Factor VII Deficiency

Clinical signs are typically mild and excessive bleeding occurs only after severe trauma or surgery. However, the severity of the disorder may vary from one patient to another, therefore treatment with plasma or clotting factor may be needed in some circumstance.

Affected dogs should be monitored closely for excessive and prolonged bleeding during and after any required surgical procedures or after any trauma. Plasma transfusions should be provided as necessary to ensure proper clotting if other means are unsuccessful. Recombinant activated factor VII or bone marrow transplantation are other potential treatment options.

There are many responsibilities to consider when breeding dogs. Regardless of test results it is important that your dog is in good general health and that you are in a position to care for the puppies if new responsible owners are not found. For first time or novice breeders, advice can be found at most kennel club websites.

This disease is autosomal recessive meaning that two copies of the mutation are needed for disease signs to occur. A carrier dog with one copy of the Factor VII Deficiency mutation can be safely bred with a clear dog with no copies of the Factor VII Deficiency mutation. About half of the puppies will have one copy (carriers) and half will have no copies of the Factor VII Deficiency mutation. A dog with two copies of the Factor VII Deficiency mutation can be safely bred with a clear dog. The resulting puppies will all be carriers. Puppies in a litter which is expected to contain carriers should be tested prior to breeding. Carrier to carrier matings are not advised as the resulting litter may contain affected puppies. Please note: It is possible that disease signs similar to the ones caused by the Factor VII Deficiency mutation could develop due to a different genetic or clinical cause.