INFLAMMATION AND IMMUNE-MEDIATED DISEASES IN COMPANION ANIMALS: PATHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS, DIAGNOSTIC APPROACHES AND EMERGING PERSPECTIVES

Nancy Bajaj, Anushri Tiwari*, Prateek Mishra, Drishti Jain and Surya Gond

Inflammation is a crucial defense mechanism against infection, tissue damage, and other harmful stimuli. However, persistent or dysregulated inflammation can lead to tissue damage and immune-mediated disease. Significant inflammatory and immune-mediated disorders in dogs and cats include immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, immune-mediated polyarthritis, chronic inflammatory enteropathies, dermatological conditions, renal disease, and inflammatory disorders of the nervous system. These conditions include complex interactions between innate and adaptive immunity, cytokines, genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, and the microbiome. Histopathology is an essential diagnostic method even if immunohistochemistry, molecular diagnostics, and inflammatory biomarkers provide additional information. Emerging technologies like digital pathology, artificial intelligence, spatial biology, and multi-omics may improve future treatment strategies and disease characterization.