The Breed History
Breed records dating back to the 1700s in Ireland (counties Kerry
and Cork) may not reflect the earliest days of the breed. They are
closely related to Irish terriers and contributed to the development
of the Kerry Blue terrier. Wheatens were first brought to America in
1946, and first registered in the AKC studbook in 1973.
Breeding for Function
These dogs were widely used for hunting small game and vermin,
herding, and as a guard dog for the home and livestock. Today, they
are primarily companion dogs.
Physical Characteristics
Height at Withers: female 17-18" (43-45.5 cm), male 18-19"
(45.5-48 cm).
Weight: females 30-35 lb (13.5-16 kg), males 35-40 lb (16-18 kg).
Coat: As the name suggests, the coat is very soft and is wheaten
in coloration. On some dogs, the ears and muzzle have blue-gray
shading. The hairs of the coat are silky and slightly wavy. The color
and texture does not fully set until 1 1/2 to 2 years of age. From
sexual maturity on, the coat is lighter wheaten. Puppies are often
dark wheaten and some puppies have black tips. This is a silky shiny
single coat.
Longevity: 13-15 years
Points of Conformation: They are a square, medium-sized terrier
with moderate bone and muscling. They move with smooth ground
covering strides. They are to move with tails held erect. The head has
a moderately long rectangular conformation, the muzzle is block and
there is a defined stop. The nose is large and both lip margins and
nose are pigmented black. Eyes are almond shaped and medium in
size, brown, the palpebral margins are pigmented black and the eyes
are fairly wide set. Hair falls over the eyes to a significant extent.
Ears are triangular and fold to hang parallel to the head. The neck
is medium in length, muscular and not throaty. The topline is level,
and the back short. The thorax is deep and ribs are well sprung. The
tails are usually docked, and are set high. Legs straight boned and
feet are compact and round in shape with black nails. Dewclaws are
removed in North America. Rear dewclaws are penalized.
Recognized Behavior Issues and Traits
Reported breed characteristics include: Intelligent, responsive,
a merry disposition, and loving. They are considered more
even-tempered and obedient than some of the other terrier breeds.
Grooming needs are high. The Wheaten needs moderate exercise.
They are energetic, but less so than some of the terriers. Good with
children, good alarm barkers. Some suggest this dog is better for
older children (not toddlers) because of the high energy level. If off
leash, they should be in a fenced enclosure. It is recommended that
obedience training be started early, and some dogs are headstrong.
They like to jump vertically in place, they can also tend to be leash
pullers. If bored, the Wheaten Terrier may dig or chew. Considered
good with other dogs and cats if raised together, but as a terrier,
they may chase small pets. They tend to keep their puppy-like
exuberance well into middle age (5-7 yrs).
Normal Physiologic Variations
None reported
Drug Sensitivities
None reported
Inherited Diseases
Elbow Dysplasia: Polygenically inherited trait causing elbow
arthritis. OFA reports 9.2% affected.
Hip Dysplasia: Polygenically inherited trait causing degenerative
joint disease and hip arthritis. OFA reports 4.8% affected.
Patella Luxation: Polygenically inherited laxity of patellar ligaments,
causing luxation, lameness, and later degenerative joint disease.
Treat surgically if causing clinical signs. OFA reports 4.0% affected.
Disease Predispositions
Protein-Losing Nephropathy (PLN): Inherited disease causing
protein loss through the kidneys. General clinical signs include
vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and pleural and peritoneal
effusions. Laboratory findings include hypoalbuminemia,
proteinuria, hypercholesterolemia, and azotemia. Renal lesions
typically showed chronic glomerulonephritis and glomerulosclerosis,
and less commonly end-stage renal disease. Average age of
diagnosis is 6.3 years. Food hypersensitivity may play a role in the
disorder. This disease can present concurrently with PLE, and may
share a genetic basis. Estimated to affect 10-15% of the breed.
Reported at a frequency of 2.7% in the 2000 General Health Survey
on Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers. Unknown mode of inheritance.
Fecal perinuclear antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody (PANCA)
can be used as a phenotypic screening test.
Allergies: Food Allergy was identified in 7.0% of dogs, and Inhalant
allergies were identified in 5.7% in the 2000 General Health Survey
on Soft Coated Wheaten terriers. Dorn reports a 1.34x odds ratio for
allergic dermatitis versus other breeds.
Persistent Pupillary Membranes: Strands of fetal remnant
connecting; iris to iris, cornea, lens, or involving sheets of tissue.
The later three forms can impair vision, and dogs affected with
these forms should not be bred. Identified in 3.96% of Soft-coated
Wheaten terriers CERF-examined by veterinary ophthalmologists
between 2000-2005.
Dental Issues: The 2000 General Health Survey on Soft Coated
Wheaten terriers reports 3.9% with missing teeth, and 2.1% with
undershot bites.
Protein-Losing Enteropathy (PLE): Inherited disease causing
protein loss through the intestines. General clinical signs include
vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and pleural and peritoneal
effusions. Laboratory findings include panhypoproteinemia and
hypocholesterolemia. Intestinal lesions include inflammatory bowel
disease, dilated lymphatics, and lipogranulomatous lymphangitis.
Average age of diagnosis is 4.7 years. Food hypersensitivity may
play a role in the disorder. This disease can present concurrently
with PLN, and may share a genetic basis. Reported at a frequency
of 2.6% in the 2000 General Health Survey on Soft Coated Wheaten
terriers. Unknown mode of inheritance. Perinuclear antineutrophilic
cytoplasmic antibody (pANCA) can be used as a pre-clinical
phenotypic screening test.
Cataracts: Anterior cortex punctate cataracts predominate in the
breed. Identified in 2.40% of Soft-coated Wheaten terriers CERF
examined by veterinary ophthalmologists between 2000-2005.
CERF does not recommend breeding any Soft-coated Wheaten
terrier with a cataract.
Renal Dysplasia (RD): Affected Soft Coated Wheaten terriers
present between 4.5 to 30 weeks of age with polyuria, polydipsia,
isosthenuria, azotemia, and small kidneys. Proteinuria is not a
hallmark of the disease. Affected dogs die of progressive renal
failure by three years of age. Histopathologic changes include
immature (fetal) glomeruli, persistent fetal mesenchyme, and
tubular dilatation. There is no sex predilection. Some researchers
postulate an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. A genetic
test for a dominant susceptibility gene is available. (Affected dogs
all have one copy of the gene, but most dogs with the gene will not
develop kidney failure.)
Hypothyroidism: Inherited autoimmune thyroiditis. 1.7% positive
for thyroid autoantibodies based on testing at Michigan State
University. (Ave. for all breeds is 7.5%). Reported at a frequency of
2.5% in the 2000 General Health Survey on Soft Coated Wheaten
Terriers.
Distichiasis: Abnormally placed eyelashes that irritate the cornea
and conjunctiva. Can cause secondary corneal ulceration. Identified
in 1.20% of Soft-coated Wheaten terriers CERF-examined by
veterinary ophthalmologists between 2000-2005.
Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's Disease): Typical presentation
of lethargy, poor appetite, vomiting, weakness, and dehydration
can occur from 4 months to several years of age. Cited as a breed
at significantly higher risk. Treatment with DOCA injections or oral
fludrocortisone. Unknown mode of inheritance.
Persistent Hyaloid Artery (PHA): A congenital defect resulting
from abnormalities in the development and regression of the
hyaloid artery. Identified in 1.09% of Soft-coated Wheaten
terriers CERF-examined by veterinary ophthalmologists between
2000-2005.
Ectopic Ureter: Congenital disorder where the ureters do not
enter the urinary bladder, but instead deposit urine in the urethra
or vestibule. Causes urinary incontinence, especially in females.
Reported at an increased incidence in the breed. Undetermined
mode of inheritance.
XX-Sex Reversal: Sry-negative XX-sex reversal causes external
make characteristics of a prepuce and an enlarged clitoris, in
genetically female dogs. A uterus is usually present. Reported as a
rare disorder in the breed. Presumed autosomal recessive mode of
inheritance.
Anterior Crossbite, Brachygnathism, Cutaneous Asthenia,
Microphthalmia, Optic Nerve Hypoplasia, Prognathism,
Progressive Retinal Atrophy, and von Willebrand's Disease are
reported.
Isolated Case Studies
Multiple Ocular Anomalies: Two related litters of wheaten terriers
had various combinations abnormalities including; lens luxation,
persistent pupillary membranes, distichiasis, persistent right aortic
arch, hydronephrosis, atypical coloboma of the posterior segment,
choroid hypoplasia, scleral thinning, posterior cortical cataract,
anterior iris adhesion to the cornea, microphthalmia, strabismus,
limbic corneal edema, abnormal scleral outgrowth, and dermoid.
Pilomatricoma: Reported case studies of pilomatricona have been
published in the breed. These are usually subcutaneous calcifying
tumors of the skin, usually over the shoulders or extremeties.
Surgical removal is usually curative, although one case report was
on a malignant form in the pelvis that had spread to the lungs.
Segmental Aplasia of the Caudal Vena Cava: A two year-old
wheaten terrier with lethargy, exercise intolerance, and ascites was
diagnosed with segmental aplasia of the caudal vena cava with
azygos continuation, complicated by thrombus formation.
Ichthyosiform Dermatosis: A wheaten terrier had patches of thick,
scaly skin from birth. By three months of age, the scaling was
generalized and was accompanied by a greasy exudation which
matted the haircoat. Microscopically, the skin had patchy areas
of ortho- and parakeratotic hyperkeratosis, follicular keratosis,
superficial perivascular dermatitis, and variable hypergranulosis.
Genetic Tests
Tests of Genotype: Direct test for a renal dysplasia susceptibility
gene is available from Dogenes (www.dogenes.com).
Tests of Phenotype: CHIC Certification: Required testing includes
CERF eye examination and hip radiograph. (See CHIC website; www.
caninehealthinfo.org).
Recommend patella examination, elbow radiographs, thyroid
profile including autoantibodies, cardiac examination, and annual screening for PLE/PLN (urine protein:creatinine ratios, fecal alpha1-protease inhibitor concentrations and serum globulin, albumin and creatinine levels).
An open registry and DNA bank for Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers
exists at the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary School.
Miscellaneous
- Breed name synonyms: Wheaten.
- Registries: AKC, UKC, CKC, KCGB (Kennel Club of Great Britain),
ANKC (Australian National Kennel Club), NKC (National Kennel Club).
- AKC rank (year 2008): 60 (1,481 dogs registered)
- Internet resources: Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of
America: www.scwtca.org
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Association of Canada:
www.scwtac.com
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Club of Great Britain:
www.wheaten.org.uk
Wheaten Health Initiative: www.wheatenhealthinitiative.com
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