A group of inherited conditions that affect a dog's ability to properly form blood clots.
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To understand vWD, we need to understand how blood normally clots. When a blood vessel is damaged, blood platelets or thrombocytes quickly adhere to the damaged blood-vessel lining (endothelium), creating a temporary plug and slowing blood loss. Simultaneously, the endothelium releases an enzyme that activates clotting factors circulating in the blood, which, in turn, form fibrin - a strand-like material that wraps around the platelet plug to produce a sturdy and permanent clot.
Von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a protein that helps platelets adhere to the endothelium and may also improve clot formation. Dogs with vWD have abnormally low levels of vWF, so the initial plug is slow to form. A vWD pup’s gums may bleed while it’s teething, and a vWD dog may have spontaneous nosebleeds and blood in its stool. Affected dogs may also have prolonged bleeding from small or superficial wounds. Excessive bleeding can lead to anemia, shock, and (if untreated) death.
Unfortunately, there’s no medication owners can regularly give a vWD dog to increase its level of vWF. But for dogs with late-onset vWD associated with hypothyroidism (insufficient thyroid-hormone levels), treatment with thyroid-hormone supplementation often alleviates vWD as well. For the more common congenital cases of vWD, however, veterinarians focus on injury prevention. They often advise owners not to let their dog play roughly with other dogs or chew on sticks or sharp bones.
And if a dog’s gums tend to bleed, the owner should feed it only soft food. If a dog needs surgery, your veterinarian can take special precautions - which often include medication to temporarily increase the dog’s level of vWF - to minimize bleeding. With gentle handling and attentive care, a dog wit vWD can offer its people many years of devoted companionship.
Affenpinscher
Afghan Hound
Airedale Terrier
Akita
Alaskan Malamute
Australian Shepherd
Beagle
Borzoi
Bouvier Des Flandres
Boxer
Briard
Bulldog
Cairn Terrier
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Cocker Spaniel
Collie
Dachshund
Doberman Pinscher
English Setter
English Springer Spaniel
Fox Terrier Smooth
Fox Terrier Wire
French Bulldog
German Shepherd Dog
German Shorthaired Pointer
German Wirehaired Pointer
Great Dane
Greyhound
Irish Water Spaniel
Irish Wolfhound
Jack Russell Terrier
Keeshond
Kerry Blue Terrier
Komondor
Labrador Retriever
Lhasa Apso
Maltese
Miniature Schnauzer
Newfoundland
Norwich Terrier
Old English Sheepdog
Papillon
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Pointer
Poodle
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Saint Bernard
Saluki
Samoyed
Scottish Terrier
Shetland Sheepdog
Shih Tzu
Siberian Husky
Skye Terrier
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
Standard Schnauzer
Welsh Terrier
Whippet
Yorkshire Terrier
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