Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier Ectopic Ureter Information
Shoot for the Moon.  The Answers Are Worth the Journey.

Artwork by Gerald Stack for SCWTCA, Inc.

The purpose of this survey is to collect information on all Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers that have been diagnosed with an ectopic ureter or other similar defects. The results will be shared with researchers and the SCWT Health and Pedigree Database to help all of us better understand this condition within our breed. With a relatively small gene pool, our pedigrees are interconnected, and every piece of information contributes to a clearer picture. Choosing not to share information about an affected dog doesn’t make the risk disappear – it simply means another breeder may unknowingly make breeding decisions without the benefit of that knowledge.

Ectopic Ureters can be devastating for puppies, breeders and their owners, often requiring expensive surgeries and in some cases more than one puppy in a litter may be affected.

Every breeding decision made without complete information has the potential to produce additional affected dogs and may unnecessarily eliminate valuable bloodlines when the true level of risk is unknown.

Some breeders feel they have shared this information because it was discussed on social media or through conversations with fellow breeders or friends. While those discussions can be helpful, they are temporary, difficult to find later, and often reach a limited audience. A permanent record in the SCWT Database ensures that the information is preserved, searchable, and available to current and future breeders who may be making important breeding decisions years from now.

By sharing accurate health information, we can make better-informed decisions, reduce the incidence of this condition over time, and preserve the genetic diversity of our already limited gene pool.

Our breed’s health depends on reliable, accessible information – not on who happened to see a social post or be included in an email chain.