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As your Partner in Pet Health, the team at Hillside Animal Hospital would like to provide you with as much information as possible regarding your role in keeping your dog happy and healthy. With this in mind, we have developed new Breed-Specific Wellness Programs. These programs are intended to increase your awareness on health conditions that have been found to be commonly associated with your dog's breed. While many dogs live a long, healthy life without facing major health issues, we feel that educating pet owners about possible health conditions is the best way to be proactive in detecting health issues before they become a problem. You'll find important recommendations for scheduling physical exams and diagnostic tests which we encourage you to discuss with the doctor throughout your pet's care. Please contact us at 480-391-7297 if you would like further information or to schedule an appointment.
West Highland Terrier - Specific Wellness Program
Ocular Conditions
 Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (Dry Eye)
About the condition:
- This is a common disease characterized by reduced tear production resulting in drying and inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea.
How to detect this condition:
- If your pet shows any of these signs, we should check the tear production of your pet's eyes.
Cataracts
About the condition:
- Inside the eye is a lens that focuses light on the back of the eye or the retina. Vision occurs at the retina. This is similar to a camera which has a lens to focus light on the film. If the lens becomes opaque this is called a cataract. The most common cause of cataracts is genetic inheritance.
How to detect this condition:
- An eye exam should be performed annually to check for signs.
Neurological Conditions
Inter-vertebral Disc Disease
About the condition:
- Degeneration of the inter-vertebral discs that can lead to pressure on the spinal cord, which leads to pain and/or partial paralysis.
How to detect this condition:
- Let your doctor know if your pet seems to be in pain and is reluctant to move around. Holding the back in an arched position is another common sign.
- X-rays are important in detecting this condition as they will show any disc irregularities. These are recommended starting at age 6 and then every 2 years.
Gastrointestinal Conditions
Chronic Hepatitis
About the condition:
- Inflammatory liver disease which usually progresses to cirrhosis.
How to detect this condition:
- Blood work is recommended annually starting at age 6 and every other year thereafter.
Dermatologic Conditions
Malassezia Dermatitis
About the condition:
- This is a yeast that commonly causes pruritus and a greasy, scaly skin disease.
How to detect this condition:
- It is important to check skin thoroughly during an annual exam, your doctor would recommend a skin scraping if any abnormalities are seen.
This list is not intended to cover all possible diseases and/or conditions found in West Highland Terriers, but instead lists those that we have found to be most common at Hillside Animal Hospital. Please let your doctor know if you have further questions regarding these or any other conditions.
Wellness Recommendations
An annual physical exam is recommended for the life of your pet so that any problems can be detected. In addition, we recommend the following diagnostic evaluations in order to provide more thorough veterinary prevention and care:
| Annually |
Full eye exam, check tear production |
| Age 6 |
40 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays to check
for disc irregularities |
| Age 8 |
48 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays of chest,
abdomen and hips if needed |
| Age 10 |
56 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 12 |
64 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 14 |
72 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
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