Von Willebrand Disease in Dogs and Cats

Common info

Von Willebrand Disease is an inherited clotting disorder that can found in both animals and humans. The cause of the disease is the deficiency of the protein that helps stimulate clotting called Von Willebrand factor. The common symptoms found in Von Willebrand disease in dogs and cats include blood in nasal, gum bleeding, and easily bruise, etc.

History

Von Willebrand Disease was first reported in 1926, in a sick family living on the Aland archipelago, by Dr. Erik Adolf von Willebrand. The symptom found was mucocutaneous bleeding diathesis which differs from Hemophilia. Later on, in 1950, Von Willebrand Disease was recognized that the condition was usually accompanied by a reduced level of a coagulation factor and that the bleeding phenotype could be corrected by the infusion of normal plasma.

Description

The blood that is lack of the Von Willebrand factor, or in other words, Glycoprotein, will cause failure in blood coagulation which, even a minor injury can easily cause bleeding in an extremely which resemble hemophilia disease in humans.

Symptoms

• Blood in feces
• Blood in nasal
• Blood in anal
• Blood in vaginal
• Gum bleeding
• Easily bruise

The symptoms of Von Willebrand disease in dogs and cats include blood in feces; blood in nasal, blood in anal, blood in vaginal and blood gum bleeding; easily bruise; excessive bleeding after surgery.

Treatment and Prevention

The best treatment is blood or plasma transfusion which will require until the infected pet recover. The most important thing is to avoid minor accidents that may cause bumps that result in vein ruptures. The best suggestion is you should go to a veterinarian to find the appropriate healings. 

1. Wikipedia | Von Willebrand disease
2. Vcahospitals. | Von willebrands disease in dogs
3. David Ginsburg, M.D. 1991. The von Willebrand Factor Gene and Genetics of von Willebrand's Disease. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 66(5):506-515.
4. Jacquelyn M. Wahl, PhD, Stephanie M. Herbst, PhD, Leigh Anne Clark, PhD, Kate L. Tsai, PhD, Keith E. Murphy, PhD. 2008. A review of hereditary diseases of the German shepherd dog. Journal of Veterinary Behavior. 3:255-265.
5. Jennifer S. Thomas, DVM, PhD. 1996. Von Willebrand’s Disease in the Dog and Cat. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice. 26(5)1089-1110.
6. T. Stokol. 1994. Pharmacokinetics of von Willebrand factor and factor VIII in canine von Willebrand Disease and haemophilia A. Research in Veterinary Science. 63:23-27.
7. Von Willebrand EA. 1999. “Hereditary pseudohaemophilia” Haemophilla.5 (3) 223-31.