Disease overview

Von Willebrand disease I is an inherited bleeding disorder characterized by a reduced or absent level of a normal blood clotting protein called the von Willebrand factor. It results in spontaneous hemorrhaging and prolonged bleeding after physical trauma. This is the most common and least severe form of the disease.

Gene name

VWF

Inheritance

Autosomal dominant with incomplete penetrance

Signs and symptoms

Affected dogs may be asymptomatic. Others may spontaneously bleed from the nose, or blood may be present in urine or in the oral cavity. It is common that these forms of bleeding go unrecognized until surgery or trauma occurs.

How is it diagnosed

A veterinarian will conduct a thorough exam, including a review of health history and any clinical signs. Hemostatic diseases are diagnosed using multiple blood tests that analyze clotting times. Genetic testing is necessary to determine if there is an underlying genetic cause, which can assist veterinarians with diagnosis and help breeders identify affected and carrier dogs.

Breeds at higher risk

,

Citations

Gentilini F, Turba ME. Two novel real-time PCR methods for genotyping the von Willebrand disease type I mutation in Doberman Pinscher dogs. Vet J. 2013 Aug;197(2):457-60. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.02.023. Epub 2013 Aug 2. PMID: 23911791.

Riehl J, Okura M, Mignot E, Nishino S. Inheritance of von Willebrand's disease in a colony of Doberman Pinschers. Am J Vet Res. 2000 Feb;61(2):115-20. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.2000.61.115. PMID: 10685679.

Segert JH, Seidel JM, Wurzer WJ, Geretschlaeger AM. vWDI is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner with incomplete penetrance, in the Kromfohrländer breed. Canine Genet Epidemiol. 2019 May 16;6:3. doi: 10.1186/s40575-019-0073-4. PMID: 31131110; PMCID: PMC6521421.

Dodds WJ. Von Willebrand's disease in dogs. Mod Vet Pract. 1984 Sep;65(9):681-6. PMID: 6332976.

Donner J, Kaukonen M, Anderson H, Möller F, Kyöstilä K, Sankari S, Hytönen M, Giger U, Lohi H. Genetic Panel Screening of Nearly 100 Mutations Reveals New Insights into the Breed Distribution of Risk Variants for Canine Hereditary Disorders. PLoS One. 2016 Aug 15;11(8):e0161005. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161005. PMID: 27525650; PMCID: PMC4985128.

Disclaimer

Disease diagnosis and treatment should always be performed by a veterinarian. The following information is for educational purposes only.