Hemophilia: Symptoms and Diagnosis

What is It?

Hemophilia is an inherited disease where blood is unable to properly clot, leading to spontaneous and/or relentless blood loss.

What Causes It?

There are two types of hemophilia diagnosed in dogs, both are inherited traits. Through the genes passed from male and female parents, male dogs are more likely to have hemophilia than females. There are two categorizations:

  • Type A – is a deficiency in coagulation factor VIII
  • Type B – is a deficiency in coagulation factor IX

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What Are The Symptoms?

Spontaneous bleeding, skin hematomas, excessive and prolonged bleeding at any trauma, bleeding into joints or body cavities, swelling in joints or muscles, lameness, discolored skin, nose bleeds, blood in feces, anemia, weakness, shock, death.

Is it Life Threatening?

Yes.

Are You Covered When Your Pup Gets Sick?

How is It Diagnosed?

The laboratory test called APTT (activated partial thromboplastin time) is a screening test for clotting disorders. A specific diagnosis of Hemophilia A is made by measuring the activity of Factor VIII.

What Are The Treatments?

Hemophilia is incurable. The first treatment is lifestyle and being sure to keep your dog from situations where they are likely to injure themselves.

During bleeding episodes there are options that call for blood replacement that is higher in clotting factors, or whole blood replacement for very extreme cases.

Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pup’s condition, please make an appointment with your veterinarian. Or, consult a virtual vet here.

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Be Prepared for the unexpected.