Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia: 70 cases (1988-1996)

Survival times and mortality rates in dogs with idiopathic immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) have been infrequently reported in the literature. This study evaluates survival and mortality in a large group of dogs with I MHA. The association of age, sex, and breed with IMHA was evaluated by comp aring affected dogs to control dogs admitted to the hospital during the sam e time period. Treatment regimens were reviewed to determine the effects of different agents upon survival of dogs with IMHA during hospitalization an d after discharge. Median survival times for each treatment group were 57 d ays (prednisone), 28 days (prednisone, cyclophosphamide), 974 days (prednis one, azathioprine), 15 days (prednisone, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine), a nd one day (no treatment). Overall mortality rate in the population of dogs studied was 70%. Twenty-nine (41.4%) dogs either died or were euthanized w hile hospitalized. Forty-one (59%) dogs were discharged from the hospital. Of the dogs discharged, 10 died within the first month, another five died w ithin three months, and another five died within a year of discharge due to assumed complications of therapy or relapses of IMHA.