West Highland White Terrier Health: Skin, Lungs and a Long Life
UK Westies lived a median of 13.4 years in one records study. Skin and ear inflammation was common, and lung disease tied with cancer as a cause of death.
Written by thecanineledger
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A 2019 study of UK vet records found that West Highland White Terriers lived a median of 13.4 years, and that “Males (13.8 years) outlived females (12.9 years)” (O’Neill et al., Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 2019).
While that’s a long life, the records show a breed with a lot of inflamed skin and ears, and a lung disease that matters at the end. This page sets out what the study found.
1. The study
The dogs. Researchers used VetCompass, a database of anonymised UK primary-care records. In 2016, 6,605 Westies were under care. A published correction gives this as 1.96% of 336,865 dogs (correction, 2019). The original paper’s figures for the study population were wrong.
Fewer Westies. Per the correction, the breed fell from 4.79% of puppies born in the VetCompass data in 2004 to 0.90% in 2015.
Funding. The work was supported by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust.
2. Skin and ears
Most common. The commonest diagnoses in 2016 were gum disease, at 15.7%, outer ear infection, at 10.6%, overgrown nails, at 7.2%, allergic skin disorder, at 6.5%, and obesity, at 6.1%.
Inflammation adds up. “Six of the 27 most common fine-level disorders (otitis externa, allergic skin disorder, pododermatitis, pyoderma, atopic dermatitis and dermatitis) represent various clinical manifestations of inflammatory skin disease, and have a combined prevalence of 28%.” Pododermatitis is inflamed paws. Pyoderma is skin infection.
One root cause? The authors note that ear, paw and skin infections often stem from atopic dermatitis, an allergic skin disease, though they can occur alone.
→ The Itchy Dog: Allergies, Atopic Dermatitis, and What Actually Helps · → Ear Infections: Why They Keep Coming Back
Our note: The 28% adds up overlapping terms, so some dogs may be counted more than once.
3. How they died
Mostly euthanasia. Of deaths with the method recorded, 93.1% involved euthanasia.
Causes. Among 128 deaths with a cause recorded, lower respiratory tract disease and cancer were joint commonest, at 13 deaths each, or 10.2%. Spinal cord disorders came next, at 7.8%.
Cancer, in context. The authors write that “the current study does not suggest that the WHWT is predisposed to neoplasia in general.” Neoplasia means tumours.
4. The lung disease
The paper’s background notes that idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis “is a chronic, progressive interstitial lung disease that carries a poor prognosis and the WHWT has been reported as strongly predisposed”. Fibrosis means scarring.
The study recorded lower respiratory tract disease as a cause of death, but didn’t say how many of those deaths were pulmonary fibrosis.
Our note: We have no source on the signs owners might notice. Our resting breathing rate page may help.
5. If you have, or want, a Westie
- See your vet early about itching, ear trouble or sore paws. They may share a cause.
- Keep up with teeth. Gum disease was the commonest diagnosis.
- Mention any new cough or breathlessness in an older Westie.
Our note: These points are ours.
Our note: The data are from 2016.
→ Dental Disease in Dogs: What Brushing Can and Can’t Do · → Choosing a Breed or a Mix: The Health Data Breeders Don’t Lead With
6. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “Westies have bad skin” | Skin and ear inflammation was common. Six related terms had a combined prevalence of 28%. |
| “Westies are prone to cancer” | Not in general, say the authors. Cancer was a joint top cause of death, but a smaller share of deaths than in dogs overall in earlier studies. |
| “Westie lung is common” | Not measured. The paper cites a US owner survey but didn’t count pulmonary fibrosis itself. |
Sources
- O’Neill DG, Ballantyne ZF, Hendricks A, et al. West Highland White Terriers under primary veterinary care in the UK in 2016: demography, mortality and disorders. Canine Genet Epidemiol 2019: VetCompass study, 6,605 Westies in 2016. Supported by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust
- Correction to: West Highland White Terriers under primary veterinary care in the UK in 2016. Canine Genet Epidemiol 2019: corrects the study population and birth-rate figures
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.