Von Willebrand’s Disease
Von Willebrand's disease is an inherited disorder where the dog is missing a factor (called the “Von Willebrand’s Factor) in the blood’s clotting ability. This can result in excessive bleeding after injury or during surgery. Some breeds are highly susceptible to Von Willebrand's disease, including doberman pinschers, German shepherds, German shorthaired pointers, golden retrievers, standard poodles, Shetland sheepdogs, Chesapeake Bay retrievers, corgis and scottish terriers.
Von Willebrand’s Disease Symptoms
The main symptom of Von Willebrand's disease is excessive bleeding after an injury or during surgery. Other symptoms can include:
- Nosebleeds
- Black, tarry stools
- Bleeding gums
- Blood in the urine
- Bruising
Von Willebrand’s Disease Treatment
Your veterinarian can determine the level of Von Willebrand's factor in your dog through a blood test, or a blood-clotting test.
Because there is no cure for Von Willebrand's disease, responsible dog breeders weed out affected dogs from their breeding programs. Dogs who are prone to the disease should be tested for Von Willebrand's before any surgery.
A blood product called cryoprecipitate, which is particularly rich in Von Willebrand's factor, can alleviate symptoms of hemorrhaging in affected dogs. If cryoprecipitate is not available, blood plasma can be substituted.
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