Intravenous human immunoglobulin for the treatment of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in 13 dogs

• Published in: Journal of veterinary internal medicine Vol. 11; no. 6; pp. 327 - 332
• Main Authors: Kellerman, D.L, Bruyette, D.S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-11-1997
• Subjects: ANAEMIA; ANEMIA; Anemia, Hemolytic - immunology; Anemia, Hemolytic - therapy; Anemia, Hemolytic - veterinary; ANEMIE; Animals; CHIEN; Cyclophosphamide - therapeutic use; Dog Diseases; DOGS; DRUG THERAPY; FC RECEPTORS; Female; GLUCOCORTICOIDE; GLUCOCORTICOIDES; GLUCOCORTICOIDS; HAEMOLYSIS; HEMATOCRIT; HEMOLISIS; HEMOLYSE; Hemolysis; Humans; IMMUNOGLOBULINE; IMMUNOGLOBULINS; Immunoglobulins, Intravenous - therapeutic use; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; INMUNOGLOBULINA; INSTRUMENT DE MESURE; INSTRUMENTOS DE MEDICION; Male; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; Orchiectomy; Ovariectomy; PERRO; PREDNISONE; Prednisone - therapeutic use; RECEPTORS; SUPERVIVENCIA; SURVIE; SURVIVAL; Survival Rate; TERAPEUTICA MEDICAMENTOSA; THERAPEUTIQUE MEDICAMENTEUSE
• ISSN: 0891-6640; 1939-1676
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.1997.tb00475.x

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVGG) was administered to 13 of 37 dogs with immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia. All dogs received concurrent prednisone therapy, 14 dogs also received cyclophosphamide; and a single dog each received cyclosporine, azathioprines, and danazol. Dogs that responded to prednisone therapy without IVGG generally did so within 7 days (mean ± standard deviation = 5.6 ± 2.9 days). Intravenous immunoglobulin was administered after 10.4 ± 6.6 days of prednisone therapy as an intravenous infusion of 0.5 g/kg (range 0.25 to 0.73 g/kg). Eleven dogs received a single treatment, 2 dogs each received 2 treatments. No relevant adverse effects were noted. Eleven dogs had an increase in PCV of at least 4% 2.2 ±1.5 days after IVGG infusion. In 10 of these dogs, the PCV continued to increase until the time of hospital discharge. One responder died 1 hour after the increase in PCV, 1 dog was euthanized within 24 hours of IVGG administration, and 1 dog had no response over a period of 13 days. Results of this study suggest that IVGG therapy may be of value in dogs with immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia that do not respond within 7 days of appropriate corticosteroid therapy.