Collie Health Concerns
Collies, like every breed of dog, have some health issues that are specific to their breed. I test my dogs for every genetic condition for which a test is available, as well as eliminating from my breeding program any dog with less than perfect overall health. However, collies are still purebred dogs with very low genetic diversity and limited gene pool, and all dogs can potentially develop a health problem, no matter what we do to try to prevent it. I am deeply committed to responding in a supportive and ethical manner if any of the puppies I produce has a genetic health problem.
My contract provides that you may return your puppy to me for a week due to ill health and get a full refund of the purchase price. You may also return him or her for a two week period for any reason other than poor health, and will receive refund of the purchase price, less the deposit, as soon as I resell your pup. I also offer a five year genetic health guarantee. If your puppy develops any genetic health issue, minor or more serious, please contact me and I will research it, talk to my vet, and help you deal with the problem in any other way I can. Also, please let me know if you can't keep your puppy for any reason, so that I can take him or her back or help you find your puppy another loving home.
To see a sample of my contract and five-year guarantee, click HERE. One of the reasons I wanted to breed collies was to provide people with a good experience buying a purebred puppy. We've been on the other side and we've had bad experiences and we know how heartbreaking they can be. |
The most common health issues in collies are listed below. You can click on the title for each to link to more information.
Multi-drug sensitivity (MDR1)
"Many herding breed dogs have a genetic predisposition to adverse drug reactions involving over a dozen different drugs. The most serious adverse drug reactions involve several antiparasitic agents (ivermectin, milbemycin and related drugs), the antidiarrheal agent loperamide (Imodium), and several anticancer drugs (vincristine, doxorubicin, others). These drug sensitivities result from a mutation in the multidrug resistance gene (MDR1 gene). " (taken from the WSU website)
We test all our breeding dogs for the MDR1 mutation and are working towards eliminating it from our program, but it unfortunately it is very widespread in the breed. That said, it need not have any negative impact on your dog's life, as there is an alternate drug for the vast majority of the problem drugs on the WSU list. A good vet will be very familiar with MDR1 and will treat all collies and related herding breeds as though they carry the mutation. At this point I personally would never give any collie ivermectin (other than in a monthly heartworm pill, which is tested safe for m/m dogs because of the very low dosage). There is no need to do so and there is always the possiblity, however remote, of human error in the testing for that dog. Why take the chance?
MDR1 is of particular concern for collies who are around livestock, as horses, goats etc. are often wormed with ivermectin, and collies can have an adverse reaction if they eat the poop of livestock that has recently been wormed with ivermectin. Click here for more information.
Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA)
As of 2005 there is a genetic test for Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA). However, most collie breeders in the U.S. and elsewhere do not have any normal eyed dogs in their breeding program, and most collies alive today have some form of the disease. The good news is that breeders have worked to reduce the severity of CEA in their pups by breeding only dogs with mild choroidal hypoplasia (CH), the mildest form of CEA. Also, a growing number of collie breeders (us included) are making an effort to incorporate normal-eyed dogs into their breeding program, thus reducing the incidence of this disease. At the same time, as awareness grows about CEA, some breeders are going too far in the other direction and breeding for normal eyes only, while ignoring other issues such as poor temperament, bad hips, skin problems, etc.
Rod-cone dysplasia type 2, or collie PRA
Progressive retinal atrophy, or PRA, a disease which causes blindness in collies by about one year of age, is not as common as it once was, but a genetic test has recently been developed for this disease. We are currently in the process (as of November 2013) of testing those dogs of ours which haven't already been tested. All of our dogs that have been tested thus far have been clear of PRA.
Degenerative Myelopathy
I recently began testing all my breeding dogs for DM, a progressive disease of the spinal cord, even though the OFA does not yet specifically recommend the test for collies. From the OFA website:
"At this time we are reluctant to recommend testing for members of breeds where the University of Missouri has not yet proven susceptibility to DM through microscopic examination of spinal cords from deceased dogs that exhibited symptoms of the disease. At this time the required evidence of association between the genetic mutation and actual spinal cord evaluations has only been proven in the breeds listed:
The genetic test can only identify dogs who are "at risk," but these dogs often die of old age or some other disease before showing any signs of DM. That said, DM is one more thing that I factor into my breeding decisions, being careful never to breed two DM carriers together to create dogs that have any risk of developing this disease later in life.
Grey Collie Syndrome, or Cyclic Neutropenia
From the Animal Genetics website:
"Cyclic Neutropenia is a disease that affects the neutrophils of a dog, which are an integral part of the dog's immune system. Every 10-12 days, the dog will experience a dramatic drop in the number of neutrophils circulating through his blood stream, leaving him extremely susceptible to infections. The dog will often experience diarrhea, fever, joint pain or other symptoms associated with eye, respiratory, or skin infections. Bleeding episodes can also occur. Unfortunately, most affected dogs will die as puppies, and even with the best care, the dog will not likely live past 2-3 years of age."
If two CN carriers are bred together, 1/4 of the pups will be affected with CN, 1/2 will be carriers, and 1/4 will be clear. The genetic test allows breeders to avoid ever breeding CN carriers together.
Hip dysplasia
We have had firsthand experience with hip dysplasia in a collie. We purchased a five-month old collie puppy as a potential stud dog, and when he arrived at our house, his rear legs seemed weak, and he slipped and fell frequently. We immediately had his hips x-rayed and it turned out he had moderate to severe hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is not as uncommon in collies as it was once thought to be. (Of the close to 3000 collies whose hip x-rays have been evaluated by OFA, 2.8% were found to be dysplastic. This number would be higher but people often don't submit x-rays for evaluation if their vet looks at the x-rays and tells them their dog is dysplastic.) The inheritance of hip dysplasia is complex, but testing all breeding dogs and avoiding breeding collies with any sign of dysplasia will help to ensure that the problem does not become more widespread.
Even if a dog is genetically destined to have hip dysplasia, keeping him thin can help reduce clinical signs of the disease. This is especially important in puppyhood. Click HERE to read some good information about hip dysplasia and growing dogs.
Demodex
The demodex mite is present on all dogs, but when a dog's immune system isn't working properly, the mite is able to thrive and reproduce on the dog's skin, leading to demodectic mange. There is no genetic test for demodectic mange, but it is quite common in collies. In fact, we have heard some collie breeders refer to it as "puppy mange," implying that it is a normal part of collies' growing up. (We don't agree!) In some cases "puppy mange" can become generalized and it can be VERY difficult to treat. It may even be a recurring, lifelong problem or even require euthanasia.
Because generalized demodex is known to have a genetic component, veterinarians recommend not breeding any dog who had demodex as a puppy, or any close relatives of a dog who had demodex as a puppy. However, the latest research indicates that susceptibility to demodex is caused by reduced diversity in the MHC (major histocompatibility complex) set of genes. Read about the MHC by clicking HERE.
Microchipping
Click HERE for an article about the benefits of microchipping your dog.
Multi-drug sensitivity (MDR1)
"Many herding breed dogs have a genetic predisposition to adverse drug reactions involving over a dozen different drugs. The most serious adverse drug reactions involve several antiparasitic agents (ivermectin, milbemycin and related drugs), the antidiarrheal agent loperamide (Imodium), and several anticancer drugs (vincristine, doxorubicin, others). These drug sensitivities result from a mutation in the multidrug resistance gene (MDR1 gene). " (taken from the WSU website)
We test all our breeding dogs for the MDR1 mutation and are working towards eliminating it from our program, but it unfortunately it is very widespread in the breed. That said, it need not have any negative impact on your dog's life, as there is an alternate drug for the vast majority of the problem drugs on the WSU list. A good vet will be very familiar with MDR1 and will treat all collies and related herding breeds as though they carry the mutation. At this point I personally would never give any collie ivermectin (other than in a monthly heartworm pill, which is tested safe for m/m dogs because of the very low dosage). There is no need to do so and there is always the possiblity, however remote, of human error in the testing for that dog. Why take the chance?
MDR1 is of particular concern for collies who are around livestock, as horses, goats etc. are often wormed with ivermectin, and collies can have an adverse reaction if they eat the poop of livestock that has recently been wormed with ivermectin. Click here for more information.
Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA)
As of 2005 there is a genetic test for Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA). However, most collie breeders in the U.S. and elsewhere do not have any normal eyed dogs in their breeding program, and most collies alive today have some form of the disease. The good news is that breeders have worked to reduce the severity of CEA in their pups by breeding only dogs with mild choroidal hypoplasia (CH), the mildest form of CEA. Also, a growing number of collie breeders (us included) are making an effort to incorporate normal-eyed dogs into their breeding program, thus reducing the incidence of this disease. At the same time, as awareness grows about CEA, some breeders are going too far in the other direction and breeding for normal eyes only, while ignoring other issues such as poor temperament, bad hips, skin problems, etc.
Rod-cone dysplasia type 2, or collie PRA
Progressive retinal atrophy, or PRA, a disease which causes blindness in collies by about one year of age, is not as common as it once was, but a genetic test has recently been developed for this disease. We are currently in the process (as of November 2013) of testing those dogs of ours which haven't already been tested. All of our dogs that have been tested thus far have been clear of PRA.
Degenerative Myelopathy
I recently began testing all my breeding dogs for DM, a progressive disease of the spinal cord, even though the OFA does not yet specifically recommend the test for collies. From the OFA website:
"At this time we are reluctant to recommend testing for members of breeds where the University of Missouri has not yet proven susceptibility to DM through microscopic examination of spinal cords from deceased dogs that exhibited symptoms of the disease. At this time the required evidence of association between the genetic mutation and actual spinal cord evaluations has only been proven in the breeds listed:
- American Eskimo Dogs
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- Borzoi
- Boxers
- Cardigan Welsh Corgi
- Chesapeake Bay Retrievers
- German Shepherd Dog
- Golden Retriever
- Great Pyrenees
- Kerry Blue Terriers
- Pembroke Welsh Corgis
- Poodle
- Pug
- Rhodesian Ridgeback
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers
- Wire Fox Terrier"
The genetic test can only identify dogs who are "at risk," but these dogs often die of old age or some other disease before showing any signs of DM. That said, DM is one more thing that I factor into my breeding decisions, being careful never to breed two DM carriers together to create dogs that have any risk of developing this disease later in life.
Grey Collie Syndrome, or Cyclic Neutropenia
From the Animal Genetics website:
"Cyclic Neutropenia is a disease that affects the neutrophils of a dog, which are an integral part of the dog's immune system. Every 10-12 days, the dog will experience a dramatic drop in the number of neutrophils circulating through his blood stream, leaving him extremely susceptible to infections. The dog will often experience diarrhea, fever, joint pain or other symptoms associated with eye, respiratory, or skin infections. Bleeding episodes can also occur. Unfortunately, most affected dogs will die as puppies, and even with the best care, the dog will not likely live past 2-3 years of age."
If two CN carriers are bred together, 1/4 of the pups will be affected with CN, 1/2 will be carriers, and 1/4 will be clear. The genetic test allows breeders to avoid ever breeding CN carriers together.
Hip dysplasia
We have had firsthand experience with hip dysplasia in a collie. We purchased a five-month old collie puppy as a potential stud dog, and when he arrived at our house, his rear legs seemed weak, and he slipped and fell frequently. We immediately had his hips x-rayed and it turned out he had moderate to severe hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is not as uncommon in collies as it was once thought to be. (Of the close to 3000 collies whose hip x-rays have been evaluated by OFA, 2.8% were found to be dysplastic. This number would be higher but people often don't submit x-rays for evaluation if their vet looks at the x-rays and tells them their dog is dysplastic.) The inheritance of hip dysplasia is complex, but testing all breeding dogs and avoiding breeding collies with any sign of dysplasia will help to ensure that the problem does not become more widespread.
Even if a dog is genetically destined to have hip dysplasia, keeping him thin can help reduce clinical signs of the disease. This is especially important in puppyhood. Click HERE to read some good information about hip dysplasia and growing dogs.
Demodex
The demodex mite is present on all dogs, but when a dog's immune system isn't working properly, the mite is able to thrive and reproduce on the dog's skin, leading to demodectic mange. There is no genetic test for demodectic mange, but it is quite common in collies. In fact, we have heard some collie breeders refer to it as "puppy mange," implying that it is a normal part of collies' growing up. (We don't agree!) In some cases "puppy mange" can become generalized and it can be VERY difficult to treat. It may even be a recurring, lifelong problem or even require euthanasia.
Because generalized demodex is known to have a genetic component, veterinarians recommend not breeding any dog who had demodex as a puppy, or any close relatives of a dog who had demodex as a puppy. However, the latest research indicates that susceptibility to demodex is caused by reduced diversity in the MHC (major histocompatibility complex) set of genes. Read about the MHC by clicking HERE.
Microchipping
Click HERE for an article about the benefits of microchipping your dog.