Health Problems to Watch for with Cairn Terriers
Cairn terriers are sturdy and healthy dogs, but they can have some underlying health conditions at any age. These could be dental issues, infections, obesity, genetic abnormalities, diabetes, and more.
Dental Disease
Dental issues are common in most dogs and affect 80% of them by age two. Often, diseases start with a tartar build-up on the teeth that leads to infecting the gums and roots. If not treated in time, this infection can rot your dogs teeth and put them at a greater risk of kidney, liver, and heart damage.
Legg-Calve-Perthes DiseaseÂ
This is a commonly-occurring hip condition in small dog breeds that reduces the blood supply to the animals rear leg bone. The common symptom of Legg-Calve-Perthes is difficulty in walking, which starts to show when the dog is 3 to 18 months old. Dogs with this condition have to go for surgery as a treatment.
Craniomandibular Osteopathy
This is a rare genetic bone condition in small breeds that results from the swelling of the dogs jaw or skull in the growth phase. Craniomandibular Osteopathy is also known as “mandibular periostitis” or “lion jaw”.
Dogs between the age group of 3 to 8 months are more likely to show the signs of this painful condition. Your cairn terrier may struggle to open or move the jaw for barking or chewing. Some dogs may also show excessive salivation, visible swelling, lethargy, or intermittent fevers.
Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy
GCL is also known as “lysosomal storage disease.” The condition leads to unusual storage of an enzyme that is important in myelin production. Myelin is an element that protects the dogs brain and spinal cord nerves.Â
Any defect in myelin results in damaged nerve cells. Dogs with GCL show symptoms like tremors, weakness, disbalance, and staggering.
Kidney Dysplasia
Kidney dysplasia or renal dysplasia is an unusual development of the dogs kidney when they are born. This congenital condition is transferred from the parent to the puppy. The signs of kidney dysplasia are similar to chronic kidney failure, including loss of appetite, vomiting, depression, diarrhea, nausea, and bad breath.Â
Its easier to diagnose the signs of kidney dysplasia when the dog is young. But in acute cases, they may not appear until the dog becomes several years old.
Obesity
Obesity is a common health problem in almost all dogs. It can lead to severe health issues, like joint problems, digestive disorders, heart diseases, and back pain when not controlled.Â
Its hard to say no to your cairn when they demand treats with those cute little eyes, and you can give them delicious, sweet dog treats, but dont do so excessively. Treats should account for less than 10% of daily calories.
When youre training your dog with obedience exercises, you can simply pat or hug them as appreciation instead of giving them treats every time.Â
Diabetes
This is another common disease that can affect any breed. Diabetic dogs cant regulate the sugar metabolism in their bodies and need daily insulin doses.Â
Diabetes can be treated more effectively when its diagnosed early. Common signs of diabetes include excessive drinking, increased urination, sudden weight loss, increased or decreased appetite, cloudy eyes, skin infections, and urinary infections.Â
Take your dog to a vet as soon as you observe these symptoms.
Portosystemic Shunt (PSS)
This is a liver disorder that restricts the blood supply normally directed to the liver. This deprives the liver of sufficient blood to grow and work properly. As a result, a dogs liver fails to remove the toxins from their bloodstream.
Eye Problems
Dogs can inherit or develop different eye problems that impact the quality of their life. Some of these eye issues can even cause blindness if they are not treated immediately.Â
A few eye problems in cairn terriers include:
A cairn terrier is a friendly, happy, and playful addition to your family. These dogs are sweet and always want to spend more time with their owners, so you likely wont struggle with their socialization and training.
They have a short, wiry coat that doesnt require an extensive grooming routine.
Cairns are also good observers and can be extra protective. They may bark too much, which shows how energetic these cute dogs are.Â
Cairns require high mental stimulation, so youll always find them doing something, and youll want to ensure that they have a good outlet for their energy.
Cairn terriers have existed since the 1400s. They were used for hunting different animals on the Scottish Isle of Skye. The name “cairn” comes from their expertise in bolting otters from piles of stone serving as landmarks that were called “cairns”.
In the 1870s, the cairn and the other terriers from the same region were grouped in dog shows as Scotch terriers.Â
Soon, in 1881, this group was further divided into several smaller categories.Â
Finally, around 1921, the breed started to be known as “cairn terriers”.
How long do cairn terriers live?
On average, Cairn terriers can live a good 12 to 15 years of life. Of course, this is when they are well taken care of and live in a happy, loving home. Taking good care of your Cairn terrier will help it to live into those 12 to 15 years of life.
How often do they need to be groomed?
According to Anna, their coats routinely need to be groomed and hand stripped. Trimming/shaving them, or removing the wiry outer coat, can lead to skin disease and permanently damage the hair. Read our guide on how to groom your dog at home.