The Boxer is a breed of medium to large-sized working dogs that were developed in Germany in the late 19th century. Boxers are athletically built and energetic dogs who need a certain amount of physical activity in order to stay healthy and in good shape. If they are not provided with a minimum of half an hour to an hour of physical activity per day, Boxers may develop undesirable behavior. In addition to physical, they also need mental stimulation. They are playful dogs who adore games of any kind.
One of the best things you can do for your Boxer is to educate yourself about potential health problems that can occur during his life, as this will allow you earlier detection of symptoms that indicate there is a more serious problem that requires professional intervention.
Although according to the American Kennel Club there is only one type of Boxer dogs, it’s good to know that color has a certain role in the health of these dogs; for example, white Boxers are more prone to deafness and skin cancer than Boxers of another color. What they all have in common is sensitivity to extreme air temperatures. Below is a list of other health issues that can occur in dogs of this breed.
The purpose of the following list is to inform Boxer owners or those who are thinking about getting this dog about potential health issues that may arise. The list includes health issues that have been reported in this breed over the years, but this doesn’t mean that some or most of these diseases will develop in all Boxers.
Common Health Issues in Boxers
The health issues that have been reported in Boxers over the years are:
- Orthopedic issues: hip dysplasia, arthritis, elbow dysplasia
- Heart diseases: Boxer cardiomyopathy (arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy), aortic stenosis, atrial septal defect
- Eye problems: entropion, corneal ulcers, Cherry Eye, uveitis
- Neurological disorders: degenerative myelopathy, epilepsy
- Cancer: hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, mast cell tumors, skin cancer
- Gastric dilation volvulus (GDV)/Bloat
- Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS)
- Hypothyroidism
- Environmental and food allergies
- Demodectic mange
- Histiocytic Ulcerative Colitis (HUC)
- Pyloric Stenosis
- Ear infections
- Deafness
- Juvenile kidney disease
Boxers are sensitive to the antipsychotic acepromazine, which is often used as a sedative in veterinary practice but its use should be avoided in these dogs.
Please note that the list is not compiled according to any special criteria. This means that diseases from the top of the list are not more common and vice versa. Although we tried to gather as much information as possible and compile a comprehensive list, there is a possibility that a Boxer may develop a disease that we didn’t mention on this list.
What you can do for your dog’s health is to give him quality food and in quantities that are in line with his needs, provide him with the necessary daily amount of physical activity and take him to the vet for regular check-ups. Proper diet and exercise will help keep the Boxer in good shape, and thanks to regular veterinary checkups, it’s possible to detect health problems earlier and start the treatment on time.