Immune disorders are more commonly diagnosed in dogs than in cats, in both
species they are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Immune-mediated
hemolytic anemia is one of the most common autoimmune diseases in dogs. It
results from the production of autoantibodies against the erythrocyte membrane,
which can occur in a primary or secondary way. It is an autoimmune disorder in
which the response is misdirected, going against host cell antigens, causing
erythrocyte destruction resulting in extravascular hemolysis or intravascular
hemolysis. The etiology of most cases in dogs is unknown. AHIM can be divided into
primary (idiopathic or autoimmune) or secondary to other causes, which can be
infectious (bacterial, viral, fungal), parasitic, neoplastic, associated with the use of
drugs, vaccines or food. Clinical signs are nonspecific and may vary depending on
the time of onset of the condition, and may be acute or chronic. The most common
clinical manifestations are weakness, lethargy, exercise intolerance, pale mucous
membranes, dyspnea, tachycardia, fever and jaundice. Among the laboratory
alterations, we can observe the occurrence of moderate to severe anemia, which can
be regenerative, but cases without regeneration are also observed. There is no gold
standard test for diagnosing AHIM, however, knowing the characteristics and
limitations of different diagnostic tests and correlating them with the patient's clinic, a
conclusive diagnosis can be reached.
Key words: Dog, hemolysis, jaundice
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