Irish Terrier

Patellar Luxation is a relatively common problem that occurs when the patella is not properly lined up. This causes the Femur (thigh bone), Patella (kneecap), and Tibia (calf) to slip out of place. When this happens, the dog will generally skip or hop.

There are four grades, ranging from I, an occasional luxation causing temporary lameness in the joint, to grade IV, in which the turning of the tibia is severe, and patella cannot be realigned manually.

The constant rubbing caused by this issue can lead to arthritis, a degenerative joint disease and severe levels of Patella luxation may require surgery to avoid further issues and pain.

Cataracts is generally inherited and is described as cloudiness of the crystalline lens of the eye, which varies from partial to complete opacity.

Cloudiness of the crystalline lens prevents light from passing through the retina, which will often cause some loss of vision.

Symptoms generally relate to the degree of vision impairment. For example, those with only a small level of cloudiness may not show any symptoms, however those with high opacity will suffer from loss of vision.

Cataracts is a progressive disorder that may lead to your dog becoming completely blind if not treated quickly. One method of treatment is surgery, but that is only usually recommended for hereditary forms.

Other forms of treatment are phacoemulsification which involves emulsification of the eye's lens with an ultrasonic handpiece. Once the lens is emulsified and aspirated, aspired fluids are replaced with a balanced salt solution.

Most cases are inherited, however it can be caused by a few other things including electric shock, diabetes mellitus, old age, inflammation of the eye or abnormal levels of calcium in the blood.

Hip Dysplasia is an inherited condition that means the thighbone doesn’t fit snuggly in the hip joint.

The symptoms are generally pain and lameness which will vary in severity and can be present in one or both rear legs.

Sadly, it’s not uncommon for the disorder to lead to hip replacement.

Make sure you ask any breeder if the puppy’s parents have been tested and cleared for Hip Dysplasia. If they have not, or the issue is present in one or both, find another breeder.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is a family of eye diseases that involves the gradual deterioration of the retina.

Early in the disease, affected dogs become night-blind, with the loss of sight during the day occurring as the disease progresses.

Unfortunately, there is no treatment, but it is known that the condition doesn’t cause any pain or discomfort and most dogs will adapt well to their limited or lost vision, so long as their surroundings and environment stay the same.