Australian Shepherd Health Care & Feeding

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Australian Shepherd Health Problems

Or check out my advice for raising a healthy Australian Shepherd puppy or adult dog:

Complete list of Australian Shepherd health problems

The Australian Shepherd Club conducted a health survey in which 28% of the breed were reported with allergies, which cause itchy skin and can lead to bacterial skin infections (pyoderma).

19% were reported with tumors and cancers.

The most common eye diseases were cataracts (18%) and coloboma of the iris (18%). Cataracts usually appear at 1-3 years old (but can appear as late as 7 years) and often progress to full blindness. Coloboma of the iris appears primarily in the merle colors.

Other eye diseases in Australian Shepherds include persistent pupillary membranes (15% in the club survey), eyelash abnormalities (8%), collie eye anomaly (3%), retinal dysplasia, and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).

Autoimmune diseases are those in which your dog's defective immune system attacks and damages parts of its own body, often the skin. The most common autoimmune diseases in Australian Shepherds are hypothyroidism (8% in the club survey), demodectic mange (6%), and lupus (3%).

Orthopedic diseases in Aussies are led by hip dysplasia, then osteochondritis and elbow dysplasia (6%), and occasionally luxating patella. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 36,000 Australian Shepherds and found 6% dysplastic. That wouldn't be high for this size dog, except that the true rate is higher because most of the obviously bad X-rays were not sent in for official evaluation. And sure enough, the club health survey shows a 22% hip dysplasia rate. That's bad!

Epilepsy (seizures) is a serious problem in Australian Shepherds, with 12% affected, according to the club survey.

Heart disease (patent ductus arteriosus) is increasing in the breed.

Inherited deafness is somewhat common in Aussie puppies, especially if the puppy has a lot of white on his head.

Blood-clotting diseases (von Willebrand's disease and hemophilia) have been reported, along with liver shunt and megaesophagus.

Australian Shepherds and other collie-type breeds often react adversely to certain drugs such as ivermectin (in heartworm prevention products such as Heartguard), Imodium A-D, flagyl, and certain anesthetics. If your dog has a mutant gene called mdr1, he cannot pump these drugs out of his brain, which results in neurological toxicity. Don't give any of these drugs to your Aussie unless he has been tested for this mutant gene. It's a simple DNA test offered by the Washington State University Veterinary School.

Aussies are prone to losing pigment on their nose and muzzle – this can be caused by nasal solar dermatitis, vitiligo, or lupus, but most commonly it's a harmless condition called "snow nose", where the nose only loses pigment in the winter.

Preventing health problems

Some health problems are inherited. For example, if your dog inherits from his parents the genes for an eye disease called PRA, he will go blind and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

But most health problems can be prevented by the ways you raise your dog.

FREE eBOOK! My free online health care program, 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy shows you how to raise your Australian Shepherd in all the right ways that help prevent health problems. Become your dog's health care champion!