Veterinary Clinical Medicine-I (General and Systemic)

VON WILLEBRAND DISEASE (VWD) 

• Cryoprecipitate, a product rich in vWF, is the blood component of choice. The dose is approximately 2-4 ml/kg or about 3-4 units of cryoprecipitate per Doberman pinscher. The cryoprecipitate or FFP transfusion may have to be repeated every 8-12 hours depending on the control of hemorrhage.
• In cases of mild hemorrhage or in order to prevent excessive bleeding during minor surgeries, desmopressin at a dose of 1 µg/kg once subcutaneously may provide adequate hemostasis for a few hours. Desmopressin may improve vascular integrity as the observe increase in plasma vWF following desmopressin injection is very minimal. The effect of cryoprecipitate, FFP, and desmopressin can be monitored with the buccal mucosal bleeding time one hour after the injection.