Progressive renal disease in Soft-coated Wheaten Terriers: possible familial nephropathy

Clinical and pathological features are described in seven young Soft-coated Wheaten Terriers with chronic renal disease. The oldest dog was 21/2 years; in the other six, ages at death ranged from one to 15 months. Two of the puppies were littermates: one died at 4 weeks, the other at 12 months. Two of the dogs were examined at intervals up to 14 months, during which time there was progressive deterioration in renal function. All seven dogs had abnormal kidneys with cortical narrowing. The histological features were not consistent and included: tubular dilatation and basement membrane thickening; an unusually large proportion of immature glomeruli; persistence of interstitial connective tissue resembling foetal mesenchyme. Inflammatory change was minimal except in two dogs with super-imposed pyelonephritis. The clinical and laboratory data suggest that these dogs had dysplasia of the kidneys that progressed to chronic renal disease during early life. In three dogs there was a familial relationship.