What it is
A healthy immune system learns to tell the body's own cells from intruders and leaves its own tissues alone. In an autoimmune disorder that self-recognition slips: antibodies and immune cells mark healthy tissue as foreign and attack it. Depending on the target, red blood cells can be destroyed faster than new ones are made, platelets can drop so that bruises appear, joints can swell, or the skin of the nose and face can lose its pigment and crust over.
Some of these disorders run in families, others can be set off by something such as an infection, and sometimes no clear trigger is found. They can flare up and settle down again over time.
Day to day, this means paying attention to small shifts: a dog that skips its favourite walk, gums that look paler than before, a sore that will not heal. A simple note of when you noticed each change helps your vet see the pattern.
Signs you may notice
- Pale gums
- Weakness or tiring quickly
- Sores or crusts on the nose
- Bruises without a clear reason
- Stiff or swollen joints
- Listless and feverish
The signs depend on which part of the body is affected: you may notice sores or crusts on the skin, pale gums, weakness, lameness or fever. If a dog feels unwell for a while without a clear reason, it is worth having it seen by a vet.
When to see a vet
Book a visit if your dog has felt unwell for several days without a clear reason, or if sores, lameness or bruises appear. Very pale gums, sudden weakness or collapse mean a vet is needed immediately.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.