Common Health Issues Found in Boxers

Several dog breeds have health issues common to them, and here we’re going to focus on Boxer dog health issues. We’ll delve into which are the most common, signs to spot early and how you can help keep your Boxer healthy.  

Having a healthy dog is important for so many reasons – it means your dog is happy, which makes you happy and keeps your bank account happy because you avoid surprise pet care costs. The first steps to dog health are, of course, providing them with a good diet and knowing your dog breed’s exercise requirements.

Knowing what Boxer dog health conditions are more common also helps because it allows you to be vigilant for signs and prepared with steps to deal with issues if they present themselves.

Let’s dive in.

Breathing issues

Boxers are part of a group of dogs called Brachycephalic breeds. These are dogs with a wide, short head, which results in a snub nose. Or as many people tend to call it: a ‘flat-faced’ pooch.

Brachycephalic breeds have shorter noses, so all the soft tissues go inwards, taking up more room. This can affect their breathing pipes and palette. When this becomes clinically unsafe for your dog, it’s called  brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome.

Boxers with this may experience bulging eyes and problems with their eye functionality and eye health. Their spines may also be more prone to abnormal vertebrae, which can lead to back injuries.

Because soft tissues are densely packed into their noses, it squashes up around the sinuses, making it hard to breathe. Their elongated soft palette doesn’t have enough room and ends up dipping into the larynx, obstructing the airflow. In addition, brachycephalic breeds are prone to experiencing a collapse of the larynx.

These issues may require surgery and other medical treatments. NZ pet insurance providers including PD don’t cover congenital conditions, which includes brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome.

This makes is all the more important to consider what medical costs you might need to cover when acquiring a Boxer.

Cancers

When it comes to Boxer dog health, there’s a type of cancer that emerges more often than for other breeds and that’s lymphoma or lymphosarcoma. It causes the body to form abnormal lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell. 

This cancer can show up almost anywhere in the body but luckily it’s a very treatable form of cancer. There’s a really high rate of recovery in dogs who get chemotherapy treatment. Plus, lymphoma is one of the only types of cancer that can often be found via a simple blood test. That’s why it’s a great idea to get your Boxer a blood test at least once a year.

Look out for these symptoms that may indicate cancer:

• Swollen glands
• Weight loss
• Laboured breathing

Watch the below video for some more insight into looking for signs of cancer in your pooch.

Boxer dog health: Degenerative myelopathy

Degenerative myelopathy (or DM for short) is often considered an “old dog’s disease”. DM is a neurological condition, similar to Lou Gehrig’s disease in people, that starts with hind leg weakness and develops into full paralysis.

Sadly, there’s no cure for DM yet. You can find out more about what DM is and how it affects dogs here.

Cardiomyopathy

This disease affects the muscle tissue around the heart, weakening the heart and causing a heartbeat that’s sometimes out of rhythm. As time passes this will worsen and can cause severe issues later in life. It’s more common in the Boxer breed, and while it’s usually diagnosed in adult Boxers, you may see signs of it at any age. 

Symptoms of cardiomyopathy:

• Fainting 
• Coughing
• Abdominal distention
• Stumbling
• Inability to exercise
• Breathing difficulties

You can find more information on cardiomyopathy here, and if you notice any of these signs you should seek advice from your vet immediately. 

Bloat

This is the simplest name for gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV). Bloat happens when a dog’s stomach twists in on itself and fills with gas. The twisting of the stomach blocks blood to the stomach.

Symptoms of bloat:

• Heaving with nothing coming up
• Acting restless
• An enlarged abdomen
• Lying with head down and read end up

If this is left untreated it can quickly become fatal. Scarily, this can sometimes happen in as little as half an hour. So if you notice any of these symptoms you need to take your Boxer to an emergency hospital immediately.

Boxer dog health: Hip dysplasia

This is a common concern in our furry friends, more so in the larger breeds like the Boxer. It’s a rather complicated disease (read more about hip dysplasia in dogs) that affects their hip joints, making it difficult for them to run, jump and climb up and down stairs and other areas. 

Symptoms of hip dysplasia:

• Difficulty moving (getting out of bed, climbing stairs etc)
• Rear end lameness (although often only in later stages of hip dysplasia)
• Loss of muscle in thighs
• Abnormal gait

This is hard to identify because these symptoms are often caused by other Boxer dog health issues. If you notice any of these symptoms, which can start from as early as when your Boxer is a pup, we recommend visiting your vet. They’ll be able to take X-rays and identify the exact cause of the issue.

Seizures

Seizures in pets include epilepsy, idiopathic seizures and general seizures that are caused by a trigger.

While many breeds can be prone to epilepsy, Boxers are more prone to idiopathic seizures. These are seizures of unknown origin. Boxers can experience seizures that are triggered by head injuries and loud or repeated noises. Unfortunately for our Boxer breed, researchers have not yet been able to identify the gene responsible. 

In fact, Boxers are predisposed to seizures in general. We recommend you observe your Boxer dog’s health to try to find out what might trigger a seizure. This will help reduce the probability of it recurring. 

Dog insurance for Boxer dog health

Dog insurance is the softest financial landing you can offer to your pup and yourself as a pet parent. The knowledge that in case of an emergency they’ll be able to get the medical assistance they need is peace of mind. Whether it’s surgery or medication, you should be cushioned on the financial side of things. 

Read all about the disconnection between pre-existing conditions and pet insurance to find out why you secure pet care cover early. And if that’s not enough reason, if you start while your pup is 6 weeks to 1 year old you’ll get an extra free period of insurance cover from us!