Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia is a life-threatening condition in which a dog destroys its own red blood cells. Treatment is intensive but survival rates have improved significantly.
IMHA causes acute and severe welfare impairment. Dogs in IMHA crisis experience profound weakness, breathlessness from anemia, and the distress of hospitalization with intensive interventions. The treatments themselves — high-dose immunosuppression, multiple blood transfusions, prolonged hospitalization — impose significant additional burden. Dogs that survive the acute phase face a prolonged recovery period with steroid side effects including increased hunger, thirst, and behavioral changes. Despite the intensity of suffering, IMHA is a treatable condition with good long-term prognosis in survivors. The welfare calculus generally supports aggressive treatment for dogs with good baseline health and committed owners, while also including honest quality-of-life conversations for dogs with poor prognostic indicators.