Immune-mediated diseases where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues cause significant welfare impact and require careful long-term management.
Immune-mediated diseases cause acute severe illness with high mortality risk in untreated cases. IMHA causes profound anaemia with lethargy, exercise intolerance, and jaundice. ITP causes spontaneous bleeding including into body cavities. The initial treatment phase involving high-dose corticosteroids causes its own welfare impacts including polyuria, polydipsia, increased appetite, and behavioral changes. Long-term immunosuppression carries infection risk. Dogs with relapsing immune-mediated disease may require lifelong medication. Quality of life assessment must balance disease control against medication side effects. Some dogs achieve long-term remission while others require permanent maintenance therapy. Welfare monitoring includes both disease activity and medication burden.