von Willebrand's disease in Dobermann dogs in Australia

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Abstract
SUMMARY Over a 5‐year period (1988–92), von Willebrand factor antigen (vWf:Ag) concentrations were determined on plasma samples from 614 Dobermanns. The vWf:Ag concentration was < 50 canine units (CU)/dL in 373 dogs (61%); these dogs were classified as carriers of the von Willebrand's disease (vWD) gene. In order to identify which dogs were at risk of haemorrhage due to vWD, we determined a cut‐off vWf:Ag concentration below which dogs could be considered at risk. This cut‐off was chosen in order to minimise the number of dogs genuinely at risk of haemorrhage, being wrongly classified as not at risk. This was done without sacrificing the specificity of the cut‐off to any great extent. A vWf:Ag concentration of < 36 CU/dL was empirically chosen as the optimum cut‐off concentration. In 282 dogs (76% of the carriers), the vWf:Ag concentration was below this cut‐off and these dogs were, thus, classified as being at risk of haemorrhage due to vWD.Haemorrhage attributable to vWD was seen in 107 dogs (29% of the carriers, or 17% of all the dogs). Haemorrhage mostly followed trauma or surgery, but spontaneous genitourinary and gastrointestinal haemorrhages were also frequent. Of these dogs, 92 were of known age, with a median of 3 years, and 102 were of known sex, with 61% being female. In 89 dogs in which the severity of haemorrhage was subjectively assessed, mild and moderate bleeding occurred with similar frequency (48% and 43%, respectively). There were 8 cases of severe haemorrhage, with two deaths. The likelihood of haemorrhage was related to the vWf:Ag concentration: only 8% of 91 dogs with concentrations between 36 and 49 CU/dL had haemorrhage attributable to vWD, but 36% with concentrations < 36 CU/dL did so. Furthermore, dogs with haemorrhage attributable to vWD had significantly (P < 0.001) lower vWf:Ag concentrations (median 12 CU/dL, n = 107) than dogs with no such history (median 30 CU/dL, n = 132).The data indicate that vWD is a significant problem in the Dobermann breed in Australia and we accordingly recommend that steps be taken to reduce its prevalence, such as the establishment of a national testing scheme to determine the vWD status of all dogs used for breeding.

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