Prekallikrein Deficiency

Prekallikrein deficiency can cause prolonged clotting time in case of injury. The disorder is not usually associated with spontaneous bleeding. There is no treatment available for prekallikrein deficiency but usually affected dogs present no clinical signs under normal circumstances and have a normal lifespan. However, prekallikrein deficiency should be taken into account in case of surgery or trauma.

Most dogs do not exhibit any clinical signs under normal circumstances. Therapy is limited to supportive care (which can include transfusions if needed) and avoiding surgery.

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 Prekallikrein Deficiency mutation can be safely bred with a clear dog with no copies of the Prekallikrein Deficiency mutation. About half of the puppies will have one copy (carriers) and half will have no copies of the Prekallikrein Deficiency mutation. 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 Prekallikrein Deficiency mutation could develop due to a different genetic or clinical cause.