Most Collie owners have never heard of MDR1: the breed's own health foundation estimates that 55-70% of Collies carry this gene mutation, which means a routine dose of ivermectin, the anti-diarrheal drug loperamide (Imodium), or certain other common medications can cause seizures or death in an affected dog — every Collie owner should tell their vet the breed before any new drug is given, and get the dog DNA-tested.
13.3years, median
0.8 years above the all-dog median of 12.5.
Measured, not estimated: the middle age at death across 584,734 UK dogs, 284,734 of them deceased. Based on 3,275 dogs of this breed (listed in the study as "Collie"). 95% confidence interval 13.3 to 13.6 years. Half lived longer than this, half did not. UK dogs, so treat it as the best available figure rather than a promise about yours.
In the same study, medium breeds as a group had a median of 12.5 years and long-muzzled breeds 12.1. This breed is medium and long-muzzled.
McMillan et al. 2024, Scientific Reports 14:531 — open access · CC BY 4.0Health tests to ask the breeder for
Collie Club of America (health arm: Collie Health Foundation) sets the tests a Rough Collie needs for a CHIC number in the OFA's open database. A CHIC number means the tests were done and the results are public. It does not mean the dog passed them: ask for the results for both parents, or look them up yourself on ofa.org.
- Multidrug Resistance 1 (MDR1) DNA test (results submitted to OFA)
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy rcd2 (PRA-rcd2) DNA test (results submitted to OFA)
- Dermatomyositis (DMS, all 3 loci) DNA test (results submitted to OFA)
When to spay or neuter a Collie: the UC Davis study of 35 breeds has a suggested guideline for the breed. For males it is any age. For females, a year or later. The spay and neuter page has the numbers behind it and what the guidelines say for a dog this size.
- Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) DNA test (listed on the AKC parent-club list)
- Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist (puppies before placement)
- Hip Dysplasia (OFA or PennHIP)
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis
- Degenerative Myelopathy DNA test
Test names as the club lists them; checked September 2026. OFA CHIC breed page. How to use this at the breeder: check a breeder.
Adopt a Rough Collie near you
Shelters and rescues list Rough Collies and Rough Collie mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Rough Collie
Collies are gentle, biddable, and genuinely good with children, which makes them easier to live with day to day than most large herding breeds — but they still need a real outlet for herding instinct and intelligence or they get vocal and nippy at heels. The glamorous coat needs consistent weekly brushing and much heavier grooming during the twice-yearly coat blow, and the single most important, least-known fact about the breed is the MDR1 drug sensitivity — it has to be disclosed to every vet, groomer, and boarding kennel.
Health you should know about
- MDR1 gene mutation (multidrug sensitivity) — an estimated 55-70% of Collies carry at least one copy of this mutation, which impairs the blood-brain barrier's ability to keep out certain drugs; affected dogs can suffer severe toxicity, including tremors, seizures, and death, from normally safe doses of common medications.
- Collie eye anomaly — an inherited eye malformation present from birth, ranging from mild to causing blindness; widespread enough that DNA and eye-exam screening of breeding stock is standard.
- Progressive retinal atrophy — separate inherited retinal disease that can also lead to blindness later in life.
- Dermatomyositis — an inherited inflammatory disease affecting the skin and muscles, sometimes called 'Collie nose' in its milder skin-only presentation.
Read the full Dog Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a dog needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Rough Collie? Scottish dog and cat names, 79 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 4 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 4 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.