Despite a name which implies an origin “down under”, the Australian shepherd is widely understood to be a breed of American origin. In fact, descriptions of the breed and their importance in the lives of 19th and 20th century Basque shepherds who had relocated from Australia to the western US are plentiful. Australian shepherds’ exceptional intelligence, versatility, desire to please, and a natural instinct to herd and guard livestock have made them a common inhabitant of ranches and farms where they have been trained to perform a variety of tasks. Aside from their work on the homestead, their unique abilities have also made them great competitors in stock dog trials, agility events, and other dog sports. Despite their many talents and desirable traits, like many other breeds, the Australian shepherd has developed some inherited disease concerns that can prevent them from performing at their best or otherwise decrease their overall quality of life. One such condition recognized in the Australian shepherd is the genetic eye disease known as collie eye anomaly.
What is CEA?
Collie eye anomaly (CEA), also known as choroidal hypoplasia, is an inherited eye disease caused by a mutation in the canine NHEJ1 gene. Dogs ...