Von Willebrand disease is the most common hereditary bleeding disorder in dogs, causing impaired clotting and potentially serious haemorrhagic episodes.
Dogs with severe vWD experience significant welfare impacts from spontaneous bleeding episodes and the risk that routine events such as neutering or minor injury become dangerous emergencies. Stress and pain from haemorrhage are substantial. Owners must maintain constant vigilance and often face difficult decisions about surgical procedures. Responsible breed health programmes use genetic testing to reduce prevalence, but affected dogs still require careful management throughout their lives.