Hemophilia A & B
What is Hemophilia?
Your dog's blood contains components called platelets that work to help the blood clot and stop bleeding. The platelets themselves contain various factors that work to help clotting in different ways. In some dogs the platelets are deficient in one of these factors, resulting in the condition of hemophilia. Dogs that are deficient in factor VIII have hemophilia A; dogs deficient in factor IX have hemophilia B. Hemophilia A varies in severity according to how much factor VIII remains active; hemophilia B tends to be severe.
How does my dog get Hemophilia?
Hemophilia is inherited as a sex-linked recessive. This means it is carried on the X chromosome. For a male (XY) to be affected, he needs only one copy (inherited from his dam), whereas a female (XX) needs two copies (inherited from both parents). The condition is thus much more common in males than females.
How do I know if my pet has? Many owners don't know until they take their puppy to be spayed or neutered, and the veterinarian finds abnormal bleeding times. Other owners may have noticed persistent bloody diarrhea, transient lameness (from bleeding into joints), or bruising or bleeding under the skin. Small cuts, such as those that result from cutting a toenail too short, may bleed excessively. Vaccinations may result in bleeding under the skin. Your veterinarian will perform specialized blood tests to diagnose hemophilia.
What can I do about Hemophilia?
Although there is no cure, most affected dogs can live normal lives. Those with less severe cases may only need special precautions when undergoing surgery. Those with more severe cases may need periodic blood transfusions if they have a bleeding event.
Is there anything I can do to prevent my dog from getting Hemophilia?
Because most cases are inherited from dams, when breeding dogs from breeds known to have hemophilia, it's a good idea to screen dams to see if they are carriers. Do not breed affected dogs.
Are there certain breeds that get more often Hemophilia?
Hemophilia A is found in several breeds, most notably German Shepherds, German Shorthaired Pointer, and Siberian Husky. Hemophilia B has been reported in the Airedale, Malamute, American Cocker Spaniel Bichon Frise’, French Bulldog, German Shepherd, Labrador retriever, among others.