Disease overview

Von Willebrand disease II 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 form of the disease is rare.

Gene name

VWF

Inheritance

Autosomal recessive

Signs and symptoms

Affected dogs may be asymptomatic. Others may spontaneously bleed from the nose and vagina. Blood can be found in urine or the oral cavity. It is common that bleeding conditions are not recognized until trauma or surgery.

How is it diagnosed

Hemostatic diseases are diagnosed via multiple blood tests which look at clotting times.

Breeds at higher risk

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Citations

Kramer JW, Venta PJ, Klein SR, Cao Y, Schall WD, Yuzbasiyan-Gurkan V. A von Willebrand's factor genomic nucleotide variant and polymerase chain reaction diagnostic test associated with inheritable type-2 von Willebrand's disease in a line of german shorthaired pointer dogs. Vet Pathol. 2004 May;41(3):221-8. doi: 10.1354/vp.41-3-221. PMID: 15133170.

Vos-Loohuis M, van Oost BA, Dangel C, Langbein-Detsch I, Leegwater PA. A novel VWF variant associated with type 2 von Willebrand disease in German Wirehaired Pointers and German Shorthaired Pointers. Anim Genet. 2017 Aug;48(4):493-496. doi: 10.1111/age.12544. Epub 2017 Feb 3. PMID: 28696025.

Disclaimer

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