Rat Terrier health: what owners should know

Small, athletic and long-lived, the Rat Terrier has fewer inherited problems than many breeds. Known predispositions include slipping kneecaps, primary lens luxation, skin allergies, dental disease and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, a hip condition of small breeds. Some lines also show heart or eye issues.

Good breeders check kneecaps and eyes and DNA test for lens luxation. At home, keep your dog lean and brush its teeth. See a vet the same day for a painful or suddenly cloudy eye, and promptly for a limp that keeps coming back, persistent itching or licking of the paws, or bad breath with red gums.