What diseases/conditions are prevalent in the Border Collie?
• Collie eye anomaly (CEA) is an eye defect which is present at birth (i.e. Is congenital), and it is essentially non-progressive. Since it is present at birth, responsible breeders will test for the condition when the pups are 7 weeks old, and should be able to produce eye test certificates for the complete litter when you visit the pups. Obviously if you buy from stock which has not been tested, then you maybe taking unnecessary risks. Note although CEA can be severe and cause total blindness, often the defects are very slight and you may note be aware of the problem. Note there is no treatment for the condition. The cause is a simple recessive gene. • Central Progressive Retinal Atrophy (CPRA/PRA) is an eye defect where the retina undergoes degeneration. The condition is unlikely to appear before the animal is a year old, and in some breeds the age of onset maybe much later. Since the condition is inherited it is advised that breeding animals are tested regularly to ensure reduce th
