Westie Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis May Have New Treatment Options
The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies (University of Edinburgh) has initiated an investigation into West Highland White Terrier lung disease (WLD) and, in order to carry it out, invites owners and veterinarians from around the world to participate in the study.
WLD, more properly known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, is an incurable chronic respiratory disease that is most commonly seen in Westies, but can also be seen occasionally in other breeds. Once confirmed, the disease has a predictable outcome with gradual progression and eventually respiratory failure. The effectiveness of any treatment used is questionable.
Brendan Corcoran and Tobias Schwartz of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies point out that high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is the gold standard for diagnosing WLD, not counting lung biopsy, which is rarely, if ever is, done. "This has given us a new perspective on the possible cause of the disease and alternative treatment approaches. Working with clinicians in the UK and US, we are becoming less and less convinced that WLD is fibrosis. idiopathic lung disease and could be related to a condition known in human medicine as non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) If this is the case, this could be a paradigm shift in the treatment of WLD, as NSIP can be controlled more easily," the researchers note.
Study Objectives
The project has three study objectives and encourages owners and veterinarians to get involved in any of the research areas:
- Examine and measure the owner's experience and their perception of the benefits of the treatments they have used.
- To assess the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy in dogs with HRCT-confirmed WLD, using a combination of owner observations, veterinarian assessment, and HRCT imaging changes.
- Assess the efficacy of therapy in cases where WLD is highly suspected but not confirmed by HRCT (due to lack of availability or budget), using a combination of owner observations, veterinary assessment, and imaging changes X-ray.
Devastating disease
The study, funded by the Westie Foundation of America, will use a combination of input from owners, social media, telemedicine and referral clinics to investigate an important and devastating disease. The project will also explore the value of social media in improving understanding of the disease by enhancing owner and veterinarian engagement and contribution to veterinary clinical research.
For more information or to participate in the research, visit the project website.
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