Successful treatment of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in a pregnant dog: a case report.

A 2.5-year-old female Dachshund was diagnosed and treated for immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) during late-term pregnancy. The dog had been treated for a urinary infection approximately 1 week prior to presentation with amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and became increasingly lethargic at home. When the dog was presented to a university teaching hospital, the dog was significantly anemic and later diagnosed with IMHA, either secondary to pregnancy or potentially associated with previous antibiotic treatment. The dog was hospitalized for 5 days and received multiple blood transfusions, immunosuppressive steroids, and progesterone to maintain pregnancy. One week after hospital discharge, the dog successfully gave birth to four puppies at home. One week postpartum, the dog's anemia had begun to resolve, and the dog was weaned off steroids after 6 weeks. This case report is important for practitioners who may also diagnose and treat a pregnant dog with an immune-mediated disease, and it represents a successful outcome for both the dam and litter.