Lethal lung disease in new born Airedale Terrier dogs is a genetic disease caused by a recessive variant in the lysosome associated membrane LAMP3 gene. This genetic defect causes a defect in the maturation of the Surfactant producing organelle of the lung epithelium. Surfactants are mixture of lipids and proteins essential for life that form a thin surface lining film in the gas exchange compartment of the lungs, the alveolus. Surfactants reduces surface tension on the surface of these cells, essential to breathing. Surfactants are produced by the vacuoles which are closed sacs, made of membranes with inorganic or organic molecules inside, such as enzymes. In affected puppies the vacuoles don’t mature and therefore are unable to produce the surfactant causing lethal hypoxic respiratory distress and failure within the first days or weeks of life in affected puppies.