Lifespan
Median longevity of Bedlington Terriers is about 14 years, but they often will live 17 years or more. This is longer than for purebred dogs in general and longer than most breeds similar in size. Leading causes of death among Bedlington Terriers are old age, urological issues, and hepatic issues. The leading hepatic cause of death was copper toxicosis. Dogs that died of liver diseases usually died at a younger age than dogs dying of most other causes.
Copper Toxicosis
Bedlington Terriers have an unusually high incidence of copper toxicosis, an inherited autosomal recessive disease characterized by accumulation of excess copper in the liver. There are DNA tests available to detect the defective allele. The disease is diagnosed with a liver biopsy.