Border Collie health Health Information

Border Collies are extremely energetic and require a lot of attention. They are better off in a household that can provide them with plenty of exercise and a job to do. Like most herding breeds, they will attempt to herd family members, cats, squirrels, bicycles, cars, or anything else that moves in the absence of other charges.

Border Collies make bad pets for people who cannot provide a considerable amount of daily exercise, both physical and mental. Many Border Collies end up in shelters or rescue groups because families, attracted by their appearance, discover that they cannot provide the attention and effort required for this driven, active, easily bored breed—though this problem can be alleviated by giving the dog lots of mental and physical stimulation.

This can be done by taking them to training classes and for long, brisk walks. Participating in dog sports such as dog agility, flyball, sheepdog trials, dog dancing, dog sledding races and obedience are also popular with Border Collie owners for this reason. It may also help to have more than one dog.

Among some breeders of the breed in Britain, there is a common saying: "no sheep, no collie", referring to the dog's usual unsuitability to people who just want a "smart dog". Border Collies love to play and do not always know when to stop on their own; owners must ensure that they do not overexert themselves, especially in hot weather, which can be dangerous.
Health

Red and white Border Collie playing a favorite game
Hip dysplasia is widespread among purebred Border Collies. Elbow dysplasia also occurs, along with epilepsy and hypothyroidism. Dogs homozygous for the merle gene are likely to have eye and/or hearing problems.

Ceroid lipofuscinosis (CL) is an inherited neurodegenerative disease found in a number of breeds of dog. The mutation causing the form of the disease found in Border Collies has recently been identified in the laboratory of Dr Alan Wilton of the School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis is a type of lysosomal storage disorder that results in accumulation of lysosomal storage bodies in the cells of many tissues of the affected animal. This leads to progressive neurodegeneration (degeneration of brain and eye cells) and results in severe neurological impairment and early death. Affected dogs appear normal at birth, but begin to exhibit symptoms early in life – around 1- 2 years of age. The age of onset and severity of the disease can vary greatly among individuals. The symptoms include progressive motor decline with seizures and loss of coordinated muscle movements, cognitive decline and abnormal behavior. Visual impairment may occur. Due to the severity of the disease, affected Border Collies rarely survive beyond 26-28 months. There is no treatment or cure at this time.

Collie eye anomaly (CEA) can now be tested for genetically. Some Border Collie breed clubs are active in promoting research into hereditary diseases of this breed.

The mutation, or change to the structure of the gene, probably occurred spontaneously in a single dog but once in the population has been inherited from generation to generation like any other gene. The disorder shows an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance: two copies of the defective gene (one inherited from each parent) have to be present for a dog to be affected by the disease. Individuals with one copy of the defective gene and one copy of the normal gene - called carriers - show no symptoms but can pass the defective gene onto their offspring. When two apparently healthy carriers are crossed, 25% (on average) of the offspring will be affected by the disease, 25% will be clear and the remaining 50% will themselves be carriers


Black and white Border Collie
The DNA test not only diagnoses dogs affected with this disease but can also detect those dogs which are carriers, displaying no symptoms of the disease but able to produce affected pups. Under most circumstances, there will be a much greater number of carriers than affected animals in a population. It is important to eliminate such carriers from a breeding population since they represent a hidden reservoir of the disease that can produce affected dogs at any time.

The test is available now and information on submitting samples is given below.

Breeders will be sent results identifying their dog as belonging to one of three categories:

CLEAR: the dog has 2 copies of the normal gene and will neither develop ceroid lipofuscinosis, nor pass a copy of the ceroid lipofuscinosis gene to any of its offspring.
CARRIER: the dog has one copy of the normal gene and one copy of the mutant gene that causes ceroid lipofuscinosis. It will not develop ceroid lipofuscinosis, but will pass on the ceroid lipofuscinosis gene to 50% (on average) of its offspring.
AFFECTED: the dog has two copies of the ceroid lipofuscinosis mutation and will be affected with ceroid lipofuscinosis.
Carriers can still be bred to clear dogs. On average, 50% of such a litter will be clear and 50% carriers; there can be no affecteds produced from such a mating. Pups which will be used for breeding can themselves be DNA tested to determine whether they are clear or carrier.