What is it? Von Willebrand’s disease (vWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder in dogs. Although dogs of any breed (even mixed breeds) can have vWD, certain breeds are more prone to it than others, including the Basset Hound.

In a healthy dog, when a blood vessel is damaged, blood platelets or thrombocytes quickly adhere to the damaged blood-vessel lining (endothelium), creating a temporary plug and slowing blood loss. Simultaneously, the endothelium releases an enzyme that activates clotting factors circulating in the blood, which, in turn, form fibrin - a strand-like material that wraps around the platelet plug to produce a sturdy and permanent clot. Von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a protein that helps platelets adhere to the endothelium and may also improve clot formation. Dogs with vWD have abnormally low levels of vWF, so the initial plug is slow to form. A vWD puppy’s gums may bleed while it’s teething, and a vWD dog may have spontaneous nosebleeds and blood in its stool. Affected dogs may also have prolonged bleeding from small or superficial wounds like excessive bleeding when a nail is cut too short. Excessive bleeding can lead to anemia, shock, and (if untreated) death.

If you suspect your basset may have this, veterinarians have a new blood test that measures very small and very large amounts of vWF with greater accuracy (and in less time) than the old test. Accurately measuring vWF helps predict if a dog will be affected by vWD or will merely be a carrier - unaffected by the disease but with the potential to pass along the defect to its offspring.