12 Common Health Problems in Border Collies Every Owner Should Know

Border collies are beloved for their intelligence, athleticism, and loyalty. These energetic herding dogs make wonderful companions for active families. While border collies are generally a hardy and healthy breed, like all purebred dogs, they do have a higher risk of certain hereditary health conditions.

As a border collie owner, it‘s important to be aware of the most common health problems this breed may face. Recognizing symptoms early and getting prompt treatment from your veterinarian can help your border collie live the healthiest, happiest life possible. Here‘s an in-depth look at 12 health issues that commonly affect border collies.

1. Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is one of the most prevalent orthopedic problems seen in border collies. This condition occurs when the hip joint doesn‘t develop properly, causing the ball and socket to fit together loosely. Over time, this instability leads to painful arthritis.

Signs of hip dysplasia usually appear when a dog is young, between 5-12 months old. You may notice your border collie is reluctant to exercise, has difficulty rising, walks with a "bunny hopping" gait, or cries out in pain. Untreated hip dysplasia significantly impacts a dog‘s mobility and quality of life.

Hip dysplasia is a genetic condition that responsible breeders screen for. However, environmental factors like rapid growth, obesity, and excessive exercise during puppyhood also play a role in its development. Treatment options include weight management, anti-inflammatory medications, joint supplements, physical therapy, and in severe cases, surgical procedures like total hip replacement.

2. Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA)

CEA is an inherited eye disease that border collies can be born with. It‘s caused by a mutated gene and leads to improper development of the choroid – a layer of tissue under the retina. CEA can affect one or both eyes.

Most often, CEA is detected in puppies by 8 weeks old during a veterinary eye exam. Mild cases cause no vision impairment, while severe cases can result in detached retinas and blindness. There is no treatment for CEA. Affected dogs can still live a good life, as long as their environment is kept consistent.

Fortunately, a genetic test is available for CEA. Responsible border collie breeders perform this testing to avoid producing puppies with this condition. Make sure to verify the CEA status of any puppy you‘re considering.

3. Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

PRA is another genetic eye disease that causes the retina to deteriorate over time, eventually leading to blindness. This condition usually becomes apparent in border collies between 3-5 years old.

Early signs of PRA include reluctance to go down stairs, bumping into objects, and dilated pupils. Most affected dogs completely lose their sight within 1-2 years of diagnosis. Like CEA, there is no cure for PRA. Regular vet check-ups are important to catch this disease early.

4. Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizures without any identifiable cause. Border collies are one of the breeds most commonly affected by idiopathic epilepsy, which appears to be inherited. Seizures often begin when a dog is 1-5 years old.

Seizure symptoms can vary but typically involve collapsing, uncontrollable shaking, paddling of the limbs, loss of consciousness, and foaming at the mouth. Most seizures last 30-90 seconds. If a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, it‘s considered an emergency.

Dogs with epilepsy can often live relatively normal lives with treatment. Anti-seizure medications help reduce the frequency and severity of seizures. However, these drugs can have side effects and regular blood tests are needed to monitor a dog‘s response. With attentive care from you and your vet, epileptic dogs can still have a good quality of life.

5. Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome (TNS)

TNS is a rare but serious hereditary disorder that impairs a border collie‘s immune system. Affected dogs have neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) that cannot effectively fight bacterial infections. As a result, TNS dogs are extremely prone to recurrent, severe infections.

Symptoms of TNS include stunted growth, skin and gum ulcers, gingivitis, fever, lethargy, lameness, and infections that don‘t respond to antibiotics. Unfortunately, TNS is fatal, usually claiming a dog‘s life before age 3. There is no cure and treatment can only ease symptoms.

TNS is caused by a recessive gene, meaning a puppy must inherit a copy from both parents to be affected. Carriers may show no symptoms. DNA testing allows breeders to identify TNS carriers and avoid producing affected puppies. Always ask about the TNS status of a border collie‘s parents before purchasing from a breeder.

6. Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL)

NCL is an inherited neurological disease that causes a border collie‘s nervous system to gradually deteriorate. This disorder makes a dog‘s body unable to properly metabolize specific waste compounds, leading to damage of the brain and retinas.

NCL typically shows signs when a border collie is 1-2 years old. Early symptoms can include anxiety, aggression, vision problems, and loss of coordination. As the disease progresses, dogs develop worsening seizures, dementia, and blindness. NCL is invariably fatal, with affected dogs rarely surviving past age 8.

Like TNS, NCL is caused by a recessive mutation. There is a DNA test to identify carriers so breeders can remove them from their programs. Sadly, there is no treatment for NCL besides palliative care to keep dogs comfortable.

7. Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)

PDA is a congenital heart defect that occurs when a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus fails to close after a puppy‘s birth. This vessel is important prior to birth, but if it remains open, it allows blood to abnormally flow between the heart and lungs.

Puppies with PDA tire easily, may collapse after exercise, cough frequently, and struggle to gain weight. Your vet can diagnose PDA by listening to your puppy‘s heart – a continuous machine-like murmur is heard with a stethoscope. X-rays and an echocardiogram are used to confirm the diagnosis.

If identified before a puppy is 16 weeks old, PDA can be corrected with minimally invasive surgery. A small device is inserted to plug the vessel and restore normal blood flow. Without surgery, most dogs with PDA develop congestive heart failure before age 1.

8. Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD)

OCD is an orthopedic condition caused by improper growth of cartilage on the end of a bone in a young dog‘s joint. This weak cartilage is prone to cracking and separating from the bone, causing joint inflammation and pain. The shoulder is most commonly affected in border collies.

Puppies with OCD may limp, appear stiff, and be reluctant to exercise the affected leg. It most often appears between 4-10 months old. Diagnosis is made with X-rays and treatment involves surgically removing the damaged cartilage flap to eliminate pain.

OCD is believed to be caused by genetics, rapid growth, and excess calories during puppyhood. Preventing obesity, feeding a balanced large-breed puppy diet, and limiting high-impact exercise can help reduce a border collie‘s OCD risk.

9. Hypothyroidism

The thyroid gland secretes hormones that regulate a dog‘s metabolism. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid under-produces these hormones. Border collies are predisposed to hypothyroidism, with symptoms usually appearing at middle age.

Signs of low thyroid hormone levels include weight gain, hair loss, dry skin, recurring skin and ear infections, cold intolerance, and lethargy. Your vet can diagnose hypothyroidism with blood tests. It‘s treated with an oral thyroid supplement that must be given for the rest of a dog‘s life. With proper treatment, hypothyroid dogs can live normal lifespans.

10. Multidrug Resistance Gene Mutation (MDR1)

The MDR1 gene is responsible for producing a protein that helps remove certain drugs from the brain. Some border collies (and other herding breeds) are born with a mutation of this gene that allows drugs to accumulate to toxic levels in their brain.

Dogs with the MDR1 mutation may have severe adverse reactions to common anti-parasitic medications (like ivermectin), the pain medication butorphanol, and some chemotherapy drugs. At high doses, these drugs can cause neurological symptoms like disorientation, blindness, tremors, and even death in affected dogs.

There is a simple DNA test for the MDR1 mutation. If your border collie is a carrier, your vet can recommend alternative medications that are safe to use. All collies should be tested prior to being treated with these drugs.

11. Imerslund-Gräsbeck Syndrome (IGS)

IGS is a rare inherited disorder that results in vitamin B12 deficiency. Affected border collie puppies are unable to absorb B12 from their intestines, leading to a host of health problems. IGS is caused by a mutation in the cubilin gene.

Symptoms of IGS usually appear before 6 months of age and include poor growth, weakness, lethargy, and chronic gastrointestinal issues. IGS is diagnosed through blood tests showing low B12 levels and the presence of a unique type of anemia. Treatment involves lifelong B12 supplementation, either orally or through injections under the skin. As long as their B12 levels are regularly monitored and maintained, IGS dogs can live normally.

12. Problems Related to Merle Coat Color

The merle coat pattern has recently surged in popularity among border collie fanciers. However, this striking mottled coloration comes with serious health risks when bred irresponsibly.
The merle (M) gene causes random dilution of pigment in a dog‘s coat. Unfortunately, it can also lead to abnormal development of the eyes and ears if a puppy inherits two copies of the M gene (known as "double merle").
Double merle puppies are born when two merle-colored border collies are bred together. These puppies have an extremely high risk of being blind and/or deaf. No reputable breeder will ever produce double merles intentionally.
If you‘re considering a merle border collie, ask to see the puppy‘s parents. Breeding a merle to a non-merle is the only responsible way to produce healthy merle puppies. Avoid any breeder who breeds merle-to-merle.

Importance of Health Screening

Many of the diseases border collies are prone to have genetic tests available. Responsible breeders utilize these tests to avoid producing puppies destined to suffer from preventable health conditions. When looking for a border collie puppy, make sure the breeder performs the recommended genetic and orthopedic screening on their dogs.
The following tests are considered essential for the breed:

• Hip dysplasia: Hips are X-rayed and rated by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or PennHIP. Both parents should be screened.
• NCL: DNA test. Puppy‘s parents should be tested and at least one parent should be normal/clear.
• TNS: DNA test. Puppy‘s parents should be tested and at least one parent should be normal/clear.
• CEA: DNA test. Puppy‘s parents should be tested and at least one parent should be normal/clear.
• IGS: DNA test. Puppy‘s parents should be tested and at least one parent should be normal/clear.
• MDR1: DNA test. Puppy‘s parents should be tested. Carrier puppies can still make good pets as long as precautions are taken with certain medications.

Breeders should be happy to show you their dogs‘ test results. You can also verify health test results yourself by checking the OFA public database.

Keeping Your Border Collie Healthy

While you can‘t completely prevent genetic diseases, there‘s still a lot you can do to promote your border collie‘s overall health. Providing high-quality food, age-appropriate exercise, and regular check-ups with your vet is key.

Feed a balanced diet formulated for your border collie‘s life stage. Avoid overfeeding – excess weight is terrible for joints and heart health. Keep your collie slim and gradually increase portion sizes as they grow.

Border collie puppies seem to have endless energy, but forcing them to exercise for too long or on hard surfaces can damage their developing skeletal system. Limit walks to 5 minutes per month of age – so a 4-month-old puppy should exercise for about 20 minutes per session. Avoid stairs or jumping until growth plates close around 12-18 months old.

Brush your dog‘s teeth daily, keep up with monthly parasite prevention, and never skip annual vet appointments. Catching potential health issues early is the best way to keep your border collie happy and healthy for years to come.

Average Lifespan

Border collies are a generally robust breed with an average lifespan of 10-14 years. Some may even live well into their late teens with great care.
As a medium-sized breed, border collies tend to have better longevity than larger dogs. However, lifespan is largely dependent on genetics and lifestyle factors. Feeding an appropriate diet, maintaining a healthy weight, providing adequate exercise/mental stimulation, and keeping up with preventive vet care is the recipe for border collie longevity.

No dog is immune from health issues, but overall, border collies are a relatively healthy breed. Focus on getting your dog from a responsible breeder who health tests, and then give them the best life possible. With some luck and a lot of love, you‘ll have many wonderful years with your border collie by your side.