Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with symptoms that vary from person to person and may include joint pain, swelling and stiffness.
Health Problems & Life Expectancy. The typical West Highland Terrier lives about 12-16 years. Of course, individual dogs can have a life span outside that range based on care and pure luck. Like all dog breeds, Westies are prone to certain diseases, disorders, and behavioral problems.
West Highland White Terriers. We came to own our first Westie in 1990. It was a wonderful chance of fate! Although I owned my own grooming shop and was grooming several Westies, we knew little about the breed expcept for the breed name and group.