Boxer Health
This information is just for your reference, not all boxers or indeed dogs in general suffer from any complaints, most are just healthy dogs, but it helps if you are aware of complaints that your dog might suffer from.
BLOAT - Gastric Dilation Volvulus (GDV) - 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.
On the basis of the above I recommend three things:
1. keeping boxers on two feeds a day, to prevent them eating too much at once
2. If feeding dry food - always add water and allow to soak (warm/tepid will work quicker) – you will notice that most food swells – this will prevent this happening in their stomach.
3. Try to leave an hour before and after food before energetic exercise to stop the weight of the food in the stomach twisting the gut.
This is a chart showing the onset of bloat and the symptoms to look for.
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 diarrhoea. 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.
On the basis of the above I recommend the following:
Do not feed hid chews – they are often associated with colitis
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For the first year at least keep you puppy on a very basic diet and do not feed table scraps, bread, fatty products and be careful with vegetables and fruit,
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Keep on the same diet – as change in the food can sometimes upset the gut.
HISTIOCYTOMA - Histiocytoma is a type of benign skin tumour. Histiocytomas look like red, dome-shaped, sparsely haired nodules that appear rapidly. They often are ulcerated, but are non-painful. The most common places of tumour development include the head, neck, especially in young dogs. More rarely, growths may occur on the trunk and feet.
Breeds mostly affected are Flat coated Retrievers, English Bulldogs, Scottish Terriers, Greyhounds, Boxers, and Boston Terriers.
I recommend that you run your hands over your dog on a daily basis throughout its life to feel for any lumps or bumps and if you notice anything, keep a note of it and if it gets bigger, consult your vet.
This is also a good way of checking for cuts and scrapes and also for ticks.
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.
1. If a testis is retained in the abdomen it is important to remove this as it can become cancerous is later life.
2. A dog with this condition should never be bred from, even if the remaining testis is functioning as this condition is hereditary.
3. A dog with this condition should be neutered.
For lots of other great advice on the health and wellbeing of your dog buy the book “The Doglopedia”, available from Amazon and other good book sellers and Online pet shops price approx £10.
