Changes

IMHA may occur as a '''primary''' disease with no apparent cause or it may be '''secondary''' to another systemic insult. Possible secondary causes of IMHA include bacterial and parasite infections (including ''[[Babesia canis]]'' in dogs and ''[[Feline Infectious Anaemia|Mycoplasma haemofelis]]'' in cats), adverse drug reactions, neoplasia (especially myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative disease) and live vaccines, although the association between vaccination and immune-mediated disease remains controversial.   

IMHA may occur as a '''primary''' disease with no apparent cause or it may be '''secondary''' to another systemic insult. Possible secondary causes of IMHA include bacterial and parasite infections (including ''[[Babesia canis]]'' in dogs and ''[[Feline Infectious Anaemia|Mycoplasma haemofelis]]'' in cats), adverse drug reactions, neoplasia (especially myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative disease) and live vaccines, although the association between vaccination and immune-mediated disease remains controversial.   

The majority of cases of IMHA affect only the circulating red blood cells resulting in a strongly [[Regenerative and Non-Regenerative Anaemias|regenerative anaemia]] as the bone marrow stem cells respond to the disease. In a small number of cases, antibodies are produced that affect the stem cells of the [[Erythropoiesis|erythroid lineage]] in the bone marrow, resulting in a non-regenerative anaemia that still bears many of the same clinical features as IMHA. Although the two diseases have been considered separately in the past, they really represent two ends of a spectrum of immune-mediated disease directed at cells of the erythroid line.

 

The majority of cases of IMHA affect only the circulating red blood cells resulting in a strongly [[Regenerative and Non-Regenerative Anaemias|regenerative anaemia]] as the bone marrow stem cells respond to the disease. In a small number of cases, antibodies are produced that affect the stem cells of the [[Erythropoiesis|erythroid lineage]] in the bone marrow, resulting in a non-regenerative anaemia that still bears many of the same clinical features as IMHA. Although the two diseases have been considered separately in the past, they really represent two ends of a spectrum of immune-mediated disease directed at cells of the erythroid line.

The widespread lysis of red blood cells causes disease in the following ways:

The widespread lysis of red blood cells causes disease in the following ways:

===Laboratory Tests===

===Laboratory Tests===

On presentation, full biochemical and haematological analysis of blood samples are indicated to confirm the diagnosis and to obtain a baseline measurement to assess the efficacy of future treatment. Several tests are also available that have a higher specificity for the diagnosis of IMHA.

On presentation, full biochemical and haematological analysis of blood samples are indicated to confirm the diagnosis and to obtain a baseline measurement to assess the efficacy of future treatment. Several tests are also available that have a higher specificity for the diagnosis of IMHA.

====Haematology====

====Haematology====

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