Some hereditary diseases
in the B.C.
This disease information
is not intended to deter anyone from buying a border collie - it is intended
to encourage you to investigate carefully the bloodlines of any animal
you may wish to purchase. Scrupulous breeders will have screened their
breeding lines to remove or limit the possibility of these diseases occuring
in their lines and should be able to show you veterinary certification
to state that the necessary tests have been carried out on breeding stock
or mature stock for sale. If these evidences of genuine health care are
not available - go to another breeder who can provide you with the proof
of their efforts to maintain healthy, disease free lines.
I am not a vet -
my information has been taken from Everydog by Rowan Blogg
and Eric Allan and also information supplied by Graeme Allen MVSc (Diplomate,American
College of Veterinary Radiology; Fellow, Australian College of Veterinary
Scientists and Specialist Veterinary Radiologist)
O.C.D. (osteochondritis
dissecans)
OCD is a disease of
the joint cartilage and is especially evident in shoulder and elbow joints.
It seems to appear more commonly in dogs than bitches and is usually evident
in fast-growing young dogs. It is not certain whether OCD is genetically
inheritable but observations imply that similar blood lines seem to be
prevalent in sufferers. OCD is often caused through trauma to the joint
- falls, knocks etcetera - and results in a flap of raw bone detaching
or semi-detaching under which an ulcer is formed. This is an extremely
painful injury for the dogs and shows itself in prsistent and progressively
more severe lameness.
Confirmation of the
condition can only occur through x-ray. Severe cases can only be treated
surgically. There is no pre-symptomatic test for OCD but you can ask if
any dog in the lines has ever suffered the problem.
CHD (chronic hip dysplasia)
Hip dysplasia is a condition
in which the hip joint is badly formed - this leads to abnormal wear on
the joint and commonly to arthritis. CHD is the most common bone ailment
in large breed dogs. It is not more prevalent in either sex and also cannot
be diagnosed without x-ray. Genetic inheritance is also unclear but it
would be wise to avoid lines which have had the problem.
Signs of CHD include
a swinging gait and perhaps might 'bunny hop' (move both rear legs together
instead of separately) when moving faster than a walk. A dog may sit with
both legs on one side and may have difficulty rising. If an animal shows
any of these signs they should be checked by a vet.
Progressive retinal
atrophy (PRA)
The retina is at the
back of the eye and receives the light impulses which create visions. PRA
results in the thinning of the retina and consequential blindness. It is
an inherited condition but often is not picked up until later in a dog's
life and they may already have produced puppies. PRA is not curable. A
dog developing PRA may begin to show signs of night blindness, unreasonable
apprehension of familiar objects and begin to stumble.
PRA is detectable
by a veterinary opthamologists exam between 3 and 5 years of age. PRA is
not currently a common breed problem in Australia and there are few
dogs certificated as clear - there are also relatively few vets who will
definitively certificate a dog as clear. Questioning regarding general
sight problems, while not determining PRA, could be worthwhile in alerting
you to concerns about the bloodlines.
Collie Eye anomaly (CEA)
The extent of this disease
is extremely high in rough collies in Australia and it is feared that the
incidence is increasing in Border Collies in Australia. The anomaly can
be very mild, to the point of being undetected, and varies in intensity
up to complete blindness - the anomaly (abnormality) may be on the retina,
optic nerve or choroid. CEA is not degenerative and is detectable at birth.
Eyesight checks, by a veterinary opthamologist, should be done before 14
weeks of age.
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