Boxer Health
Our aim at Sivad Boxers is to breed healthy dogs that are well constructed have superb temperaments and make wonderful family members. All members at Sivad have been DNA tested for ARVC are reguarly heart tested and further DNA testing for DM has begun. We will also be Hip Scoring and testing Thyroid in the coming months.
Leading health issues to which Boxers are prone include cancers, heart conditions such as Aortic Stenosis and Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (the so-called "Boxer Cardiomyopathy"), hypothyroidism, hip dysplasia, and degenerative myelopathy and epilepsy; other conditions that may be seen are gastric dilatation and torsion (bloat), intestinal problems, and allergies (although these may be more related to diet than breed).
Entropion, a malformation of the eyelid requiring surgical correction, is occasionally seen, and some lines have a tendency toward spondylosis deformans, a fusing of the spine, or dystocia.
Boxers are known to be very sensitive to the hypotensive and bradycardiac effects of a commonly-used veterinary sedative, acepromazine.It is recommended that the drug be avoided in the Boxer breed.
As an athletic breed, proper exercise and conditioning is important for the continued health and longevity of the Boxer. Care must be taken not to over-exercise young dogs, as this may damage growing bones; however once mature Boxers can be excellent jogging or running companions. Because of their brachycephalic head, they do not do well with high heat or humidity, and common sense should prevail when exercising a Boxer in these conditions.
ARVC - Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Boxer ARVC is an adult onset heart muscle disease that can lead to sudden death or the development of congestive heart failure where the dog starts to cough or becomes short of breath.
This is an inherited disease, but it is adult onset. The average age where the clinical signs may be observed or a Holter monitor becomes abnormal is 6 years of age. However, this is widely variant. Some dogs will show it younger and some, not until they are much older!
Negative (No copies of the mutated gene)
Positive Heterozygous (1 copy of the mutated gene and 1 copy of a normal gene)
Positive Homozygous (2 copies of the mutated gene)
DM - Degenerative Myelopathy
Canine degenerative myelopathy (also known as chronic degenerative radiculomyelopathy) is a progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs. The disease has an gradual onset typically between 7 and 14 years of age. It begins with a loss of coordination (ataxia) in the hind limbs. The disease is chronic and progressive, and resulting in paralysis. This disease results in slowly progressive neurological disease that that is not painful and non-reversible. Dogs affected with degenerative myelopathy ultimately lose muscle mass from the disuse of their back legs and have difficulty getting up to go outside to urinate and defecate.
Degenerative myelopathy initially affects the back legs and causes muscle weakness and loss, and lack of coordination. These cause a staggering effect that may appear to be arthritis. The dog may drag one or both rear paws when it walks. This dragging can cause the nails of one foot to be worn down. The condition may lead to extensive paralysis of the back legs. As the disease progresses, the animal may display symptoms such as incontinence and has considerable difficulties with both balance and walking. If allowed to progress, the animal will show front limb involvement and extensive muscle atrophy. Eventually cranial nerve or respiratory muscle involvement necessitates euthanasia.
Genetic Technologies are now doing the test for DM and you can order your test kit online or you can order from Orthapaedic Foundation For Animals
Boxer Dog from Wikipedia
