What should I do if my dog has anaphylactic or pain shock? Anaphylactic shock in animals: symptoms and methods of treatment Veterinary center "DobroVet"

Anaphylaxis(from the Greek ana - a prefix meaning the opposite, opposite action, and phylaxis - protection, protection), a state of increased sensitivity of the body to the repeated introduction of a foreign substance of a protein nature - an anaphylactogen; one type of allergy.

To cause anaphylaxis, animals are first sensitized with a certain anaphylactogen (blood serum, egg white, extracts of bacteria and animal organs, vegetable proteins, etc.). The value of the sensitizing dose of anaphylactogen depends on its quality, the type of animal, the individual properties of the organism, and also on the method of administration. The most effective parenteral route of administration of anaphylactogen; its introduction through the gastrointestinal tract and mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract is possible. The state of hypersensitivity (sensitization) begins to appear 6-12 days after the administration of anaphylactogen and reaches its maximum after 3 weeks; proceeds without visible clinical signs. Then the reaction force gradually decreases; however, hypersensitivity may persist for many months or even years. When the serum of a sensitized animal is administered to a healthy animal, passive anaphylaxis. With it, the reaction of the body occurs after 24-48 hours and lasts 3-4 weeks. Passive anaphylaxis can be passed from mother to fetus through the placenta. With repeated administration of the same anaphylactogen, a sensitized animal quickly develops an anaphylactic reaction (anaphylactic shock, Arthus phenomenon, etc.). Anaphylactic shock occurs with repeated parenteral administration of the same protein substance in the form of a violent, rapidly onset reaction, sometimes 2-3 minutes after the administration of anaphylactogen. The clinical picture of anaphylactic shock depends on the type of animal, the route of administration and dose of the antigen, and can vary significantly. Acute anaphylactic shock is characterized by a pronounced anxiety of the animal, increased respiration and heart rate, lowering blood pressure, the appearance of tonic and clonic convulsions, involuntary separation of feces and urine; changes in the morphological and biochemical composition of the blood. An animal can die with symptoms of suffocation due to paralysis of the respiratory center or quickly returns to normal. An autopsy of the corpses of animals that died from shock reveals hyperemia of internal organs, hemorrhages on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, in the liver and kidneys. Histological examination reveals protein dystrophy and fatty infiltration. After anaphylactic shock, the amount of protective antibodies in the body decreases, serum complement decreases, the phagocytic ability of macrophages decreases, and the body's susceptibility to infectious diseases increases. Animals that survive anaphylactic shock become resistant to the same substance. A. M. Bezredka called this phenomenon anti-anaphylaxis, or desensitization. It occurs 10-20 minutes after the clinical manifestations of shock and lasts up to 40 days in guinea pigs, and up to 9 days in rabbits. The state of sensitization can be reduced or eliminated by administering small doses of the same antigen to the animal a few hours before the administration of a permissive dose of an antigen. This method, proposed by A. M. Bezredka, is used to prevent anaphylactic reactions, in particular serum sickness.

Arthus phenomenon - local anaphylaxis - an inflammatory process that develops in a sensitized animal at the site of repeated administration of anaphylactogen. In this case, there is a general sensitization of the body; if such an animal is injected intravenously with anaphylactogen, then anaphylactic shock may occur. There are several theories explaining the mechanism of formation of A. According to the hypothesis of humoral factors, antibodies are formed during sensitization, which circulate in the blood. When the antigen is re-introduced, it reacts with the antibody; the resulting protein complex is cleaved by proteolytic enzymes, resulting in the formation of intermediate decay products, including anaphylactoxin, which determines the picture of an anaphylactic reaction (it was not possible to isolate anaphylatoxin in its pure form). According to other sources, anaphylactic shock occurs as a result of the formation of substances such as histamine in the blood. Some researchers associate the cause of anaphylactic shock with profound changes in the colloidal composition of the blood. Representatives of the cellular theory believe that antibodies react with antigens in cells. When they are combined, the vital activity of the cells is disrupted, which leads to anaphylactic shock. A. M. Bezredka for the first time pointed out the importance of the nervous system in the development of A., proving this by the fact that in the experiment A. can be prevented by the introduction of narcotic drugs. During hibernation in animals, it is also very rare to cause anaphylactic shock. The phenomenon of A. should be interpreted as a complex of body reactions in which the central nervous system, endocrine glands, and immune mechanisms participate. Antihistamines, hormones, and ephedrine are used for A.'s treatment.

Anaphylactic shock is a state of the dog's body, which is caused by the introduction of a permissive dose of antigen.

Manifested by a rapid and generalized hypersensitivity reaction.

Causes of anaphylactic shock in dogs

The most significant causes of anaphylaxis in dogs are exposure to animal and insect venoms and drugs. Shock can occur from bites:

bumblebees,
bees,
hornets,
tarantulas,
spiders,
snake.

Any drugs can cause the development of anaphylactic shock, but antibiotics (cephalosporins, penicillins, tetracyclines, vancomycin, chloramphenicol, etc.) are in the first place. They are followed by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, radiopaque agents, general anesthetics, muscle relaxants.

Such a reaction is also possible from the administration of sera, hormones (ACTH, insulin, progesterone, and others), enzymes (penicillinase, streptokinase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, asparaginase), vaccines, chemotherapeutic agents (cyclosporine, vincristine, methotrexate, etc.), sodium thiosulfate, local anesthetics.

The development of anaphylactic shock: the first symptoms

Regardless of the cause, shock always develops in the same way. The first comes the immunological reaction of the dog's body. Anaphylaxis can be local or systemic. Local manifestations are angioedema and urticaria. When urticaria appears:

redness,
rash and blisters,
itching occurs.

With angioedema, edema is formed in the subcutaneous tissues and deep layers of the skin. Various gastrointestinal reactions also occur: tenesmus, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Sometimes urticaria can progress to systemic anaphylaxis.

Systemic anaphylaxis is the most severe form of shock and is life-threatening. Most often, it affects the dog's liver. The first signs of anaphylaxis are agitation with vomiting. With progression, breathing is disturbed, reactions are inhibited, or muscle or cardiovascular collapse develops. Death can come literally within an hour.

What to do if your dog is in shock?

If the described symptoms appear after bites or the introduction of any drugs, urgent anti-shock measures are needed. If the cause of shock was a bite or intramuscular or intravenous administration of the drug, then it is necessary:

apply a venous tourniquet to the limb above the site of antigen entry,
prick this place with a 0.1% solution of adrenaline,
When bitten, the sting of an insect must be removed, ice or a cloth soaked in cold water should be applied to this place and a 0.1% solution of adrenaline should be injected intramuscularly.

To prevent relapse, glucocorticoids (methylprednisolone, prednisolone, dexamethasone) are administered intravenously or intramuscularly. Thus, in order to save an animal in anaphylactic shock, the owner of the dog must urgently call for veterinary care or try to deliver the animal to a veterinary clinic. After resuscitation, further treatment is prescribed only by a doctor.

Anaphylaxis is a medical term for a severe allergic reaction, which in some cases can be fatal. Most often, it is caused by the ingestion of some substances that cause rejection in the body. Sometimes they can get through food, sometimes through scratches or injections. Delay in taking relief measures can lead to anaphylactic shock, respiratory failure and heart failure. The result of inaction is death. However, help is possible.

What substances can cause anaphylaxis in dogs?

In fact, there are a lot of options, but there are the most common ones. Here is a rough list of them:

Vaccines and drugs
food products
Certain hormones and antibiotics
Insect bites

Symptoms of Anaphylaxis in Dogs

Signs of anaphylaxis can be very unpleasant phenomena:

state of shock
convulsions
Diarrhea
Gums turn pale and limbs get cold
Vomit
The heartbeat becomes more intense, but the pulse weakens

One of the main distinguishing features is swelling in the face.

Helping your dog with anaphylaxis

In view of the increased level of danger of this disease, special promptness is needed from the owners. Contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. You will need to enter adrenaline (epinephrine), and urgently. A few minutes of delay can cost lives. Sometimes the veterinarian may administer drugs (fluid/oxygen) intravenously as appropriate.

Is it possible to prevent anaphylaxis in dogs?

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to predict the substance-allergen. And if anaphylaxis, rash or Quincke's edema has already occurred in a dog, it remains only to be observant and notice which substances caused these phenomena. In particular, it is important to cooperate with the veterinarian in the use of drugs and vaccines that caused allergies in the dog. Information about this must be entered in her medical card.

A dog may experience discomfort during vaccination. And if, in addition, an allergic reaction is observed, then the specialist needs to take the situation under increased control. If the dog needs to be vaccinated, an antihistamine should be given first. And only then, after the introduction of the vaccine, you can observe the reaction for about 20-30 minutes. In some cases, you can replace certain vaccines with others.

Do you know that…
Vaccines sometimes contain antibiotics as preservatives. And if your dog is allergic to some antibiotics, it is worth checking the vaccines for their presence. If you do this in advance, before use, you can avoid problems.

Situation. Your pet is not suffering from food and medicine, but is too sensitive to insect bites. What to do?

1. First of all, even before a critical problem arises in connection with a bite, a consultation with a veterinarian is required. He will suggest options for prompt assistance in case of angioedema or an acute form of an anaphylactic reaction.

2. You may be advised to have a disposable syringe with a dose of adrenaline. If a reaction starts to develop, you can use it for first aid even before the veterinarian arrives. Since it is only sold by prescription, you cannot buy it without a doctor's recommendation.

It is especially important to have an emergency plan during a trip when prompt veterinary intervention is not possible. It is also impossible to completely protect a pet from bites.

NOTE! An anaphylactic reaction sometimes occurs not after the first, but after repeated administration of the vaccine. Therefore, if everything went well the first time, this does not mean that there will be no allergies. Even after 3, 5 or 10 injections, an anaphylactic reaction may first appear.

The intensity of the anaphylactic reaction does not depend on how old the animal is. However, the general predisposition of the dog to allergies should prompt owners to pay special attention to the possible manifestations of anaphylaxis. If skin rashes or swelling have already appeared, an anaphylactic reaction to medications can occur at any time.

It so happens that in our pets, like in humans, allergic reactions manifest themselves in different ways, sometimes only upon secondary contact with the allergen. This phenomenon has its own name - anaphylaxis.

Anaphylaxis is an increased sensitivity of an animal organism to repeated administration of an antigen (a foreign particle, in this case an anaphylactogen). Any complete protein can be an anaphylactogen, the most active are blood sera, egg white, erythrocytes, extracts of bacteria and animal organs, bacterial toxins, vegetable proteins, enzymes, etc. The most dangerous manifestation of anaphylaxis is anaphylactic shock. This is a complex symptom complex of pathological phenomena that develops in an animal with increased susceptibility to an allergen after the administration of a permissive dose of the antigen (injections, insect bites). The resolving dose should be 10-100 times higher than the sensitizing dose. Sensitization is the acquisition by the body of a specific hypersensitivity to foreign substances. Thus, anaphylactic shock is an immediate reaction of the body to the repeated introduction of an allergen.

Pathogenesis

The antigen, getting into the internal environment of the body, contacts with numerous receptors. From them, impulses enter the central nervous system, which already directly commands the production of antibodies, and the body becomes sensitized (becomes sensitive). Initially, there is excitation, then prolonged inhibition, turning into the beyond, which causes the occurrence of shock. The excitability of the respiratory and vasomotor centers decreases. In animals, there is a sharp drop in blood pressure due to the release of fluid into the tissues and, as a result, disturbances in cardiac activity (arrhythmia, tachycardia). The permeability of the vascular walls increases, leading to the appearance of a rash, hemorrhages, and edema on the skin and mucous membranes. There is swelling and spasm of the larynx, bronchospasm, which leads to respiratory failure and hypoxia. In the blood plasma, the glucose content increases, the concentration of proteolytic enzymes increases. Disorders are also observed from the gastrointestinal tract: peristalsis increases, while the work of the secretory glands, with the exception of the salivary glands, is inhibited, and the liver is stressed. The concentration ability of the kidneys is impaired.

Clinical picture

In dogs and cats, after a short period of time (from 3 to 30 minutes) after the introduction of the antigen, excitation, rapid breathing, vomiting, general weakness of the animal, involuntary separation of urine and feces, sometimes with blood, are observed. Convulsions occur, blood pressure drops sharply, body temperature drops (normal 37.5-39 degrees). Perhaps the appearance of itching, urticaria, swelling. A little later, a coma occurs, the animal takes a supine position.

Anaphylactic shock in cats and dogs is divided into several forms depending on the severity:

A mild degree is usually manifested by itching, general lethargy, tachycardia, salivation and passes quickly enough without outside help;

The average degree has a more pronounced clinical picture and serious consequences. There is an expansion of the pupils, a sharp drop in temperature, pallor of the mucous membranes, difficulties in determining blood pressure due to its fall, an uncontrolled act of urination and defecation;

A severe degree is characterized by the above symptoms, convulsions, collapse, asphyxia (suffocation) and comes at lightning speed, in 10-20% of cases ending in death.

Anaphylactic shock is possible in animals with the introduction of vaccines, serums, vitamins, blood transfusions. Care must be taken when prescribing a course of antibiotics. It is important to be aware of your pet's past allergic reactions when prescribing treatment!

If you notice signs of anaphylaxis in an animal, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. For the treatment of anaphylactic shock, antihistamines (tavegil, suprastin, dimedrol), glucocorticoids (prednisolone, dexamethasone), bronchial dilatators, and measures to eliminate difficult breathing, such as tracheostomy and tracheal intubation, are used. At home, you need to cool the injection site of the drug or bite, make an intramuscular injection of suprastin or tavegil at a dose of 0.1 ml per kilogram. Oral administration of drugs in this situation will be useless.

In connection with the widest distribution of food additives, flavorings and preservatives, the current century can rightly be called the "era of allergy", since this pathology is found almost everywhere. And not only among people, but also among our smaller brothers. This condition is extremely dangerous. For example, anaphylactic shock in dogs often leads to the death of a pet, since the owners are far from always aware of the signs that should immediately take the animal to the veterinary clinic.

This is the name of an extremely serious pathological condition. In fact, this is a strong, generalized allergic reaction that develops as a response to the re-entry of a certain antigen into the body of a sensitive animal. By the way, for the first time, anaphylaxis was studied precisely on the example of dogs. If you disassemble the term, then it consists of two parts: "Ana", that is, "reverse" and "Philax", that means - "protection". That is, the word of this can be translated as "Abnormal, excessive protection." In general, the way it is, because anaphylactic shock occurs with an inadequate, excessive response of the body's immune system to some substance that has got into it. For the first time, such a phenomenon was recorded when the experimental dogs were subcutaneously injected with an extract from the tentacles of sea anemones.