Health>Testing Protocols>Information for Vets

Testing Protocols – Information for Veterinarians:

Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers have been found to have a higher frequency than other breeds of certain serious diseases.

Our Key Veterinary Researchers recommend that owners test their Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers annually for evidence of:

• Protein Losing Enteropathy (PLE)
  
  
• Protein Losing Nephropathy (PLN)
  
  
• Renal Dysplasia (RD)
  
  
• Addison’s Disease

Their recommendations to owners and their veterinarians include:

1. Biochemical profile, including:
   • Total protein (TP)
   • Albumin (Alb)
   • Globulin
   • Creatinine (Cr)
   • Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)
   • Cholesterol (Chol)
   • Sodium (Na)
   • Potassium (K+)
   • Phosphorus (Phos)
   
      
2. Complete Blood Count



3. Routine Urinalysis, including:
   • Specific gravity
   • Dipstick
   • Urinary sediment
   
        
4. Urine Protein/Creatinine Ratio

If in North America, your client may also ask you to run a urine test for Micro Albumin using the MA Test through Antech Labs or the ERD Test available through IDEXX Labs; or arrange for a Fecal Alpha-1 Protease Inhibitor (Fecal API) test through the lab at Texas A & M University .  If these results lead you to suspect RD or Addison’s then the following tests can be undertaken:

Renal Dysplasia (RD)

• Abdominal radiographs/Ultrasound
  
  
• Final confirmation of RD, kidney biopsy (wedge, not Tru-cut). Veterinarians can call or e-mail Dr Meryl Littman to discuss size. Her contact information can be found under Contacts>Key Researchers.
  

Addison ’s

• ACTH stimulation test

 

Note the differences and similarities between these diseases

	RD	PLN	PLE	Addison's
Age of Onset	<1-3 yrs	Mean ~ 6 yrs	Mean ~ 4.5 yrs	Young (in general)
Sex Predilection	None noted	Female: male=1.6	Female: male=1.7	Female (in general)
Polyuria/ Polydipsia	Yes	Only 25% had PU/PD	No, unless on steroids	Yes
Vomiting/Diarrhoea	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ascites / Edema	No	Possibly	Possibly	No
Azotaemia	Yes	Eventually	No	Possibly (pre-renal)
Kidney Size	Small	May be normal	Normal	Normal
Hypoalbuminaemia	No	Yes	Yes	Possibly (melaena)
Hypoglobulinemia	No	No	Yes	Possibly (melaena)
Hypercholesterolaemia	No	Yes	Hypocholesterolaemia	No
Low Na/K ratio	Not noted	Rarely (~10%)	Rarely (~10%)	Yes
Urine Specific Gravity	Isosthenuria	Mean 1.023	Mean 1.033	Low (medullary washout)
Proteinuria	None or mild	Yes	No	No
Histopathology    K = kidney    I = intestine	Fetal glomeruli, Fetal mesenchyme (K)	Glomerulonephritis, glomerulosclerosis (K)	IBD, lymphangiectasia, lymphangitis (I)

Source: 1999 ACVIM PROCEEDINGS: Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier PLE-PLN;
Meryl P. Littman VMD DACVIM, Philadelphia PA

Other important lab findings:

RD	PLE	PLN	Addison's
Elevated creatinine Elevated BUN	Eosinophilia Lymphopenia Low total protein	Elevated serum creatinine Elevated BUN Elevated Urine Protein Creatinine Ratio** **Very important!	Elevated serum creatinine Elevated BUN

Remember: diagnosis of PLE/PLN, RD, or Addison’s is dependent on evaluating everything – test results, clinical signs and symptoms – so do not assume one “bad” item means your dog has these diseases.

 

Dr Shelly Vaden, ACVIM, North Carolina State University and Dr Meryl Littman, ACVIM, University of Pennsylvania state that:

“Research suggests that any dog with UPC ratio in excess of 0.4 and no evidence of urinary tract infection should be closely monitored for the development of glomerular disease. This finding should be of particular concern in any breed of dog that is known to have familiar glomerular diseases, such as the Wheatens.”

If any lab results show abnormalities, you can consult with UK - Dr Karin Allenspach, and in the USA - Dr Meryl Littman or Dr Shelly Vaden for current recommendations on diagnosis and treatment. See Contacts>Key Researchers

Dr Allenspach is a Senior Lecturer of Internal Medicine at The Royal Veterinary College and is undertaking a longitudinal research project for the Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier - ‘The pANCA Research Project’.

Dr Littman and Dr Vaden are working under SCWTCA and American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation sponsored research grants to help us better understand, treat and one day, prevent these diseases.

WHI would like to thank: Dr Allenspach, Dr Littman and Dr Vaden and the ©Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of America (SCWTCA – visit www.scwtca.org) for their kind permission to reproduce this information.