Shetland Sheepdog Health Care & Feeding

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Sheltie Health Problems

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Complete list of Shetland Sheepdog health problems

Many Shelties are blind or vision-impaired, from hereditary eye diseases like collie eye anomaly, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), coloboma, eyelash abnormalities, and a particularly severe and painful form of corneal dystrophy.

Epilepsy is a serious concern in Shelties, and heart disease (patent ductus arteriosus) is also a concern.

The severest form of von Willebrand's blood-clotting disease occurs in Shelties. Fortunately, a simple DNA test is available so you can find out at any time whether your Shetland Sheepdog has von Willebrand's disease, carries it, or is completely clear of it.

Cancer of the bladder (transitional cell carcinoma) occurs more often in Shetland Sheepdogs than in most other breeds.

Hormonal/endocrine system diseases include diabetes and hypothyroidism. According to the Michigan State University Thyroid Database, up to 19% of Shetland Sheepdogs have low thyroid levels.

Skin problems are common in Shetland Sheepdogs, especially allergies, which cause itchy skin and often lead to bacterial skin infections.

Other skin conditions in Shelties stem from autoimmune diseases, where the immune system is defective and attacks its own skin. Autoimmune diseases that attack the skin in Shelties include pemphigus and lupus.

Also dermatomyositis, in which the skin (derma) and muscle (myo) become inflamed (itis). This disease affects Collie and Sheltie puppies at 3-6 months old. Crusty skin lesions come and go until eventually the puppy outgrows the condition, though there may be permanent scars. In more severe cases, the puppy may experience muscle wasting, though this occurs more often in Collies than in Shelties. Skin lesions become worse when exposed to ultraviolet light, so keep affected dogs indoors as much as possible. A milder form of this disease, with skin lesions confined to smaller areas, can occur in middle-aged and older Shelties.

Inherited deafness can occur in Shelties, especially those with a lot of white on their head.

The most worrisome orthopedic disease in Shetland Sheepdogs is a degenerative hip disease called Legg-Calve-Perthes.

But other orthopedic diseases are more common, including luxating patella (loose knees), hip dysplasia, and elbow dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 22,000 Shelties and found 5% dysplastic: not terrible. Elbow dysplasia and luxating patella rates are between 2 and 3%. Nice.

A severe neurological disease, degenerative myelopathy, can occur in Shelties. It begins with weakness in the hind legs and can progress to total paralysis.

Shetland Sheepdogs 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 Sheltie unless he has been tested for this mutant gene. It's a simple DNA test offered by the Washington State University Veterinary School.

Shelties are prone to losing pigment on their nose and muzzle – this can be caused by nasal solar dermatitis 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 Shetland Sheepdog in all the right ways that help prevent health problems. Become your dog's health care champion!