Similar to hemophilia in humans, canine hemophilia A is a recessive genetic fault, located on the X chromosome. This condition primarily occurs in males, however, females are the carriers of this condition. Commonly referred to as "the bleeder's disease", hemophilia A is actually a deficiency of the factor VIII blood-clotting factor.
     Dogs with hemophilia A are very slow to clot when cut. Other indications of hemophilia are; recurring subcutaneous hematomas (pockets of blood under the skin - large bruises), hemarthrosis (bleeding into joints), internal hemorrhaging, and anemia. Anemia is often the eventual cause of death.
     Hemophiliac males should never be used for breeding. The mother of a hemophiliac male, is a carrier of the fault, and should never again be used for breeding. Approximately one-half of the daughters produced by the carrier-mother are also carriers of the fault. Regarding the carrier children - the choices are: either spay them all, or do test breedings to determine the carriers from the non-carriers. (Warning: by doing a test breeding - the fault (hemophilia) has been perpetuated into another generation and the breeder would still be trying to determine carriers from non-carriers. By spaying all daughters from the known carrier mother, you know that her fault is not being passed on.)