficiency Diseases in Dogs
What are Immune Deficiency Diseases?
Immune-deficiency diseases in dogs can be quite severe and pose a great deal of health issues. These diseases put the body’s defenses against any infection at high risk. Dogs with immune-deficiency disease may either have a deficiency in immunoglobulin or phagocytosis.
A deficiency in immunoglobulin is a condition that is marked by a dog’s inability to produce immunoglobulins, or antibodies. These antibodies are protein molecules which are produced by white blood cells. The role of immunoglobulins is to recognize and attach to specific antigens, namely viruses and harmful bacteria. By doing so, they attack and destroy these unwanted agents within the body of the dog.
The significant mechanisms of a dog’s immune system, known as phagocytes, are specific cells which phagocytize, or fight, absorb, and kill the many foreign invaders that can affect dogs. They also give antigens to the other cells, which send a warning message of the presence of foreign, harmful invaders to the system. These fighting cells are produced inside the bone marrow and are delivered through the bloodstream, and rest within the tissues in the blood of the dog. Phagocytes are typically found in the lymph nodes, spleen, brain, spinal cord, skin, and within the blood vessels and bone marrow all through the body of the dog.
Immune-deficiency diseases can also occur as a result of viruses, be a combination of antibody and cell-mediated types, or be the result of genetic predisposition within certain breeds.
Immune-deficiency diseases in dogs are a result of decreased immunity, either in the immunoglobulin or the phagocytes, of the affected dogs. It can be a primary disease, or occur due to an underlying health condition.
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Symptoms of Immune Deficiency Diseases in Dogs
Symptoms of immune-deficiency diseases may vary depending on the specific cause of the immune disorder. Symptoms may include:
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Lesions on the skin
- Pain within the joints
- Difficulty walking or lameness
- Anemia
- Recurrent illnesses
- Vomiting
- Seizures
Types
There are many, many types of immune-deficiency diseases in dogs. Some of these diseases are primary, meaning they are hereditary, and some are secondary, commonly due to a specific illness or disease. Immune-deficiency diseases in dogs include the following conditions:
- Complement-3 deficiency
- Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia
- Neutropenia
- Cyclic neutropenia (Collies)
- Lupus
- Pelger-Huet anomaly
- Leukocyte adhesion deficiency
- Immune-mediated neutropenia
- Pyruvate kinase deficiency
Causes of Immune Deficiency Diseases in Dogs
There are several different causes of immune-deficiency diseases in dogs. Some dog breeds may be predisposed to this condition as well. Specific causes include:
- Viruses
- Bacterial infections
- Diseases, such as cancer
- Immunoglobulin deficiency
- Phagocytosis deficiency
- Genetics
- Fungal infections
- Eye and ear conditions
- Allergies
Diagnosis of Immune Deficiency Diseases in Dogs
If your dog is showing signs of tiredness, not feeling well, and any of the symptoms above, make an appointment with your veterinarian. Once you arrive at the appointment, your medical professional will ask you a variety of questions pertaining to the overall health of your dog, when you began to notice the symptoms, and the severity of the symptoms. He will also ask you about any recent illnesses your dog has had and how long they have lasted.
Your veterinarian will perform blood work, a biochemistry profile, and a urinalysis for preliminary lab work. The bloodwork will show the veterinarian how efficient the immune cells are within your dog. He may also perform a test to check for thyroid function in the adequacy of the thyroid hormone. He may also choose to do genetic testing, depending on the breed of your dog. This will give a diagnosis of primary immune-deficiency disease.
In terms of diagnosing secondary immune-deficient disease, once your veterinarian has listened to your description of your dog’s symptoms, he will perform tests that focus on any preliminary diagnosis he may have. Many immune-deficiency diseases in dogs occur due to underlying health conditions. Your veterinarian will need to diagnose your dog’s underlying health condition or disease in order for him to be properly treated.
Treatment of Immune Deficiency Diseases in Dogs
Treatment will depend solely on the underlying disease or condition that has caused your dog’s immune-deficiency disease. Treatment methods may include:
Medications
Depending on what is causing your dog’s immune disorder, your veterinarian may prescribe medications or supplements to help your dog’s body fight any infections, allergens, or viruses. Your veterinarian may choose to supplement your dog with enzymes and probiotics. Other supplements used to help strengthen your dog’s immunoglobulins may be suggested by your veterinarian.
Nutrients
Your veterinarian may also decide to go the holistic route in strengthening your dog’s immune system. He may suggest nutrients such as zinc, vitamin E, selenium, linoleic acid, and vitamin B-6. Vitamin C, A, acidophilus, essential fatty acids, and other powerful nutrients may be prescribed to your dog.
Dietary Changes
Your veterinarian may suggest herbal boosters for an underactive immune system. Goldenseal, dandelion, burdock, sumo, and red clover are some well-known immune system enhancers. This depends on your veterinarian; some veterinarians may not recommend this holistic approach. He may also suggest a dietary change in terms of the food he is eating. He may recommend a completely new diet of only fresh foods, as it gives the dog’s body more energy to fight any invasive bacteria or viruses.
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Recovery of Immune Deficiency Diseases in Dogs
Research is still being conducted on immune-deficiency diseases in dogs. Prognosis depends heavily on your dog’s specific underlying condition and diagnosis.
Once your veterinarian has performed treatment and suggested alternative therapies for you, you will be able to continue these suggested therapies, such as dietary changes and adding supplements to your dog’s diet at home.
Keeping your dog as healthy as possible is important. Regular veterinary visits are essential so he may continue to test your dog’s immunoglobulins or phagocytes. He will give you suggestions on actions you can take to help prevent illnesses, such as things for him to avoid which may have triggered his illness or allergies. He will also give you suggestions on ways to improve your dog’s lifestyle in order to prevent any infections within your companion’s system.
Be sure to continue to watch for any symptoms and the onset of any illnesses or allergies. Contact your veterinarian if your dog develops any new symptoms. It will be important to remain in contact with your veterinarian for future, and sometimes often, visits in order to keep his immune system boosted and stabilized.
Immune Deficiency Diseases Average Cost
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Immune Deficiency Diseases Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Miniature Pinscher
Olive
3 Years
5 found this helpful
5 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Shaking
Eye Clouding
Fever
Breathing Difficulty
Eye Discharge
Loss Of Appetite
Running Nose
Trouble Walking
Eye Puffiness
Nose Discharge
Pain Moving
My 3 1/2 year old MiniPin got sick right after receiving the distemper vaccine, at first it was mild. After taking her to the vet for the 1st time I was told they did not know what she had but was probably just a bug and the shot she was given had nothing to do with her illness. I was given and anti-biotic to help with any secondary infection and sent home. The following week my poor baby got worse even with the medication. I called the vet and was expecting them to tell me to bring her in, I was told to just keep going with the meds. Three days later my once very healthy dog was hardly able to even move! I could tell her whole body hurt she moved as slow and little as possible and like every joint in her body hurt, her eyes were completely crusted over and she could hardly open them she shook constantly and had a very high fever that lasted the whole 3 weeks(straight), her nose was so crusted she could hardly breath out of it and when it finally healed she lost chunks of it just flaking and falling off. The last symptom was the scariest! She was struggling to breath and I could feel all the congestion in her check when should would breath. I finally called the vet office and demanded to be seen again and by another vet, I believe this decision was the one that saved my babies life. This amazing vet knew my little girl was fighting for her life and learned her immune system was attacking her red blood cells and not only was she running out of them but also was down to 41 platelets. The vet gave her a shot strong antibiotic(zeniquin?) and sent us home with that antibiotic and a steroid(prednisone?) and she slowly started to get better. After talking with this vet she, she beelives it was the distemper shot that started her illness(not that there is anything wrong with the vaccine just that a dog with auto immune disease cannot handle a foreign bacteria) and she is now never allowed to get that vaccine. I would take her in every week for her lab work and after almost 3mo. everything was almost normal but then all of the sudden she has started getting sick again. She was exposed to some kittens that has some kind of illness and the exact same symptoms started all over again. I am awaiting her scheduled appt with her vet but I have many questions and concerns. 1. is this an actual disease that she will have forever or will it go away at some point? 2. Are there any ways of protecting her ? 3. Are other vaccines safe for her? 4. Knowing all this info and the whole story what kind of autoimmune disease would you have diagnosed her with? 5. Will she live a full life? I was thinking of breeding her but would never do that after knowing what I now know and I want to spay her but need to know that its safe for her to have surgery and that she would not get sick trying to heal from it? Is there anything special I should or could be feeding her to help make her stronger or protect her? I am sorry for the long story but I felt you needed to know all the details to help. She is diagnosed with an auto immune deficiency. I am not sure if thats the same as an autoimmune disease but any help you could help save her.
July 6, 2018
5 Recommendations
Immune mediated haemolytic anaemia may be triggered by vaccination depending on the literature source you’re referencing, there are many conflicting reports on this subject but some cases of immune mediated haemolytic anaemia have been found to occur after a recent vaccination. Typically immunosuppressive therapy is the treatment of choice in order to stabilise the patient however this may be a lifelong condition; it also may indicate that future vaccination or immune system challenge may cause another flare up. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/documents/vaccines-cytopenias-faq-companion-animal-studies.pdf
www.vettimes.co.uk/app/uploads/wp-post-to-pdf-enhanced-cache/1/imha-disease-in-canines-diagnosis-and-treatment.pdf
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8884713
July 7, 2018
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Terrier cross
Ted Spiller
11 Years
3 found this helpful
3 found this helpful
my male dog has had problems since December last year.
Firstly absess on top gum 4 teeth out.
Then ears infection then sinus abscess size golf ball.Snotty nose & breathing laboured at times. Then anal glands infected, they are bad at moment don’t want him to get septasemia.
Poor dog never been ill before:
He has not reacted to some antibiotics now on Baytrill 50mg 1 tab 2 x day and synuclav 250 mg 1/2 tab 2x day
Miletus clean- Otic for ears.
He has been in other antibiotics- altogether not w treatment been happening for last 3 months
Please advise,
May 31, 2018
3 Recommendations
If Ted isn’t responding to antibiotic therapy, it may be best to have a culture and sensitivity test done to identify any antibiotic resistant bacteria and to determine whether there are antibiotics which the infection is susceptible to; it is not good at this point to keep throwing different antibiotics or other treatments without taking a systematic approach. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
June 1, 2018
Thanks ,We are just about to go into see the vets , will ask some more questions
June 1, 2018
Ted Spiller's Owner
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Immune Deficiency Diseases Average Cost
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Average Cost
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