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Even
today, Cairn Terriers remain close to their working origins,
and so they boast of a healthy, hardy constitution with
relatively few genetic diseases. One way to keep our Cairns healthy is through health
screenings and genetic testing on breeding stock.
Reputable
breeders spend the extra time and money to perform health
screenings on the prospective sire and dam of each litter.
You will find a list of such health screenings at the
end of the article.
How
do I find a healthy puppy?
To increase the probability that you buy a healthy puppy that
is sound in mind and body, contact a reputable show breeder
from the list of breeders in your area on the Cairn Terrier
Club of America website:
www.cairnterrier.org
Both the buyer and seller of a puppy have
responsibilities.
For
the buyer:
1.
Ask what health screenings have been done on the sire
and the dam of this litter.
2.
Have any tests been done on the puppies themselves?
3.
Ask what kind of health guarantee the breeder provides.
4.
Ask if the breeder plans to mentor puppy buyers in
grooming, feeding, etc.
5.
Are you willing to continue to feed, groom, and train
this puppy as the breeder asks of
you?
For
the seller:
1.
To ensure the puppy’s future health and success with
its family, the breeder should interview and meet all
of the family members. Every
single member of the family must want this puppy.
1.1
Does the home include a large, securely fenced back
yard?
1.2
How many children are in the family?
What are their ages?
1.3
Is someone at home with the puppy during the day?
If not, then is the family willing to invest in
“Doggy Day Care”?
1.4
Is the family eager to enroll their new charge in Puppy
Kindergarten and then go on to agility, fly ball, earthdog
trials, etc.?
2.
The breeder should offer to take back the dog at any
time in its life should its family experience an emergency
situation that prevents keeping the dog.
3.
The breeder should also provide hard copies of all test
results done on the puppy itself or its sire and dam.
4.
If the Cairn develops a life threatening, genetic
disease during its lifetime, the breeder should replace that
dog free of charge from his/her next litter.
4.1
Two licensed and unaffiliated veterinarians should
confirm the diagnosis as genetic in origin.
5.
Extensive mentoring in grooming, feeding, handling
tips, etc. should be provided by
the breeder.
What
constitutes a healthy diet?
To maintain their
naturally hardy constitution, Cairns should be given only such
food and water as will benefit the dog’s physical health.
For example, distilled water or reverse osmosis treated
water is free of the contaminants such as pesticide and
insecticide residues, traces of harmful metals, antibiotics,
and the anti-depressant and hormone residues present in
literally every city water supply.
For the same reasons, we humans would be wise to drink
distilled or reverse osmosis treated water, too.
Because
we now know that domesticated dogs carry nearly identical DNA
to that of the wolf and other wild canids, their food should
more closely reflect what their wild relatives eat.
For some dog owners, only a completely raw diet will
do. Proponents of
the B.A.R.F. (Bones And Raw Food) diet have a great many
resources available to them that will assist in feeding a
balanced diet. At the end of this article you will find a list of some of
these helpful resources.
Other breeders and owners of Cairns use an all-natural,
meat-based kibble and add a raw meat diet that includes flesh,
organs, and raw ground bone such as a wild canid would
consume. Again,
resources for such food are listed at the end of this article.
For those of us who live in a dry climate, such as
Colorado, we add extra help for the dogs’ skin and coat
through daily fish oil capsules.
Some
sort of kelp-sea vegetable supplement is commonly used to
provide any trace minerals that their diet might lack.
Raised on such a wholesome, natural diet, Cairn
Terriers thrive – so much so that the veterinarian typically
sees your dog only for its yearly physical exam.
How
much should I feed a Cairn?
Cairns are “easy keepers”.
This means that it takes very little food to maintain
an adult Cairn in perfect weight and condition, so owners must
carefully measure the amount of kibble and raw food that their
Cairn receives. Adding
cooked French cut green beans and lots of hot water to the
dog’s food is a way of filling his tummy without adding
extra calories. Usually,
Cairns do better with two small meals a day rather than one.
With only one meal a day, many Cairns will become
nauseated as stomach bile enters an empty stomach, causing the
dog to vomit that foamy yellow bile.
Eating twice a day seems to prevent such nausea.
Either
weigh your dog once a week or “span” it frequently.
In “spanning”, place your hands around the waist of
the dog with his back end towards you.
You should be able to easily feel your Cairn’s ribs
with no fat buildup in the abdominal area.
If the dog has gained too much weight, you’ll have
difficulty feeling its ribs, and you will easily feel a
bulging, accumulated fat area around the abdomen.
Please remember that only a Cairn in good, lean, hard
condition is a healthy Cairn.
What
kind of fencing will I need?
One of the keys to a healthy Cairn Terrier is plenty of
exercise and meaningful work to do.
We cannot stress enough that the Cairn is a working
terrier. Everything
about his structure, coat, and temperament has developed over
centuries to locate and kill vermin in all kinds of weather.
No surprise then, that the Cairn, and other terriers,
have a very high pain threshold.
If a Cairn pulled away in pain from an attacking badger
or fox, the dog would die – either from the vermin attacks
or from the human owner.
No cowards or wimps allowed in a working pack of
terriers! Therefore,
the popular “invisible fences” should never be used
to confine a Cairn. All the dog needs is to see a squirrel or rabbit beyond the
fence boundary, and it is off on the chase.
A puny electric shock will not stop such a determined
hunter. In
addition, any loose, aggressive dog can enter your yard with
invisible fencing to attack, perhaps, kill your Cairn.
Because many of us live in areas where fox and coyote
abound, perhaps, even cougar and bear, your Cairn deserves a
large, securely fenced yard with a dog-proof fence at least
five feet in height to keep out predators.
If coyotes or mountain lions are a real problem in your
area, then “hot wire” the top and bottom of the fence.
Documented cases exist of dogs killed by such predators
that easily scaled six-foot fences.
Hot wire is an economical way to protect both your
Cairn and your children.
Any gates on the fence should be secured with sturdy
padlocks – not to keep the Cairns in, but to keep out the
neighborhood children. Cairns
and children just naturally attract each other – perhaps,
from all the centuries of these terriers being raised in the
Scottish Highlanders’ cottages with the family. Children regularly come in to play with the Cairn, but then
they forget to close the gate or to latch it securely. Cairns love people, all people, and will happily trot
off with anyone. Padlocks
on the gates will ensure that you give the permission for
children to play with your dog and that the yard gates remain
closed.
What
dog-related sports and activities are there to keep dog fit
and active?
The meaningful work that your Cairn needs to maintain good
mental and physical health can include a number of great
activities for you and your dog to enjoy together.
These include such sports as agility, fly ball,
tracking, earthdog trials, or rally obedience. In addition, Cairns make great search and rescue dogs and
wonderful therapy dogs when old enough for their youthful
exuberance to subside a bit.
Cairns possess extraordinary intelligence as well as
energy. By
channeling that intelligence and energy into positive channels
of cooperative effort, the bond between you and your Cairn
increases tremendously, and the dog, happily, has a fun outlet
for its busy, busy brain and body.
As a side benefit, such training makes your Cairn a
well-behaved, polite member of the family and a welcome guest
wherever you go.
Will
my puppy be crate trained?
Most Cairn puppies are crate trained when they leave the
breeder with their new owners.
Place the crate close by the bed of that person who
will be caring for the puppy.
By crating your Cairn during the night on a soft, white
towel, you can perform a mini-health check every morning.
Each morning when you let the dog out of its crate to
go outside, take a moment to check the towel.
You will immediately see any sign of a health problem,
such as blood, vomit, or diarrhea.
You can then recognize and treat the problem before
symptoms become worse.
What
kinds of health concerns are there in the Cairn Terrier?
Below is a list of the documented and more common health
problems that can occur in Cairn Terriers.
Thanks to dedicated breeders and veterinary
researchers, many of these diseases are being controlled or
eradicated.
Atopic
Dermatitis: The
most obvious symptom is itching skin in the dog.
It may scratch or rub its head and ears or develop ear
infections. Paw
licking or chewing is common.
Bilateral conjunctivitis in the eyes or hair loss may
occur. The basis for all of these symptoms is an allergic reaction
to one or more environmental allergens such as weed seeds,
pollen, mold and dust. All
allergies result from an immune system disorder and are
inherited. The
exact mode of inheritance is unknown. Dogs suffering from allergies should not be bred to
pass on the distressing condition to offspring or the expense
of treating allergies to unsuspecting owners.
Cataracts:
Canine ophthalmologists believe that all cataracts are
inherited unless they are caused by trauma, infection, or
systemic diseases such as Diabetes Mellitus.
The majority of inherited cataracts are found in
animals less than five years of age with juvenile cataracts
occurring before one year of age.
The mode of inheritance differs among breeds, with both
single gene and polygenic cataracts reported.
The only treatment is the removal of the lens of the
affected eye. Obviously,
affected dogs should be removed from a breeding program.
Siblings, parents, and offspring of the affected dog
must be considered as possible carriers.
Annual
C.E.R.F. exams become essential tools in monitoring eye
health.
Cranial
Mandibular Osteopathy (C.M.O.):
C.M.O. is commonly known as “Lion Jaw” because of
the abnormal, increased growth (non-cancerous) of bone on the
lower jaw or along the angle of the mandible where it attaches
to the skull. This
extra bone is dense, hard, and has a rough surface, so it
usually can be felt on palpation.
Generally, both sides of the head are affected.
Typically, puppies from four to seven months will
exhibit symptoms of C.M.O.
At the onset of the disease, inflammation occurs,
causing the puppy considerable pain.
An X-ray can confirm the diagnosis.
Treatment consists of anti-inflammatory drugs during
the painful stage.
The puppies nearly always recover with no further
discomfort, so the disease is considered self-limiting.
C.M.O. occurs in many breeds, in both small and large
sized dogs. Mode
of inheritance is simple autosomal recessive; both parents
must have at least one gene for C.M.O.
Hypothyroidism:
Dogs with
hypothyroidism have a decreased metabolic rate, because of
impaired production and secretion of the thyroid hormones.
Symptomatic of a slowing of the cellular metabolism
clinical signs such as mental dullness, lethargy, intolerance
of exercise, and weight gain may appear.
Skin may become dry, and the dog’s coat may shed
excessively. Regrowth
of hair is often retarded.
Intact dogs may have reproductive problems such as
females failing to cycle or cycling sporadically, be
infertile, or abort fetuses.
Males may lack libido, be infertile, or exhibit
testicular atrophy. Hypothyroidism
usually appears in four to ten year old dogs and is treated
with thyroid hormone replacement compound. This treatment will continue for the life of the dog.
Researchers now believe that hypothyroidism is part of
a larger auto-immune syndrome which is inherited, although the
mode of inheritance is unknown.
Affected dogs should not be bred and siblings, parents,
and offspring need tested for the disease.
Legg-Perthes
Disease: This
is an orthopedic disease that appears in many of the smaller
breeds and involves the head of the femur in the hind leg.
An interruption of the blood supply to the head of the
femur results in bone death, resorption, bone remodeling, and
painful arthritis of the stifle joint.
Leg motion is reduced and some muscle atrophy may
occur. Young dogs
from three to eleven months of age begin to show the
symptomatic lameness of Legg-Perthes.
In severe cases, surgical removal of the head of the
femur eases the pain and helps restore function.
Research studies have shown the mode of inheritance to
be complex, probably, polygenic.
Luxated
Patella (Slipped Stifle):
This is one of the most common diseases in Cairns.
The patella (knee cap) slips out of the trochlear
groove, usually to the inside (medial) of the leg.
It can be unilateral or bilateral and mainly affects
small and miniature breeds of dogs.
Particularly at the onset, a Luxated patella can cause
sever pain. The
dog may play or run, then suddenly yelp and start to favor the
affected leg. The
patella can be pushed back into place, but the luxation will
occur repeatedly. The
onset of symptoms usually appears at four to five months.
In older animals, luxating patellas may suddenly appear
as an acute condition resulting from a minor trauma.
Radiographs can confirm a diagnosis of Luxated Patella.
Usually, surgical correction is necessary to prevent
the patella from luxating again.
Research suggests that the mode of inheritance may be
recessive in some breeds and polygenic in others.
In Cairns the mode of inheritance in unknown.
Portosystemic
Shunt and Dysplastic Liver:
Abnormal liver function in which microshunts
(intra-hepatic shunt) and deformed cells may be present in a
dysplastic liver. If
one or more external, or extra-hepatic, shunts exist, they
channel blood around the liver instead of through that organ,
preventing the liver from metabolizing proteins, fats, and
carbohydrates for the dog’s body. Clinical symptoms of P.S.S. vary greatly and can include
listlessness, small body structure, a failure to grow, weight
loss, intermittent anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea or
constipation, intermittent fever, drooling, a deranged
appetite, excessive thirst, excessive urination, or crystals
or stones in the urine. Neurological
abnormalities are usually gradual in onset and may include a
lack of coordination, weakness, stupor, head pressing,
staring, deterioration of sight, incessant pacing, circling,
aggression, grand mal seizures, or coma.
To diagnose the presence of a liver shunt, a
veterinarian should do a complete blood count, serum chemistry
screen, and a urinalysis on the dog.
If the results are suggestive of a liver shunt, then a
Bile Acid test should be run.
Highly elevated bile acids are suggestive of a
portosystemic shunt. Surgical procedures can correct some, but not all cases
of P.S.S. Dietary
management plays a critical role in the long-term survival of
affected animals, regardless of surgical intervention.
In Cairns, the mode of inheritance appears to be
polygenic. A
liver bile acid test will provide evidence of the health of a
dog’s liver. Because
liver shunt is a polygenic inherited disease, all potential
breeding stock should be tested, with the resulting scores in
the normal range, before using these dogs in a breeding
program.
Ocular
Melanosis: First
diagnosed in 1984, this disease appears to occur only in Cairn
Terriers. Dogs
typically show symptoms at six to twelve years of age.
Excess pigmentation develops in the sclera (white of
the eye) and chambers of the eye.
The pigment granules eventually decrease the eye’s
ability to drain out of the chambers of the eye, causing
elevated fluid pressure in the affected eye.
If this elevated pressure goes undetected and
undiagnosed, the eye becomes blind. If diagnosed early enough, the condition can be treated and
controlled. Vision
can be maintained through medication and, eventually, laser
surgery. Obviously, older Cairns need annual eye exams to detect early
signs of Ocular Melanosis:
heavy pigmentation of the sclera and loss of ability of
the pupils to contract. Given
the mode of inheritance is still unknown, and the severity of
the disease is considerable, no affected animal should be used
for breeding. Again,
parents, siblings, and offspring of the affected animal should
be considered as carriers.
Resources
Available on the Internet:
www.whole-dog-journal.com
-- a monthly newsletter with articles on diet,
training, dog products, etc. – an excellent resource
for dog owners. Every
February the magazine issues a list of the best dog foods with
accompanying website URLs for you to investigate more on your
own. As a
subscriber, you can also access the archives for any back
issue information on diet.
www.clickandtreat.com
-- The website for Gary Wilkes, a well-known dog trainer, who
sells clicker training materials.
The site also includes many free articles written by
Gary.
www.cleanrun.com
-- site for agility magazine of the same name.
http://www.dogpatch.org/agility/
-- another helpful site for agility
http://www.canineworld.com/rmgdec/tips.html
-- website for the Rocky Mountain Goal Diggers Earthdog Club
here in Colorado; has many useful articles and links.
www.cairnterrier.org
-- home page for the Cairn Terrier Club of America with much
useful information on the breed.
www.barfdiet.com -- website has
list of ready-made, commercial raw diets
www.-scf.usc.edu/~animal/canine/raw.html
-- extensive
list of articles, including some written by veterinarians, for
personal research.
www.naturalholistic.com
-- Dr.
Larry Berstein, VMD, has a list of downloadable articles on
various health and nutrition related topics.
www.whole-dog-journal.com/
-- website
for the newsletter dealing with canine health and nutrition
information. The WDJ accepts no
advertising to maintain an unbiased, objective point of view.
www.drianbillinghurst.com
-- website
for the Australian vet who developed the B.A.R.F. diet.
www.seconchanceranch.org/rawmeat.html
-- an
article which condemns raw meat diets.
www.geocities.com/~lyncamp/mybluedog.html
--
Dr. Billinghurst’s rebuttal to the above article.
www.minden.com/rawlinks.htm
-- raw
feeding links and mailing lists
www.petpower.com/pglaicia2.shtml
-- canine
nutrition advice from Ph.D, Certified Nutritional Consultant.
http://home.earthlink.net/~pawsreflect/nutrition.html
-- super
articles and references; site organized by Betty Lewis, RVT,
Dr. A.N.
www.concentric.net/~Liganje/NatSea/index.html
-- a
Seattle-based site, but a great compilation of references for
easy access.
www.-sci.lib.uci.edu/HSG/Vet.html#JVET
-- on-line
veterinary journal
Books:
1.
Dr. Ian Billinghurst, Give Your Dog a Bone and Grow
Your Pups With Bones
1.1
Recommends diet of 50% RMBs with 50% vegetables and
supplements.
1.2
Easiest diet to follow.
2.
Wendy Volhard, The Holistic Guide For A Helathy Dog
(with Kerry Brown, DVM)
2.1
Recommends a diet high in grains
2.2
Calcium received from bone meal rather than RMBs.
2.3
Very restrictive
3.
Kymythy Schultze, Ultimate Pet Diet: Natural
Nutrition for Dogs And Cats
3.1
No grains or dairy products
3.2
Good for dogs with cancer or allergies
4.
Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM,
Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide To Natural Health
For Cats
And Dogs
4.1
Contains a variety of individually balanced recipes
4.2
This diet high in grains and calcium comes from bone
meal instead of RMBs
4.3
Includes quite a bit of yeast
5.
Pat McKay, Reigning Cats And Dogs
5.1
This diet very similar to that of Schultze’s listed
above.
6.
Juliette de Baircli Levy, The Complete Herbal
Handbook F or The Dog And Cat
6.1
Good results have been reported over many decades from
those using her
diet.
6.2
Can be difficult for beginners to follow
Written for the
Cairn Terrier Club of Denver
by Sandra Murray |
