Shetland Sheepdog — questions to ask before paying a deposit
A responsible breeder will have these readily available. Deflection is a red flag.
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA-BBS2 variant)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
A specific inherited form of retinal degeneration documented in this breed, leading to progressive vision loss and eventual blindness. It is one of the parent club's three required CHIC tests.
Ask to see: A DNA test for the PRA-BBS2 variant, on both parents, with results submitted to OFA.
American Shetland Sheepdog Association — Recommended Tests (https://www.americanshetlandsheepdogassociation.org/recommended-tests/)
Hip dysplasia
Malformation of the hip joint that can progress to arthritis and lameness; one of the parent club's three required CHIC tests, though the parent club itself describes health problems in general as less common in this breed than in many others.
Ask to see: A hip evaluation via OFA or PennHIP, on both parents.
American Shetland Sheepdog Association — Recommended Tests (https://www.americanshetlandsheepdogassociation.org/recommended-tests/)
Collie eye anomaly (CEA)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
The same inherited defect in retinal, optic nerve and choroid development described in the Border Collie and other collie-type breeds, ranging from no visual impact to blindness.
Ask to see: A DNA test for the NHEJ1 gene deletion, on both parents — one of the parent club's elective CHIC tests (at least two of which are required alongside the three mandatory tests).
American Shetland Sheepdog Association — Recommended Tests (https://www.americanshetlandsheepdogassociation.org/recommended-tests/) · Collie Health Foundation — Choroidal Hypoplasia / CEA Mutation (https://www.colliehealth.org/cea-mutation/)
Von Willebrand disease Type IIIcan shorten life or cause chronic pain
The most severe form of this inherited bleeding disorder, caused by near-complete absence of von Willebrand factor, which can turn surgery, whelping or an injury into a serious or fatal haemorrhage.
Ask to see: A DNA test for von Willebrand disease Type III, on both parents — one of the parent club's elective CHIC tests.
American Shetland Sheepdog Association — Recommended Tests (https://www.americanshetlandsheepdogassociation.org/recommended-tests/)
Multidrug sensitivity (MDR1)
The same ABCB1 mutation described in the Border Collie, disabling a drug-transport protein in the brain; an affected dog can react severely to normal doses of drugs including ivermectin and loperamide.
Ask to see: A DNA test for the ABCB1 4-base-pair deletion, on both parents — one of the parent club's elective CHIC tests, and UC Davis's Veterinary Genetics Laboratory lists Shetland Sheepdog among the breeds appropriate for testing. Share the result with a vet before anaesthesia or antiparasitic treatment.
American Shetland Sheepdog Association — Recommended Tests (https://www.americanshetlandsheepdogassociation.org/recommended-tests/) · Multidrug Sensitivity (MDR1) — UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/multidrug-sensitivity-mdr1)
Dermatomyositis
An inherited autoimmune disease affecting skin and muscle, usually appearing in puppies under 6 months old as lesions over the face, ears and legs. Severity ranges from mild, self-limiting lesions to, in uncommon severe cases, muscle wasting.
Ask to see: The 3-gene DNA test developed by the Clemson University Center for Human Genetics, on both parents — one of the parent club's elective CHIC tests.
American Shetland Sheepdog Association — Dermatomyositis (DMS) (https://www.americanshetlandsheepdogassociation.org/dermatomyositis/) · American Shetland Sheepdog Association — Recommended Tests (https://www.americanshetlandsheepdogassociation.org/recommended-tests/)