Your boxer's health should be monitored at all times any behaviour out of normal charachter should be treated as a concern and vetinary advice should be obtained as soon as possible.
Pic above: Ally enjoying some ball fetching activity.
Pic above: Gandalf Relaxing and having a look around.
Remember if you think something isnt right with your boxer or boxer puppy go to a vet straight away to ensure everything is ok.
Pic above: Ally & Gandalf
Remember to get a health check and annual booster from your vet for your vet.
Pic Above: The Pack are walking excercise.
Remember diet and exercise is important for your boxer/pup if in doubt as to what to feed, when to feed, what amount to feed and or how much to excercise your pet ask the breeder or your own vet for advice.
Unfortunately, the Boxer is susceptible to several potential health problems, including hip dysplasia, bloat, aortic stenosis (a heart ailment), digestive problems, hypothyroidism, and cancerous and benign tumors. Boxers have several genetic disorders with heart, hip and eye diseases being the most common among this specific breed. With careful selection and thorough testing, many genetic disorders can eradicated so dont panic, however i do recommend researching the breed indepthly before rehoming/buying a boxer..
The Following terms explain some of the common health problems associated with the Boxer Breed.
In aortic stenosis, there is a partial obstruction to the flow of blood as it leaves the left side of the heart (the left ventricle) through the main blood vessel (the aorta) that carries blood to the rest of the body. Aortic Stenosis is an inherited heart disease.
Boxer Dog Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a serious inherited disease in which the heart muscle becomes inflamed and doesn't work as well as it should. There may be multiple causes including genetic predisposition and viral infections. The disease occurs most often in Doberman pinscher and Boxer and may result in heart failure and sudden death. The signs usually include exercise intolerance and fainting.
Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
A dog's heart with atrial septal defect has an opening in the wall between the right area and the left area of the upper part of the heart. This wall is called septum. As a result, some blood from the left atrim flows through the hole in the septum into the right atrium and increases the total amount of the blood that flows toward the lungs. The increased blood flow from the right side of the heart to the lungs creates a swishing sound, which is known as a heart murmur.
Corneal Dystrophy
The cornea is the eye's outermost layer. It is the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. A corneal dystrophy is a condition in which one or more parts of the cornea lose their normal clarity due to a buildup of cloudy material. The disease is inherited, it affects the right and left eyes equally, and is not caused by outside factors, such as injury or diet.
In this condition, the gland of the third eyelid, which produces about one-third of the tear film, prolapses as a pink fleshy mass protruding over the edge of the third eyelid. It can become inflamed and ulcerated.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is a collective term comprising a group of hereditary degenerative lesions of the retina (a layer of nervous tissue which covers the back of the eyeball where the sensation of vision occurs.).
Intervertebral Disk Disease is a common back problem in many breeds of dogs, including Beagle. It is manifested by acute pain, loss of movement coordination and paralysis.
Cutaneous Asthenia is an inherited skin disorder characterized by extremely stretchy and fragile skin that tears at the slightest scratch causing scars and wounds.
Hip dysplasia is a progressive degenerative condition of the pelvic joint that can lead to severe lameness and pain in large breed dogs. It can be very debilitating, but with the help of several ingenious surgical techniques, the function of the leg can be restored-sometimes almost to normal capacity. Dysplasia of the elbow joint is also common.
Hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism affect many breeds of dogs . Dysplastic dogs should not be bred; thyroid dogs should be bred carefully to non-thyroid dogs. Thyroid disease can be controlled by medicine; dysplasia cannot be controlled and can be corrected or alleviated only by surgery which can cost alot of money being honest.
Bloating and twisting of a dog's stomach is a serious condition veterinarians call gastric dilation volvulus, or GDV. May be caused by overeating, especially in predisposed breeds, but often there is no underlying cause. A dog with GDV will have a distended abdomen and may appear restless and depressed and have dry heaves.
Bloat is a life-threatening disease of deep-chested dogs. The incidence may be lessened by feeding adult dogs twice a day; sticking to a premium dog food diet without table scraps -- especially spicy or rich table scraps; and by allowing a dog to digest his meal before indulging in strenuous exercise. However, bloat cannot be completely prevented, so vigilance is necessary to make sure that the dog gets to a clinic as soon as possible after the symptoms are noticed.
Dermoid Sinus
The word "dermoid" means skin like and the word "sinus" means channel, recess or cavity. The dermoid sinus is a sinus, which connects the skin with the outer covering of the spinal cord in the vertebral canal or other structures in the area. It is commonly found in nasal area, tongue and area around the tail. It is recognized by a tuft of hair protruding from each sinus and is sometimes complicated by infection (swelling and pain). Other common names used to describe a dermoid sinus include dermoid cyst, epidermal inclusion cyst, hair cyst and African cyst.
Histiocytic Ulcerative Colitis (HUC)
Histiocytic ulcerative colitis (HUC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that occurs predominantly in Boxer breed. It causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the lining of the large intestine. The inflammation makes the colon empty frequently, causing diarrhea. Ulcers form in places where the inflammation has killed the cells lining the colon; the ulcers bleed and produce pus. Young boxer dogs with relatively mild signs of HUC may respond moderately well to medical and dietary therapy with fair prognosis.
Pyloric Stenosis
Pyloric stenosis is a narrowing of the outlet from the stomach to the small intestine (called the pylorus). This condition is caused by a thickening of the muscles of the pylorus. This prevents the stomach from emptying into the small intestine. The cause of the thickening is unknown, although genetic factors may play a role. The condition mostly occurs in Boxer and other brachycephalic breeds (Boston terrier, Pekingese, bulldog, shih tzu and similar "short-nose" breeds).
Histiocytoma
Histiocytoma is a type of benign skin tumor. Histiocytomis look like red, dome-shaped, sparsely haired nodules that appear rapidly (Fig. 2). They often are ulcerated, but are non-painful. The most common places of tumor development include the head, neck, especially in young dogs. More rarely, growths may occur on the trunk and feet. Breeds mostly affected are Flatcoat Retrievers, English Bulldogs, Scottish Terriers, Greyhounds, Boxers, and Boston Terriers.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition that occurs when the dog's body underproduces thyroid hormones causing disruption of the dog metabolism. The disease is most often caused by destruction of the thyroid gland. Signs usually develop during middle age and may include dull, dry coat, laziness, symmetrical hair loss, weight gain and a tendency to seek warm places. The condition is treated with thyroid hormone medication.
Atopy dermatitis is the predisposition to allergic disease in response to environmental allergens. One of the most common source of allergens causing atopy is the house dust mite. Tree, grass and weed pollens can also cause this disease. Flea allergic dermatitis and parasitic infections such as sarcoptic mange (scabies) and otodectic mange also cause allergic-type reactions.
Deafness
Congenital deafness is recognised as a problem in many breeds of dog that carry the extreme piebald gene. Such breeds include Dalmatians, White Boxers and White English Bull Terriers. More than 80 breeds of dog have been identified as suffering from congenital deafness (deafness at birth). Inherited deafness is passed down through one or both parents. White Boxers should NOT be bred from.
Cryptorchidism
Cryptorchidism is a birth defect in many dog breeds when one or both testes fail to descend normally. The testes (testicles) develop in the abdomen and gradually descend into the scrotum. They should be present there at birth, or shortly after. If they have not descended by the time the dog is adult, he is described as either unilateral chriptochid (when one testis is still retained in the abdomen), or a bilateral chriptochid (when both have not descended). Check with your vet during the time of vaccination.
Please Note:
It is important to note that your dog may not have any of the above, this does come down to testing and sourcing a reputable breeder. I cannot stress enough how imperiative it is to research the boxer breed before getting one. Also dont let the list above turn you off getting this truly fantastic breed, the above health problems are associated with several breeds other than the boxer, but i felt it was best to include them all for future reference.
