Health
Eye conditions which affect the Parson Russell Terrier include primary lens luxation, a heritable condition. This disease causes the zonular fibres to be abnormal and begin to disintegrate in affected dogs. The fibres support the lens of the eye, and their destruction can cause the lens to fall into the wrong location within the eye. If the lens falls into the anterior chamber of eyeball then a secondary glaucoma can occur, causing loss of vision. National kennel associations such as the Kennel Club (UK) publish DNA screening results on Parson Russell Terriers, broken down into three groups; clears, carriers, and affecteds.
Other eye conditions which appear in the breed include cataracts in juveniles, corneal dystrophy, progressive retinal atrophy and posterior vitreous detachment. Non-eye breed related conditions which may affect a Parson are deafness and patella luxation. The average lifespan of a Parson Russell Terrier is between 14 to 15 years.
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