Introduction
Von Willebrand disease is a genetically inherited condition which can only be diagnosed through blood tests. Due to the fact that this is the most common diagnosed bleeding disorder in dogs, the screening tests for Von Willebrand disease have improved greatly over the past few years. Now, veterinarians can use advanced tests to make a conclusive Von Willebrand diagnosis and to see if certain breeds of dogs are carrying the gene for Von Willebrand disease.
Testing for Von Willenbrand's
The new diagnostic tests for Von Willebrand disease measures the amount of Von Willebrand factors in the dog’s blood. These factors are responsible for the proper function of a clotting factor called Factor VIII. When the amount of Von Willebrand factors in the blood are too low a bleeding disorder occurs. The diagnostic tests for Von Willebrand factors have increased in accuracy in recent years, and the tests are performed in a much quicker time frame. The newer Von Willebrand blood tests can also predict if the dog will develop the disorder or if the dog is just carrying a gene for the disorder that can be passed to any future offspring.
Some breeds of dogs seem to be more prone to Von Willebrand disease, and for a few of these breeds genetic Von Willebrand testing is available. While blood tests can predict if a dog is carrying the gene, genetic testing has an accuracy of 100 percent.