FACTOR
VII DEFICIENCY IN BEAGLES
Factor VII
deficiency in beagles is known to cause a mild bleeding disorder.
This disorder has been known to occur in beagles
for decades, a few years ago a test was developed to identify
carriers of this genetic trait. There are only rare reports of
severe
bleeding requiring blood transfusions from Factor 7 deficient beagles
as
many of the affected dogs may remain totally asymptomatic. This
autosomal recessive disorder maybe unknowingly passed on through
generations via asymptomatic carriers but also thru affected dogs as
they may not show obvious signs. Affected dogs
"may" exhibit an increased bleeding tendency following trauma or
surgery.
The frequency of this genetic
deficiency in beagles is unknown, but affected beagles have been noted
in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. Factor 7
deficiency has been identified in show and field bloodlines. Input from
breeders in America that have tested their beagles have supported the
fact that this seems to be a widespread occurrence. Of the
breeders that offered information to me, only a small number of "clear"
beagles have been identified. The majority of beagles tested have
been shown to be carriers and a number of them have actually tested to
be affected. Limited case reports are at end of this page.
It is apparent
from the information I have received that this problem
probably exists across most
show lines in America. One breeder characterized this as a
condition
without symptoms. Bleeding episodes that have been identified
specifically as a result of Factor 7 deficiency are needed to better
understand this genetic trait. Anyone that can share with me on
a confidential basis, a specific bleeding incident related to Factor 7
please contact me. Factor 7 deficiency is a simple autosomal
recessive trait. This means that carriers bred to carriers can
produce "clears", "carriers", or "affected" offspring. Knowing
the status of breeding partners can help to decrease the frequency of
affected beagles. Having a carrier does not mean having to remove
that beagle from your breeding program. Breeding a "clear" to a carrier
can produce "clears" or "carriers". Just as with all other
health tests, knowing the Factor 7 status of your Beagle can help you
make better breeding decisions. There is a test available at the University
of Pennsylvania that will identify the Factor 7 status of your
Beagle. This test is a simple cheek swab and cost approximately
$75.
Unfortunately,
as we see with other health problems in our breed, many breeders do not
test and do not want to admit that they have any problems.
Breeders that step up to the plate and do health testing and openly
admit to having problems and that are working hard to breed away from
them; are often ostracized by other breeders. This problem may be
insignificant, as compared to
other problems in our breed-that is a personal choice. If you as
a breeder, choose to do
this health screening for your knowledge then you are doing the best
you can to breed better.
A wise
seasoned, breeder once told me: "If you breed long enough and often
enough; you will have to deal with problems. The measure of a
good breeder is not if you deal with problems but how you deal with
those problems". Factor 7 deficiency is just one of many health
issues that must be considered and ranked according to importance in
our own personal breeding programs.
CASE STUDIES:
1. Two females both having c-sections without
problems--deteremined to be "affected" by routine testing.
2. Pet bitch with a lethargy and blood diarrhea for aprox
12 hours. She
was recently spayed (five days prior). The spay was routine and
she
was doing well following the procedure up until last night. She
has had some bouts of bloody diarrhea in the past (last bout about one
month ago) but they seem to resolve on their own. Transfusion was
done after lab work. Factor Seven test was drawn and came back as
"affected". Female continues to have periodic bouts of bloody
diarrhea that is self -limiting and has not required additional
transfusions.
3. Pet female at 3.5 months old checked for coagulation time
prior to minor surgery. First test showed 6 seconds (1-3 normal).
Second test showed 190 seconds. A whole blood transfusion was given to
the dog just prior to the surgery. A spay operation was also done.
There were no events of
excessive bleeding. During dew claw removal at 5 days of age, there was
no excessive bleeding. Factor Seven test --affected.
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