My dog had a blood transfusion for anemia. Gums still white?

In severe cases, animals require blood transfusions while their bone marrow regenerates red blood cells. Other times, depending on severity, the animal can get by without a transfusion. Red blood cell regeneration can take 5-7 days so it is best to recheck his PCV in a week.

I am sorry to hear Stevie is not feeling well. Some gastrointestinal parasites drink blood through the intestinal wall. This will cause a patient to be anemic. However the level of anemia is important to know. IF the red blood cell count gets low enough a patient might need a blood transfusion or could pass away from this. If the red blood cell count is only slightly low and the parasites are treated over time (maybe a few weeks) the patient will recover and the anemia will resolve. I hope that helps

White gums are very concerning for anemia. It would be unusual for a 2 year old dog to have a bleeding ulcer, but it is possible. More commonly would be a tick born infection like ehrlichia, or even babesia . Sometimes the immune system can attack the red blood cells as well. Changing his diet won’t help the anemia without finding out the cause and treating that at the same time. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Recovery generally depends on how well Melvin responds to his treatment, and if the underlying cause can also be found and treated (in this case, immune system issues that attack the body's own cells). In most cases, it takes about four days for new blood cells to be produced, but can take longer if there was a lot missing, poor nutrition, or a health issue affecting it for a long time, so it may take several weeks depending on response. Making sure to check in regularly with your vet to test blood and follow any food or treatment recommendations can also help.

Pink salmon color is normal for pets. It is hard to tell based on the photo if there are also white areas there, if they are then that is a sign of potential anemia and therefore Bruno should be seen by your vet and tested. However, if the entire lip/gum area is salmon pink, this is considered to be a normal color and therefore nothing to be alarmed about. When we initially lift up the lip in dogs, some areas that are stretched or pinched can turn white, but then they should go back to normal pink color once the pressure/tugging is alleviated. Anemia is also diagnosed by getting a blood sample from the dog and looking at the red blood cell count. IF a pets gums turn pale white, then that is an indicator that there is anemia, so then it has to be decided what the cause is by evaluating the rest of the bloodwork, along with physical exam findings. Hemolytic anemia will certainly cause a pet to also act ill, such as lethargy, not eating and pale white gums, so that does not fit the description of your pet Bruno. I hope that this helps clarify things and also put your mind at ease. Best wishes with your pet Bruno and I hope that he continues to do well.

Unless there is massive blood loss in the diarrhea, resulting in the presence of frank blood or digested blood (the stool looks black in these cases), diarrhea cannot cause anemia. I'm glad to hear that Jack is still acting normally despite his diarrhea and slightly lighter pink gums. Gum color can change for a wide variety of reasons, including those associated with blood loss and low blood pressure. A bland diet of boiled white meat chicken and white rice sounds like a great idea for Jack. If his diarrhea continues or worsens, or if he becomes lethargic, vomits, refuses to eat or drink, or has any breathing changes, I recommend taking him to the vet for further evaluation. I hope he's feeling better soon!

White gums can be a sign of anemia or low red blood cells, dehydration, extreme pain or shock. While these conditions are serious, in general I would expect other signs as well. If Xena is her usual self I wouldn't be particularly concerned about her gum color. If she is lethargic, has a decreased appetite, or is vomiting or having diarrhea I'd recommend seeing a veterinarian if at all possible.