Breed Health Survey
The Health Survey was re-launched during 2005 to obtain further information from a new generation of Border Terriers. Around 250 new reports have been received to date but Border Terrier owners are welcome to submit a report to the health survey at any time.
Whilst the reports take some time to put into the database, the current database contains information on approximately 850 dogs and further analysis has revealed some interesting information.
The information was grouped into time periods 1960 -1989 (181 dogs); 1990-1994 (238 dogs); and 1995 -2000 (433 dogs). Dogs were allotted to a time period according to their date of birth. The reports were then assessed for relative rates of incidence of various defects and behavioural problems and comparisons made between the groups.
The findings were as follows:
Defects
Cataracts were found at a rate of 7.7% in the 1960-1989 group but were below 1% in the other two. This supports the previous finding that cataracts in border terriers tend to be related to age. Veterinary reports have suggested that cataracts in Border Terriers are late onset in type.
Deafness appears to also be an age related problem having a similar distribution with 8.9% incidence in the 1960-1989 group and less than 1% in the other two. Deafness appears to be also an age related problem.
Tail defects (predominantly tail kinks), are found at a rate of 3.9%; 2.9% and 2.5% across the three groups respectively. This shows a decreasing trend, which is encouraging. Tail kinks are a congenital defect (being present at birth) and therefore age is not a factor here. The decreasing trend suggests that selective breeding may be having a beneficial effect in reducing the incidence of tail kinks.
Conversely, fertility problems seem to be increasing with an incidence rate of: less than 1%; 3.4% and 3.9% respectively. Further analysis will be needed to establish what are the potential causes at the root of this rising trend.
Heart defects were reported at very low rates in the first two groups and at 0.9% in the 1995-2000 group. This is a very low incidence but the increase in the last five years is a statistic that should be watched.
Behaviour Related Problems
Aggression (to other dogs) has a mixed pattern of occurrence with the respective rates being 7.1%; 9.24% and 6.24%. This suggests we still have some way to go in controlling this undesirable behaviour trait.
Similarly, Seizures show a mixed pattern too. 5.5% in l960-89; 8% in l990-1994 and only 1.85% in l995-2000. The low figure for the later group is potentially misleading as incidence of Seizures can be expected to rise with age and therefore this figure can be expected to rise over time.
Sporadic reports of suspected cases of Spikes Disease (CECS) have been received but confirmation of diagnosis is difficult and reports are often received indirectly. Further analysis of CECS will continue but incidence overall remains low compared to aggression, infertility, cataracts and deafness.
August 2011 Update
Liver problems
There has been no major change to the good health record for the Border Terrier but this past couple of years has seen a small trend in reports of various liver problems. It would be interesting to follow this thread as the diagnosis of unusual liver diseases seem fashionable in the veterinary world at the moment with dissecting lobular hepatitis and small liver disease coming out as two particularly in vogue. So if you have had such a diagnosis let me know via the health report system so we can track the incidence a little more closely. As ever this sort of thing is all kept strictly confidential.
Liver diseases are not uncommon as there are many infections, toxins and immune disorders that can cause damage, not to mention the odd medicine or two. Through my work I have been having quite a discussion with a group who seem to blame vaccines for nearly every illness in dogs and one of the big disagreements between our views is the potential for leptospirosis to cause problems in the UK. It has always been my view that this disease is ubiquitous in the UK being commonly carried by rats and foxes and particularly where there is access to water any dog is at risk. As a result of vaccination dogs suffering from infection tend to get chronic and gradual damage to their liver and so failure of this organ in old age is not uncommon. Similar problems can occur through damage to the kidney too as there are two types of leptospirosis. My reason for saying all this is that it would be useful to know how many elderly borders suffer from such diseases given the BT's reputation for ferreting in rich smelling damp places, or in other words 'being a terrier'.
Cataracts
Probably the commonest degeneration dogs suffer as a result of advancing years is the formation of cataracts and where these are related purely to age they are of no great consequence. However there is a form of inherited cataract that is not seen until later in life (late onset cataract). This gives us BT folk a bit of a challenge for the average age fof a border in the KC survey was over 14 years and logically this means many live longer than this. In my own lines several of my oldies have developed a degree of cataract but usually well past the age of ten and more often it is much later than this before it becomes anything like a problem for the dog.
The border is on the provisional list of breeds with suspected inherited late onset cataract problems and personally I would like to see it taken remove from the listing. It is a personal view that these cataracts are more likely age related and given the number of elderly border terriers around it is not surprising this has been noticed. Some of the leading eye specialists would support this view and feel the breed was erroneously fingered when the list was first put together many years ago. We could set up a screening of middle aged dogs to see if the incidence appears to be the inherited form or not. but there is always the risk that this will start a hare running that we could do without. In fact some BT folk have said this but, at the same time, with the current focus on health there will come a time when we will be challenged. It might be better to know where we stand before we are forced to deal with it under duress. It would be helpful if this could discussed within the breed and if clubs would like to take this forward it can be easily set up.
On the Kennel Club front the breed is not regarded as having any significant health issues, which is consistent with the results of our surveys. The KC did get some of the breed health co-ordinators together to discuss 'best practice' and especially in the area of breed health surveys. We of course score quite highly here but sadly I was unable to attend as the chosen date was a busy work-day but hopefully they will hold another event where I can attend in the near future.
Steve DeanBreed Health co-ordinator
August 2011
For previous years' updates please click on the link below.:
2008 and 2009 Updates
How To Submit A Report
We would like to receive reports from all Border Terrier owners, even if your dog is generally healthy. This provides a better picture of health across the breed. We emphasise that all reports are treated entirely confidentially - the only person having access to them is Prof. Steve Dean, BVetMed, DVR, MRCVS, who is undertaking the survey on behalf of the Breed Clubs.
A Survey Form is available to download at the link below:
Breed Health Survey (PDF,64.1kb)
Back to the Breed Information Page
