Von Willebrand Disease (vWD)
Von Willebrand Disease (vWD) is a parent Health Watch page. It explains the larger condition family, then points owners to the specific subtype pages that carry different genetics, signs, testing needs, and owner expectations.
Breeds Affected: Airedale Terrier; Belgian Tervuren; Bernese Mountain Dog; Brazilian Terrier; Doberman Pinscher; Dutch Shepherd; German Pinscher; German Wirehaired Pointer; Irish Red and White Setter; Italian Greyhound
Breed Risk Note: Use the most specific supported subtype on breed pages whenever possible.
The Idiot-Proof Explanation
This is a clotting problem. The dog may have enough red blood, enough attitude, and enough chaos, but the blood does not plug leaks normally. Some dogs barely show signs. Others bleed way too much from surgery, injury, nail trims, mouths, noses, or heat cycles. Cute little “he bleeds a lot” stories are not cute when anesthesia is involved.
However, the exact subtype still matters. One label can hide very different inheritance patterns, screening options, severity, cost, and long-term care. Because of that, breed pages should use the most specific supported condition instead of stopping at the umbrella term.
Subtype Pages
Use these pages when the breed evidence supports a specific form: