Welcome to the Corgi Corner! We started a new series that is posted on the first Saturday of every month! These posts will help spread education and awareness on topics like general dog care, corgi specific things, medical care, health facts, etc. This month’s Corgi Corner post will be all about von Willebrand Disease! Von Willebrand Disease (vWD) is a type of blood clotting disorder caused by low levels of a clotting protein called von Willebrand factor (vWF) in the blood. This protein helps the platelets stick together to form clots. It’s the most common blood clotting disorder in both dogs and humans. vWD is categorized into three different types based on clinical severity, serum levels of vWF, and vWF multimer composition. Dogs with Type I vWD, the most common type and the type that is found in Pembroke Welsh Corgis, have low vWF levels, normal multimer composition, and variable clinical signs. This disease is usually diagnosed in puppies or young adults when they are spayed or neutered and have a problem with clotting. However, it can be diagnosed at any age. Affected dogs may show no obvious clinical signs or they may bruise easily and excessively bleed from small wounds. Affected puppies may bleed excessively from their mouth when teething. vWD is diagnosed through genetic testing and doing blood testing at a lab to determine the exact amount of vWF present in the blood. Veterinarians may also nick a dog’s lip with a sterile needle and time how long it takes for clotting to occur. vWD cannot be cured, only treated and managed. With proper management, many dogs with vWD can have a normal lifespan. Preventing injuries is the number one goal. If the dog requires surgery, there are some medications and blood products that can be given before a necessary surgical procedure. The veterinarian should be warned that excessive bleeding may occur and blood products need to be on hand in case a transfusion is required. The von Willebrand Disease mutation was first identified in Doberman Pinschers and they are the most commonly affected. But they also usually have the mildest form of the disease. It has been identified in more than 30 different breeds, including Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Poodles, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Scottish Terriers, Shetland Sheepdogs, and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. vWD is a genetic disease and it is 100% preventable with genetic testing and reputable breeding practices. Reputable breeders will test their parent dogs prior to breeding to determine if they are clear of vWD (no copies of the mutated gene), a carrier (1 copy of the mutated gene), or at risk of vWD (2 copies of the mutated gene). They will also provide proof of this to any potential new puppy parents. Unfortunately, even with the ability to do genetic testing, vWD can still be seen in Pembroke Welsh Corgis because of irresponsible breeding practices by backyard breeders and puppy mills.