A questionnaire-based survey of owner-reported environment and care of West Highland white terriers with or without canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Canine idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (CIPF) is a progressive parenchymal lung disease of unknown origin, primarily affecting older West Highland white terriers (WHWTs). The aims of this study were to describe demographic characteristics of a large cohort of WHWTs with CIPF and to investigate potential predictive factors associated with disease occurrence and mortality, using a questionnaire-based survey. Completed surveys were obtained from 457 respondents representing 542 WHWTs, of which 29.7% were reported to suffer from CIPF. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the population. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictive factors associated with CIPF diagnosis and mortality. Median age at diagnosis was 11.6 years (interquartile range: 9.1-13.3). Lung crackles were reported in 87% of affected dogs. At the time of survey completion, 54.9% of CIPF-affected WHWTs were deceased. Median survival time following diagnosis was 1 year (interquartile range: 0.32-2 years), and cause of death was CIPF-related in 77% of cases. After adjustment for confounding factors, increased odds of CIPF were associated with older age, United Kingdom residence, familial history of CIPF, cardiac disease, regular grooming in dedicated facilities, and treatment for external parasites. Conversely, having a pedigree was associated with reduced odds of disease. Among affected dogs, living in homes containing asbestos increased odds of death, whereas cardiac disease and frequent home grooming were associated with reduced odds of mortality. These findings suggest that genetic background, environmental exposures, care-related factors, and comorbid conditions may influence the occurrence and outcome of CIPF in the studied WHWT population.