Immune mediated haemolytic anaemia in dogs – signs

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

See a vet now

This is an emergency – contact your vet or the nearest emergency vet right now. Immune mediated haemolytic anaemia is when a dog’s immune system attacks and destroys its own red blood cells, causing life-threatening anaemia.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet or the nearest emergency vet right now.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
Let your dog rest somewhere calm and keep fresh water available.

Don't

Do not give any human medicine.
Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Immune mediated haemolytic anaemia is when the immune system attacks and destroys its own red blood cells, causing life-threatening anaemia.^[1] It is a very serious illness that needs intensive, emergency treatment from a vet.^[1]

Signs

Pale, white, yellow or grey gums
Low energy or lethargy
Reduced appetite
Weakness or collapse
Jaundice, including yellow skin, eyes or gums
Fast breathing
A racing heart rate, which can be harder to spot

Causes and risk factors

Springer Spaniel
Cocker Spaniel
Irish Setter
Collie
Poodle

How a vet finds out

Physical examination
Blood tests

How vets treat it

Intensive nursing
Steroids and/or other immunosuppressant drugs to stop the immune system from destroying red blood cells

Breeds prone to this

Veterinary charities list these breeds as more likely than others to get this condition. Each breed page lists the inherited conditions documented in the breed.

What the experts say

“Overview. Immune mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA) is when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys its own red blood cells, causing life-threatening anaemia. Symptoms of IMHA include low energy, pale gums, breathing problems, and collapse.”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

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Common questions

What is immune mediated haemolytic anaemia?

It is when a dog’s immune system attacks and destroys its own red blood cells, causing life-threatening anaemia.^[1]

What signs can immune mediated haemolytic anaemia cause in dogs?

Signs can include pale gums, low energy, reduced appetite, weakness or collapse, jaundice, fast breathing and a racing heart rate.^[1]

How will a vet diagnose it?

A vet will examine your dog and run blood tests.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages