Border terrier health problems

For a small dog with a big personality, look no further than the border terrier!

Part of the ‘terrier’ group, these cute, teddy-faced dogs are a bundle of energy – enjoying nothing more than running, digging, and playing chase. You may have to redirect their escape artist energy into training, though most border terriers love to learn and always tend to try their best.

With a wiry topcoat and short, dense undercoat, the border terrier usually needs to be brushed a few times a week to keep their coat in tip top condition.

Explore our border terrier breed guide for more information about this delightful dog breed!

Potential health conditions linked to the border terrier breed

Please remember that while the following health concerns are frequently seen in the border terrier breed, each dog is a unique individual. So, your canine companion isn’t necessarily going to suffer from any of the health conditions commonly experienced by the border terrier breed. If you’re considering pet insurance, you could read our guide to insuring your border terrier.

Always speak to your vet if you’re concerned about your dog’s health. 

Don’t forget to visit our dog first aid guides to discover the basics of canine first aid.

Ear infections

Some dog breeds tend to be more prone to ear infections than others – including the border terrier.

There are many potential causes of ear infections in dogs, including:

• Excess wax, hair, or moisture in the ear.
• Allergies.
• Foreign objects, e.g. grass seeds.
• Ear mites.
• A bacterial infection, e.g. otitis externa.

An ear infection is both irritating and painful for your border terrier. So, if you notice any of the following symptoms in your border terrier, it’s important to contact a vet for advice:

• Head shaking.
• Scratching (e.g. rubbing their face along the ground).
• Redness and inflammation.
• Heat and/or swelling.
• Discharge and/or a foul smell from the ear.
• Pain (they may not let you touch their ear).
• Head tilt and/or loss of balance.

To treat your border terrier’s ear infection, a vet will begin by finding out what’s caused it. Along with examining your border terrier’s ear, a vet might perform tests to determine whether a specific type of bacteria is causing the ear infection.

Once your vet understands the cause of your border terrier’s ear infection, they can advise as to the best course of treatment, which could include:

• Ear drops.
• Ear cleaning.
• Anti-inflammatory and pain relief medication.
• Anitbiotocs
• Dealing with the underlying cause, e.g. surgery to remove a grass seed.

Skin allergies

Border terriers are prone to skin allergies – whether triggered by food intolerances, pollen, dust mites, fleas, or a mixture of causes. If your border terrier has a skin allergy, here are some of the symptoms they might exhibit:

• Itchiness.
• Scratching excessively.
• Overgrooming.
• Hair loss.
• Redness or rashes on their skin.
• Runny eyes.
• Ear infections.
• Hot spots (please contact a vet straight away if you notice patches of inflamed, infected, sore skin that’s warm to the touch!).

The treatments for skin allergies will vary, depending on your border terrier’s symptoms. However, some of the standard treatments for skin allergies in dogs include reassessing their diet, avoiding triggers, and skin-soothing shampoo.

Shaking puppy syndrome (‘SLEM’ - Spongiform Leukoencephalomyelopathy)

Shaking puppy syndrome, also known as ‘SLEM’, is an inherited condition (passed on through genetics, from a dog’s parents) that can impact border terriers. Symptoms of shaking puppy syndrome aren’t usually seen until puppies start to walk, at around two weeks old – but could also appear as late as 8-12 weeks in some cases.

The symptoms of SLEM in border terriers could include uncontrollable tremors in hind legs or lack of co-ordination.

Sadly, because shaking puppy syndrome can prevent a puppy from feeding properly, their quality of life deteriorates significantly – meaning they’re likely to be put to sleep. While it’s possible to recover from shaking puppy syndrome, full recovery is unlikely.

Since carriers of the genetic mutation that causes SLEM are symptom-free, the best way to prevent this condition is to perform DNA tests on border terriers before breeding them.