West Highland White Terrier: Health

Westies are generally healthy, but like all breeds, they're prone to certain health conditions. Not all Westies will get any or all of these diseases, but it's important to be aware of them if you're considering this breed.

If you're buying a puppy, find a good breeder who will show you health clearances for both your puppy's parents. Health clearances prove that a dog has been tested for and cleared of a particular condition. In Westies, you should expect to see health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for hip dysplasia (with a score of fair or better), elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and von Willebrand's disease; from Auburn University for thrombopathia; and from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) certifying that eyes are normal. You can confirm health clearances by checking the OFA web site (offa.org).

• Craniomandibular Osteopathy: This condition affects the skull bones while a puppy is growing, causing them to become irregularly enlarged. Symptoms usually appear between four and eight months of age. The cause is unknown but believed to be hereditary. Often the puppy's jaw and glands will become swollen, and he won't be able to open his mouth. He'll drool, have a fluctuating fever that recurs every couple of weeks, and, in some cases, his chewing muscles may atrophy. There is no treatment, but anti-inflammatories and pain relievers help the dog deal with what is a painful condition. Proper nutrition is a must; in severe cases, a feeding tube may be needed. The irregular bone growth slows and typically stops by the time the puppy becomes a year old. The lesions can regress, but a few dogs have permanent jaw problems and therefore have trouble eating. Occasional cases are severe enough to call for jaw surgery.
• Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease: If your Westie has Legg-Perthes, the blood supply to the head of the femur (the large rear leg bone) is decreased, and the head of the femur that connects to the pelvis begins to disintegrate. The first symptoms, limping and atrophy of the leg muscle, usually occur when puppies are four to six months old. Surgery can correct the condition, usually resulting in a pain-free puppy.
• Cataracts: This common eye condition cause sopacity on the lens of the eye, resulting in poor vision. The dog's eye(s) will have a cloudy appearance. Cataracts usually occur in old age and sometimes can be surgically removed to improve vision. West Highland White Terriers are usually afflicted by juvenile cataracts.
• Pulmonary Fibrosis: Also known as Westie lung disease, this malady scars the supporting tissue in the air sacs and connective tissue of the lungs. This makes the lungs loose their elasticity, which prevents oxygen from passing normally into the blood. Symptoms vary from dog to dog--many dogs show none for years--but they can include loss of stamina, rapid breathing, "crackling" in the lungs, a dry cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. Pulmonary fibrosis can lead to heart failure and other diseases as well. There is no cure and prognosis is always poor, so prevention is critical. Preventing any respiratory infections, limiting exercise, and keeping a healthy weight (or losing weight for overweight dogs) is key. The disease is sometimes treated by keeping the house cool and using bronchial dilators. Treatment has greater success if the disease is diagnosed early, before the scarring gets out of hand.
• Patellar Luxation: Also known as slipped stifles, this is a common problem in small dogs. The patella is the kneecap. Luxation means dislocation of an anatomical part (as a bone at a joint). Patellar luxation is when the knee joint (often of a hind leg) slides in and out of place, causing pain. This can be crippling, although many dogs lead relatively normal lives with this condition.

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