Description: A congenital disorder involving the clotting factors present in the blood. This is a condition similar to hemophilia in people. Von Willebrand's Factor is a clotting factor in the blood. When it is missing or there are insufficient amounts, the blood fails to clot properly resulting in excessive bleeding during injury or surgery. Blood may also be present in stools or urine. A dog suffering from VWD is observed to suffer from spontaneous nosebleeds. A blood test can check for the presence of the von Willebrand’s factor. Treatment is directed towards correcting the blood loss through a blood transfusion from healthy dogs. Medications can be given to improve the clotting mechanisms of the blood. There is no successful treatment for this condition.

Breeds Commonly Affected: Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Shepherd, Basset Hound, Bearded Collie, Bernese Mountain Dog, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, German Shorthaired Pointer, Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound, Lakeland Terrier, Lhasa Apso , Manchester Terrier, Papillon, Rottweiler, Scottish Terrier, Shetland Sheepdog, Toy Fox Terrier, Toy Manchester Terrier