Von Willebrand disease is the most common inherited bleeding disorder in dogs, affecting clotting function and posing significant welfare risks during surgery and trauma.
Dogs with vWD suffer unpredictable bleeding episodes that can be life-threatening and profoundly frightening. Simple events like tooth eruption, minor injuries, or routine surgery can trigger severe hemorrhage. Unknown vWD status at the time of surgery is a serious welfare risk - prophylactic treatment with DDAVP or plasma can be lifesaving if the diagnosis is known. Responsible breeders DNA-test for vWD and avoid breeding carrier-to-carrier pairings that produce affected offspring. As inherited disease reduction is achievable through genetic testing, the continued production of severely affected puppies through uninformed breeding represents a preventable welfare harm.