Common symptoms of anemia include:
- Pale gums
- Lethargy
- Fast pulse
The usual cause is blood loss from parasites and wounds, but other causes can be feline leukemia, toxic chemical exposure, and improper diet.
Serious disorders require veterinary attention. However, minor anemia caused by blood loss can be treated at home.
If the blood loss is due to parasites such as ticks, fleas, or intestinal worms, you need to get rid of your pest problem first. Be very careful, however, with the medications marketed for these problems. Not only can they be harmful to your adult pet, but they can be deadly to a kitten or puppy whose system has been compromised by the blood-sucking pests.
Herbal and Naturopathic Help
Feed a natural diet with increased amounts of organ meats. Liver is a good choice. Make sure the food includes all essential nutrients such as iodine from kelp and vitamin C. Once the anemia is alleviated, go back to a regular diet. Dogs and cats should have organ meats about once a week, not every day.
You may also want to add digestive enzymes, yellow dock root, milk thistle, dandelion, or echinacea until the condition improves.
Homeopathy
For lethargy caused by blood loss, give China officinalis 6c once per day for six weeks.