Border Collie health: what owners should know

Border Collies are generally sturdy but carry several inherited conditions that can be screened. These include collie eye anomaly, trapped neutrophil syndrome (an immune disorder), neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (a rare neurological disease), hip dysplasia and epilepsy. Some dogs carry the MDR1 gene variant that makes certain medicines riskier, so it is worth asking your vet about testing.

A good breeder hip scores the parents, has current eye examinations, and can show DNA results for the conditions above. Merle-to-merle matings should be avoided because they carry a high risk of deafness and eye defects in the puppies. See a vet if you notice a seizure, changes in vision such as bumping into objects in dim light, repeated limping after exercise, or a sudden loss of interest in work.