Dog hereditary diseases

One of the most common hereditary diseases associated with blood clotting problems. Symptoms of the disease are similar to hemophilia, which is why von Willebrand disease is sometimes called pseudohemophilia.

The cause of the disease is a quantitative deficiency and / or qualitative impairment of von Willebrand factor, a multimeric glycoprotein required for platelet adhesion to collagen at sites of damage to the vascular wall. This factor also binds to coagulation factor VIII and protects it from proteolysis. Typically, vWD is hereditary, but acquired forms are also found.

The most common and at the same time less severe in symptomatology is the first type of vWD, found in a large group of breeds: Basset Hound, Bernese Mountain Dog, Doberman, Doberman Pinscher, Kerry Blue Terrier, Miniature Schnauzer, German Shepherd, Poodle, Rottweiler, Dachshund, papillon, golden retriever, etc.

Type I vWD inheritance: autosomal dominant with incomplete penetrance. This means that one mutant allele may be sufficient to develop the disease, but not all dogs with one or two copies of the mutant allele will develop the disease. Carriers and homozygotes for the mutation will transmit the disease allele to their offspring.

The molecular cause of type I vWD is the c.7437G> A mutation of the vWF gene. This mutation leads to a decrease in the amount of the normal factor to 10-20% of the norm, although, as it turns out, for some dogs, due to individual characteristics, this amount is enough for an almost asymptomatic course of vWD.

Symptoms
The most characteristic and specific symptom of vWD is bleeding from the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and internal organs. The manifestation of vWD can vary in severity depending on the individual characteristics of the dog. In a mild form, the disease is characterized by moderate bleeding, in more serious cases, extensive and extremely severe.

Diagnostics
Characteristic changes in the behavior and physiology of the dog.