Excessive haemorrhage in a Great Dane with suspected von Willebrand disease following two routine corrective eyelid surgeries

Abstract A 7‐month‐old, male, entire Great Dane was presented for surgical treatment of bilateral scrolled cartilage abnormality of the nictitating membranes with concurrent macroblepharon and early‐entropion complex. The patient underwent two separate surgical interventions and experienced excessive haemorrhage, which was difficult to control after both procedures. A reduction in haemorrhage was observed following the administration of desmopressin acetate infusion. Von Willebrand disease type I was strongly suspected. This report discusses the importance of functional coagulation testing in contrast to reliance on results of prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time clotting assays alone in diagnosing the underlying cause of prolonged surgical haemorrhage in dogs, particularly in breeds with hereditary coagulation disorders. It provides a brief summary on primary and secondary haemostasis, causes for delayed surgical haemorrhage and possible treatment options.