Health Testing

Health Testing for Adult Dogs and Puppies

The testing section of the website contains information on:

* Annual Health Testing for adult dogs

* Tests required prior to breeding

* Testing Puppies

* Post Mortem Requirements

Annually Testing your Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier is very important, as it not only gives you a ‘snap shot’ on general health but also it can pick up early stages of the hereditary diseases, this is very important!

Yearly monitoring and keeping records of health tests undertaken at your vet will help you and your vet see any subtle changes from year to year.

Tests required prior to breeding are also important for the sire and dam. Annual blood and urinalysis monitoring; Eyes and Hips and Genetic tests should be undertaken to ensure the adult breeding dogs are fit and healthy at the time of mating. It is advised Breeder’s educate themselves on the diseases that can affect the Wheaten Terrier.

The Club of GB can also produce trial mating pedigrees for your proposed mating – contact the Health Team for information. Alternatively this can be undertaken by you on the SCWT Club of America Endowment pedigree and health database at the following link – SCWT DATABASE

Testing puppies has information of test which Breeders are advised to undertake

Post Mortem (PM) – the PM section has information on what is required should your dog sadly die of a known or possibly suspected hereditary disease as proper diagnosis is very important. The Club can also help Members with costs.

Tests Required Prior to Breeding

Should you choose to breed your Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier, it is recommended that both the sire and dam have the following tests carried out prior to mating (i.e. within the previous 12 month).

* Blood and urinalysis. The Club requires that as a minimum, the blood test should include Creatinine, Urea, Albumin and Total Protein.

If there are any signs of protein in the urine dipstick test, a follow up test should be carried out a week or two later. Should a second test still show signs of protein, then a urine protein/creatinine ration test is required.

Testing should be in accordance with the ‘Testing Protocols – Adult Dogs’. Your Vet practice should be able to undertake these tests. Please give your Vet the Testing protocols sheet and a copy of the Comparison Chart that can be found at the following links Testing Protocols & ComparisonChart SCWTCA&WHI

* Eye testing (eye test certificate carried out annually).
These tests are part of the British Veterinary Association (BVA) Health Schemes. More information about the eye scheme itself can be found at the following link – BVA Eye Scheme.

You will also find a list of up and coming eye testing sessions on the BVA Eye Scheme link. This will help you find a location holding a session near to you. The BVA update this list every couple of months.

* Hip Score (this only need be undertaken once in a dog’s lifetime).
Most Vet practices undertake hip scoring and you will need to discuss with your vet about this. There is also more information on the BVA website.

* Genetic PLN-Associated Variant Gene Test (PLN) (this only need to be done once in a dog’s lifetime). These can be undertaken for either an individual dog or a litter.

The PLN -Associated Variant Gene Test can be carried out at either Penn Gen in the USA, or through Laboklin Laboratories in the UK. Please refer to the “DNA – Storage and Testing” section under HEALTH for more information on how this test can be carried out.

* Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) Gene test (this only need to be done once in a dog’s lifetime). These can be undertaken for either an individual dog or a litter. These tests are carried out by Laboklin Laboratories in the UK. Please refer to the “DNA – Storage and Testing” section under HEALTH for more information on how this test can be carried out

PLEASE NOTE: Laboklin Laboratories & The Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of GB have negotiated a reduced rate with Laboklin if both the PLN and DM tests are taken at the same time. Please contact the Health Team here for information and forms specifically for this purpose.

Please note: Further information on Eyes and Hips are available under the HEALTH section of this website – go to the sub section called Conditions Affecting the Breed.

Post Mortem Requirements

Every Wheaten is an important link.

The kidneys of any Wheaten dying of kidney failure or anaemia should be sent to the University of Cambridge, as this is the only way of confirming RD. This should be done for any dog up to the age of 8 or so for RD. It does not mean a full post mortem for the dog.

If your dog is so ill that euthanasia seems likely and you are willing to have a post mortem, it is strongly advised that you provide your vet with this information in advance.

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For renal dysplasia (RD) and protein losing nephropathy (PLN)
The tissue sample required is: –
– Two kidneys, cut in half, and preserved in 10x volume of 10% buffered formalin.

(If the death of the dog occurs at the weekend, the body should be refrigerated, never frozen and the samples taken on Monday for despatch to the University of Cambridge)

The following should be collected before euthanasia and sent with the other items:
– Blood: 5ml serum AND a maximum of 5ml in EDTA (anticoagulant).

If possible, a 5ml sample of urine from the bladder should be included:
– Urine: A sample of at least 5ml.

Please note: If there has been a presence of GI disease previous to clinically evident PLN, this could be a sign of both conditions (PLE and PLN). In this case intestinal samples should be included below.

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For protein losing enteropathy (PLE):

The tissue samples required are: –
– Two kidneys, cut in half, and preserved in 10x volume of 10% buffered formalin.

– Half-inch long sections of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum preserved in neutral buffered formalin solution.

Please Note: these samples should be taken within an hour or two after death due to rapid deterioration of the gut.

The following should be collected before euthanasia and sent with the other items:
– Blood: 5ml serum AND a maximum of 5ml in EDTA (anticoagulant).

If possible, the following should be included:
– Urine: A sample of at least 5ml.

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The following details should accompany all post mortem samples:
* Name of dog (pet name and pedigree name)

* Date of birth

* Owner’s name and address

* 5 generation pedigree (contact the Health Team if you require a copy)

* Daily fluid intake and diet fed

* Dog’s approximate weight

* Copies of any tests (blood, urine etc.) done on the dog during its recent illness

* Any other information the owner/vet may think appropriate

All samples should be carefully packed and sent first class post to:

The University of Cambridge
Central Diagnostic Services
Department of Veterinary Medicine
Madingley Road
Cambridge
CB3 0ES

Tel: 01223 337625

Email: clinpath@vet.cam.ac.uk

Fax:01223 339090

It is advisable that your veterinarian notifies Cambridge that a sample is being sent for post mortem. As this is a new service, arranged following the closure of the AHT, we ask that you notify Kate Watkins ( katerriers@gmail.com ) OR Tracy Hammond ( calvenace@gmail.com ) so they can alert Cambridge Diagnostic Services that a Wheaten sample will be arriving.

The SCWT Club Health fund is available to help with post mortem costs in cases where inheritable disease may be present. The Club in return requires a copy of the post mortem report.

The post mortem report will be sent to the referring veterinary practice by Cambridge who will then relay the results to the owner of the dog. Owners are encouraged to tell their breeder of the results and to send a copy of the report to the SCWT Club for the Health files.