Anemia in dogs occurs when your dog’s red blood cells aren’t functioning properly or simply aren’t able to oxygenate.
Anemia can be caused by blood loss, red blood cell destruction, and inadequate red blood cell production. Injury, cancer, autoimmune disease, infectious disease, iron deficiency, and genetic defects can all be at the root of anemia.
The most common symptom of anemia in dogs is pale gums. Anemic dogs also experience yellowing of the skin, weight loss, vomiting, blood in urine or feces, loss of appetite, and collapsing.
You can treat anemia symptoms naturally in the following ways:
- Nourish your dog’s spleen
- Feed a raw diet for a healthy gut
- Feed iron-rich foods
- Reduce stress
It’s important to note that anemia is generally an underlying cause of something more serious that’s going on with your dog. If any of these symptoms show up you should contact your vet immediately.
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Nourish Your Dog’s Spleen
The first natural treatment for anemia is nourishing your dog’s spleen. The spleen is an organ that is responsible for red blood cell production. If your dog’s spleen isn’t healthy, that’s one of the first factors that’s going to cause anemia.
There are specific foods that will actually help nourish your dog’s spleen, helping your dog overcome anemia symptoms naturally. We’ll cover those below!
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Feed A Raw Diet For A Healthy Gut
Step number two to help your dog naturally overcome anemia symptoms is to boost gut health with a raw diet. Gut health is crucial for absorption of nutrients. If your dog isn’t digesting food properly, and absorbing and assimilating nutrients properly, they’re not absorbing iron!
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Feed Iron-Rich Foods
The next step in helping your dog overcome anemia symptoms is feeding iron-rich foods. The richest source of heme iron (the more absorbable form) is found in raw meats. Heme iron is found only found in meat, poultry, and fish.
Some of the best iron-rich foods include beef liver and chicken liver. For other iron-rich foods, feed organic, grass-fed meats like beef, bison and lamb.
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Reduce Stress
If your dog is emotionally stressed out and struggles with chronic worry and anxiety, those things really deplete the spleen and liver, and will exhaust those organs.
Pay close attention to your dog’s stress levels. Make sure they’re getting good sleep and aren’t experiencing stressors. Help reduce stress by diffusing essential oils in a room of your house that your dog spends a lot of time in.
Caution: Always keep the diffuser out of reach, and don’t leave it running when you’re away from the house.
Essential Oils That Help Lower Stress Levels
- Acceptance: Any Life Changes
- Aroma Life: Stress
- Believe: Fear, Separation Anxiety and Stress
- Forgiveness: Emotional Trauma, Fear, Negative Events, Physical Trauma and Worry
- Frankincense: Depression
- Lavender: Calming
- Lemon: Anxiety
- Peace And Calming: Anxiety, Depression, Focus, Hyperactivity and Stress
- Release: Emotional Release and Loss
- Sara: Improves Self-Confidence
- Trauma Life: Depression, Emotional Recovery, Loss and Stress
- Valor: Anxiety, Bravery, Confidence, Courage, Self-Esteem and Stress
Nutritional Healing of Anemia
Essential
- Iron – Feed raw meats and organs rich in iron.
- Raw Liver – Contains elements needed for red blood cell production.
Very Important
- Folic Acid and Biotin – Needed for red blood cell formation. Feed raw liver.
- Vitamin 12 – Essential in red blood cell production. Beef liver is especially high in B12.
Are you seeing a pattern here?? Liver, liver, liver!
Important
- Vitamin C – Important in iron absorption. Dried spinach or kale powder can be fed temporarily.
Helpful
- Raw Spleen – Feed raw spleen as glandular therapy.
- Vitamin A – Important antioxidants.
- Vitamin E – Essential for red blood cell survival.
Precautions Regarding Anemia Symptoms and Treatments
Although you might be able to treat anemia on your own by making changes to your dog’s diet and lifestyle, it’s also a good idea to talk with your vet if you suspect your dog has anemia, considering it can be a side effect of other serious illnesses.