|
|
|
Home Site Map Border Collie Application Contact FAQ's Privacy |
|
Border Collie health:
Border Collies are generally a healthy breed, but like all dog breeds they do have some inherited diseases, that should be made known to all potential owners. Not all Border Collies have the following conditions.
Hip Dysplasia or HD:
This condition is also common in other popular breeds as well, like the Lab, Golden Retriever, and German Shepherd Dog. In this disease the hip ball and socket joint do not fit together close enough. The result varies from some types of lameness, from extremely mild to the Border Collie being totally crippled. Pups that are born with a little bit of a problem can make the problem worse by being over-exercised or over-weight.
Unfortunately this conditions is polygenic, and no DNA test is currently available for it. However, breeders can have their dog's hips x-rayed and then the results can be evaluated by the OFA (www.offa.com), which will issue the dog a hip score. Keep in mind that two dogs with a rating of OFA excellent can still produce puppies that are affected with HD, so the breeder should offer a health guarantee.
Collie Eye Anomaly or CEA:
This disease is appearing to increase in the Border Collie, and is considered to be the worst of all the inherited diseases that can occur in the breed. CEA can appear in the full degree from complete blindness to minor blindness. The disease can appear when the puppy is six weeks old and then it might disappear when the puppy turns two.
Thankfully, a DNA test is now available for CEA through Optigen (www.optigen.com), and as a result it is possible to prevent this disease altogether!
Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (CL) or Storage Disease:
This disease affects the Border Collies nerve cells. This disease was present first in the beginning of the 1980s, and since then only about twenty have been heard of. This condition is not able to be recognized until the dog is 18 months old. Some symptoms of this disease are an unusual gait, hyperactivity, and abnormal apprehension. This disease is very rare.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy or PRA:
This condition is also called night blindness. In some circumstances the condition does not appear in the dog until the age of 8 years. Dogs that have it will have total blindness, for this reason is smart have your dog examined by a certified canine opthamologist when it is at the age of two and then at three years, and every so often after three. |
Information Center:
Dog Supplies
Health Care
Training:
Border Collie Info:
Problems:
Border Collie Stories
Linking Sites: |
