Boxer Dog Health Problem Guide

Focus on Boxer Health

This boxer dog health problem guide will help you stay on top of boxer health by knowing what to look for to keep a healthy boxer.

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It's no fun when your dog gets sick. After all, most of us think of our boxers as our children, or at least our dear ones, don't we? We don't want to see them hurting, especially when they can't tell us how they're feeling. And it also can get darn expensive when a dog gets sick!

So, the key to keeping a healthy boxer is to know what kinds of boxer health problems to look for, and how to prevent them as much as possible. I've described a few of the problems you should look for here on this page. On the next page, we'll cover more serious boxer health emergencies.

Common Health Problems in Boxers

Remember, the vast majority of boxer dogs will stay healthy throughout most of their lives. However, almost every breed of dog is more susceptible to certain types of health problems, due to their body structure, size, or just plain genetics. So it pays to be informed. Here are a few of the more common boxer dog health problems...

Cancer

It's a sad fact that boxers are highly prone to cancer, especially brain cancer. So any time you see a lump on your boxer, you should check it out. About 20 out of 100 cases are cancerous. Watch out for both external and internal lumps.

Mast cell tumors are a malignant tumor that can sometimes occur. They do not occur very often, but can form either in the skin or within the body. Boxers of any age can develop mast cell tumor but older ones, above 8 years, are more prone to it.

The related disorders reported along such tumors are round raised masses in the skin of your boxer, lack of appetite, vomiting and abdominal pain. Check for tarry stools due to bleeding in the upper intestinal tract. take tumors in your boxers lightly, even a small one! The veterinarian will usually want to have them removed immediately because of their high risk of cancer.

I have my own sad story about boxer cancer. My darling girl, Lucy, passed away 4 days after being diagnosed with brain cancer at age 6. It happened without warning and she was much too young. It wasn't until after that sad event that I learned that boxers' small heads (with the pushed in snout) puts them at greater risk for brain cancer. The same holds true for other dogs with similar shaped heads, such as Rottweilers, Great Danes, and St. Bernards.

Deafness

Boxers are among the more than 35 breeds of dogs on record to be at risk for developing hereditary sensori-neural deafness. The condition cannot be reversed with medications, surgery or hearing aids. Dogs also could become deaf from old age, toxicities or infection.

How do you tell if your boxer is deaf?

He doesn't respond to spoken commands and only responds to you when he sees you. He keeps shaking his head and pawing his ears or turns in the wrong direction when you call him. He sleeps more than normal and would not wake up until you physically touch him.

But not to worry, you can still have a wonderful companion in your deaf boxer through sign language. Dogs have been known to learn as many as 65 command words in sign language. These include signs for, among others, "stop," "potty", "drop it", "stay", "lay down", "sit", "come" and "cookie". As extra measures, you want to keep the deaf boxer in a safe environment as he cannot hear approaching dangers like an approaching car. So keep him on a leash and close to you when in traffic or out for walks.

On his nametag, add the word "deaf" so he will not be misunderstood if he ever gets lost. Some suggest putting a bell as well so you know where to find him if he gets lost. And finally, if your boxer tested positive for inherited deafness in one or both ears, do not breed him or her.

Seizure Disorder

When your boxer is between 2 to 5 years old, she may develop seizure disorder. When she has a seizure attack, she loses consciousness and may look like she is not breathing, but she is. Remember... she is not suffering.

To help your veterinarian regarding such episodes, keep a log of the following information:

• How long it lasts
• What kind of behavior your boxer has during the seizure, such as shaking, drooling or "spacing out"
• Any other abnormal behavior during the attack
• How often the seizures occur

It's important not to panic if your boxer has a seizure; instead focus on keeping him or her safe from injury and time the attack by actually looking at a watch or clock. It may only take place for 30 seconds, but may seem forever to you. Remain by your boxer's side; be there when he comes out of the seizure to calm him. Stroke and comfort him. Unlike seizure attacks in humans, animals do not swallow their tongue. So you don't have to put your hand or spoon or any other object into your boxer's mouth when he has an attack. You might be bitten.

Coming out of the seizure, your boxer will be groggy, confused and feel like he has done something wrong. He may make unusual sounds and stumble around. Do not allow him on the stairs until he has fully recovered. In the mean time, soothe him by talking to him softly, offer him some water, stroke and comfort him. And if he doesn't recover fully after 30 minutes, consult your veterinarian or any emergency vet facility.

You also need a veterinarian if a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes. Emergency treatment is definitely called for if your boxer goes into seizure for 10 minutes or longer, twice in the span of 24 hours, or if he has a second attack before he could completely recover from the first seizure attack.

Read more about emergency treatment for dogs in Boxer Dog Health Issues.

Eye Ulcers

Eye ulcers are a common problem in boxers, because of their slightly bulging eyes. If caught early, they are easy to treat. Late treatment can be expensive for you as well as painful for your boxer.

Worms

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There are different types of worms that can infect dogs such as tapeworm, roundworm, ringworm and heartworm. Worms are another everyday problem in boxers but the puppy is more likely to get sick from worms than the grown up boxer. A boxer that has worms may lose weight and become weak, suffer from upset stomach, poor growth, listlessness or even lung trouble. Worms can also impede your puppy's growth and cause him to have a potbelly or be thin and have a shoddy-looking coat.

Your grown boxer may not be showing any sign of worms, but he could spread them more easily than the sick puppy, through large amount of larvae or eggs passed out in the feces. Some worms, like the roundworm, that infect dogs can also be passed on to children.

De-worm your puppy every month and your adult boxer, every six months.

If your boxer has tapeworms, he has fleas too because part of the tapeworm life cycle occurs in the flea as the host. As such, treatments against flea and tapeworm are normally prescribed together.

Worm eggs in dog droppings get passed out and about. These are very hardy eggs, resistant to heat and cold, and can survive up to 7 years in the soil. The eggs can even pass on to children through ingestion and cause them to fall sick as well. As precautions, you can toilet train your boxer puppy to use a place where you can easily clean up and dispose of the droppings into the sewer. Have your children wash their hands every time after they handle the puppies and discourage your puppies from licking people hands or faces.

In Summary...

Although boxer dog health problems can be frightening to deal with, the best approach is awareness and prevention. That is the true key to maintaining boxer health.

Related Articles

• General guide to boxer health
• Boxer health emergencies