How To Cure Five Common Boxer Health Problems
Common Boxer Health Problems include heart and eye diseases. Breeders are working hard to eliminate many genetic ailments with careful selection and systematic testing.
This web page will identify some of the most common boxer health problems and teach you how to recognize them in your pet Boxer. You should take your Boxer for annual checkups at the vet and not try to simply cure all his health problems yourself.
Some Common Boxer Health Problems:
Boxer Common Health Problem One:
Aortic Stenosis – This is an inherited heart disease with 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. Due to the obstruction, the heart must work harder to pump out an adequate blood volume. Clinical signs and long-term outcome depend on the degree of narrowing, or stenosis.
Boxer Common Health Problem Two:
Bloating – Bloating is also quite common problem with Boxer health (more so than other breeds) and can be very dangerous for the health of your dog. Besides the obvious bloating of the stomach, other symptoms may include heavy drooling, nausea, restlessness and vomiting. Some of these symptoms can also be found if your boxer suffers from other diseases (intestinal worms for example) but bloating of the stomach is a clear sign of gastric torsion. Since it’s extremely dangerous for Boxer health if left untreated, it’s very important for you to visit a vet as soon as possible.
Boxer Common Health Problem Three:
Dilated Cardiomyopathy is a serious health problem 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 pinschers and Boxers. It may result in heart failure and sudden death. The signs usually include exercise intolerance and fainting. Treatment depends on the type of the disease and may include medications or implantable devices. Available health screening tests: echocardiography and Holter monitoring.
Common Boxer Health Problem Four:
Blood Clotting Problems – Boxer health is prone to two types of blood clotting problems: Factor II deficiency (where the blood will not clot) and Factor VII deficiency (where the Boxer can’t make a clotting chemical called prothrombin, making the dog prone to nosebleeds).
Common Boxer Health Problem Five:
Atrial Septal Defect – Another Boxer health problem is when a Boxer’s heart with an 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 atrium 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 (known as a heart murmur).
Boxers make great pets, but they are undeniably prone to many Boxer health problems, including potentially deadly problems. These Boxer health problems can be compounded if the Boxer is not getting enough exercise or eating a diet that’s not nutritious enough.
As the American Boxer Rescue Association says, one of the reasons Boxers are neglected in animal shelters is because the owners do not want to deal with Boxer health problems and medical costs.