Parson Russell Terrier health: what owners should know

This is generally a robust, long-lived terrier. The main inherited concerns are primary lens luxation, where the lens of the eye slips out of place, inherited forms of ataxia that affect coordination, congenital deafness, slipping kneecaps and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, a hip problem seen in several small breeds.

Before buying, ask whether both parents have DNA results for lens luxation and ataxia and a recent specialist eye exam, and whether the litter was hearing tested. Keeping your dog lean protects its joints. See a vet the same day for a painful, red or cloudy eye, or one that suddenly looks different, and promptly for any lameness, wobbliness, or a dog that stops responding to sounds.