Vet advice on VWD Health

I have always had a soft spot for Otto and Lola, that said I was a wee bit dissapointed when Otto had got the snip, he has always been my fav, I'm sure Lola will pass on her stunning good looks xx

Just had a reply from Vetgen regarding testing for VWD and they say they are breed specific so will not do a test for me, so looks like my vet is the only port of call.:-( also they do not do a test for Addisons either

I had already been on to vet gen when the dna testing thread started and they say they can only do the test if the dogs that make up the n.i cross are listed for testing and they aren't all there ? !

We will all have to use our vets facilities then, at least we tried eh?

Thats a shame guys. Way round it is though quite simple. Because of the Grey "carrier/clear" area, mate ONLY to a clear dog, that scores low to be absolutely sure its clear. When at some point the DNA testing becomes available then you have a wider audience. Sorry they couldnt help it would of been a difinitive step forward to eradicating the problem.

that is what I would have done anyway to be honest, common sense (well mine anyway ) would tell me that putting 2 dogs with any sort of percentages together would spell more disaster than we have on our plates at the moment.

Just came across this and as VWD has already been brought up , I was just wondering if there have been any updates Claudeen?

ps where does VWD come from in the NID? or is it just one of those unfortunate things?

i would imagine the gsd

Thanks, is it just the GSD (ref suggested founder dogs) that can have it? I know it is pretty common in numerous breeds. Does anyone know how many NIDs or Utes have been known to have it? I am thinking for breeders to be testing for it, there must be a reason. And for the record I think it is great that breeders are testing for it, if there is a risk ref these dogs.

It would be good if breeders made ALL the test results public, or at least to the breed club and puppy buyers.

We have a 6 month old NI called Solomon and just for peace of mind we will have him tested when he is a year old. There is a test that they do where they cut a small incision in the mouth and time how quickly the blood flows which can indicate if the dog has this blood clotting disorder. Who knows in 6 months time there may even show up in a blood panel???? Just because a dog is healthy and shows no symptoms doesn't mean to say they aren't a carrier and it can be carried by both male and female. I found this article easy to read,


Von Willebrand’s isn’t so much a disease as a condition. Of all the inherited bleeding disorders in animals (and humans) it is the most common. The defect isn’t autosomal (sex linked) so both males and females can suffer from the “disease.” It must be remembered that just because a dog doesn’t show symptoms of von Willebrand’s, it doesn’t mean it can’t be a carrier.

Von Willebrand’s was discovered in humans and called a “disease” in the 1920s by a Finnish doctor coincidentally named, von Willebrand. After further research, he was able to figure out the illness was actually linked to a missing factor in the blood’s clotting ability.

Modern research has found von Willebrand’s doesn’t lower the number of platelets (the factor in the blood that causes clotting) but changes the platelet’s actual make up. Researchers have discovered there are twelve “factors” that go into the platelet’s make up and allows them to work properly. They have set up a “Cascading Clotting Tree” to mark and show the different factors. Von Willebrand’s affects Factor 8 on this tree.

There is a large, multimeric glycoprotein that is labeled as vWF. This glycoprotein circulates in the plasma and is required for platelet adhesion. When there is a defect in the vWF gene, there is an insufficient synthesis of the vWF glycoprotein. This insufficiency causes the platelets to fail in their adhesion or “sticking together.” Like water coming through a damn with a hole in it, the platelet “leaks” and bleeding continues.

Von Willebrand’s seldom happens in cats but it is very common in various breeds of dogs. In all, some sixty different purebred breeds have been commonly linked to von Willebrand’s with the Doberman Pinscher having the highest incidence. Clinical trials conducted on 15,000 Dobermans showed seventy percent of them were carriers of the disease. Of these 15,000 Dobermans, the majority of them didn’t show clinical signs. Another study estimated 68%-73% of Dobermans had the disease

Although Dobermans are the most commonly affected by von Willebrand’s Disease, they usually have the milder forms. It is also one reason Dobermans have such a lower survival rate of diseases such as Parvovirus, which attacks the gastro-intestinal tract and causes bleeding.

Other breeds that have a high incidence of von Willebrand’s disease are Shetland sheepdogs, Scottish terriers, Airedale terriers, Bassett hounds, Dachshunds, German shepherds, Keeshonds, Corgies, Rottweilers, Poodles, Schnauzers and Golden retrievers.

Often von Willebrand’s will show no clinical signs until the dog begins bleeding for some reason. This reason could be something as simple as a nail trim, spay or neuter or a heat cycle in females or even teething in a puppy. While some dogs never show clinical signs of the disease, others may have nosebleeds or vaginal or penile bleeding. Bleeding from the urinary tract, gums or other mucous membranes and hemorrhaging under the skin
are all common symptoms of von Willebrand’s Disease. Females with von Willebrand’s may experience excessive bleeding after whelping (giving birth).

Do we have any Doberman breeders that would probabbly know more seeing as it seems to be more prevalent in this breed???

Not sure what you mean?

Re the clotting, it is NOT a reliable test, only DNA is.

Why suspicious. What is wrong with wanting to have health tests done on your dog?

Do you know the full health test results from every dog in your owns pedigree?

The questions for Valerie not you Jane

This is a forum open to all. If it was a question to Valerie only why not pm?

I don't do PM's.... I've nothing to hide.

Could you please answer why you think having health tests done on a dog is suspicious then?