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Posted On Aug 29, 2018

Updated On Dec 04, 2025

Holistic Treatment Options For IMHA

Internal Medicine

This question was submitted during a past webinar on the topic of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in dogs:

Question:
Are there any holistic therapies to consider for owners that are averse to western medication / treatment? Conversely, are there OTC or holistic therapies that you know do not work?

Answer by Linda Kidd, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM):
Additional treatments for IMHA are reviewed in the ACVIM consensus statement on the treatment of IMHA. There is no data on any holistic treatment for IMHA in dogs that I am aware of. Melatonin has been anecdotally discussed. It has not been shown to have beneficial effects in people with IMHA Posadzki PP, Bajpai R, Kyaw BM, et al. Melatonin and health: an umbrella review of health outcomes and biological mechanisms of action. BMC Med 2018;16:18

Controlled studies need to be performed to make any recommendations with regard to the safety or efficacy of alternative therapies. 


Learn more about IMHA in Dogs