The Significances of Antiglobulin Test in Dogs with Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia

Abstract

In this study, we made canine antiglobulin test (AT) in Taiwan as a routine diagnostic procedure of canine IMHA, collected 27 IMHA dogs treated with 1g/kg intravenous human immunoglobulin (hIVIG), evaluated the significance of AT in canine IMHA. The positive ratio of IMHA dogs was 66.7% (18/27). The pattern of antisera classes was 50% were IgG positive, 5.6% were IgM positive, 27.8% were positive for both IgG and IgM, 5.6% were positive for both 1gM and C3, and 11.1% were positive for IgG, IgM, and C3. We analyzed the association between AT and severity of anemia; and between AT and prognosis. The results showed AT titers variation would affect the severity of the anemia reversely in different cases individually. However the results and antisera classes pattern of AT could not be used as a prognostic indicator. We concluded that although AT would affect clinical and laboratory examinations of IMHA patients, it could not predict the prognosis.