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Boxer
Health
Perhaps the
most prevalent health problems in Boxers today are heart problems and
cancer. Many advances have been made in veterinary science in the last
decade, making these diseases more manageable than ever before, but
they are still very dangerous to our breed. There are many excellent
websites dealing with these issues. A few are listed below, and we will
add to the list as we learn of other useful sites. By looking at this
list, one would think that the Boxer is riddled with health problems...
don't be put off! We just believe that anyone contemplating adding a
Boxer to the family should be familiar with the possibilities...
Most of the topics below are not specific to boxers - they are
applicable to all
breeds. One of the best sources of information specific to boxer health
can be found at the
American Boxer Club website .
Use the search box below to find a topic on this page or anywhere in
our website.
* * * W A R N I
N G! * * *
ACEPROMAZINE
There
is one drug
commonly used in anesthetic protocols that should not
be used in the Boxer. The drug is Acepromazine, a tranquilizer, which
is often used as a preanesthetic agent. In the Boxer, it tends to cause
a problem called first degree heart block, a potentially serious
arrhythmia of the heart. It also causes a profound hypotension (severe
lowering of the blood pressure) in many Boxers that receive the drug.
Recently, on the
Veterinary Information Network, a computer network for
practicing veterinarians, an
announcement was placed in the cardiology
section entitled "Acepromazine and Boxers." This described several
adverse reactions to the drug in a very short time span at a veterinary
teaching hospital. All the adverse reactions were in Boxers. The
reactions included collapse, respiratory arrest, and profound
bradycardia (slow heart rate, less than 60 beats per minute).The
announcement suggested that Acepromazine should not be used in dogs of
the Boxer breed because of a breed related sensitivity to the drug.
WARNING:
This drug is the most
commonly prescribed tranquilizer in veterinary
medicine. It is also used orally and is prescribed for owners who want
to tranquilize their dogs for air or car travel. I would strongly
recommend that Boxer owners avoid the use of this drug, especially when
the dog will be unattended and/or unable to receive emergency medical
care if it is needed.
Wendy Wallner, DVM
July, 1997
[MTBR
addendum: There is a warning about this drug's effect on Boxers in the Handbook
of Veterinary Drugs , which every vet has.]
HEART
Boxer
Cardiomyopathy - An explanation of
this deadly disease, its
diagnosis and treatment.
Ventricular Arrhythmia in Boxers - Another
explanation of Boxer
Cardiomyopathy.
Sub-Aortic Stenosis (SAS) - Another common heart
disease in Boxers.
Boxer Heart Murmurs - a handout sheet for
Boxer puppy owners.
CANCER
Cancer
in Pets - Very general information.
Cancer
Tutorial - More detailed information.
BLOAT
and GASTRIC TORSION
Bloat - A description of the condition.
Bloat First Aid - Good advice if you
suspect bloat in your dog
ALLERGIES
Pets Suffer from Allergies,Too
Canine Allergy - Good general information
about types of allergies in dogs and their
treatments.
DEAFNESS
-(A problem sometimes encountered in white boxers)
White
Boxers and Deafness - Perhaps a little detailed, but
interesting.
This article states that 40% of white boxers coming into
rescue are deaf,
thus implying that 40% of white boxers are deaf. We
believe the incidence
is much, much lower. The higher
figure for rescue boxers is due to the fact
that deaf dogs are more
likely to come into rescue than those who are not
deaf. Actual
percentage is probably 15%-20%.
White Boxer Pages - A wealth of
information about white boxers.
White Boxers - A nice little article about
white boxers.
"Teacher"
- A wonderful story about living
with a deaf white boxer.
Dizzy & Bertie's Deaf Dogs Info Site - Another
great resource site.
GENERAL
INFORMATION
Common
Conditions in Older Dogs
the Senior
Dogs Project - Great source for information
about older dogs.
Arthritis
Cushing's Syndrome - Excellent description
of the disease, its
causes and treatments.
Senility - Yes, dogs can get senile, and
it can be treated.
Urinary Incontinence - Excellent article
by Wendy Wallner, DVM.
Anesthesia
- Sooner or later, our pets are going to need some
sort of
surgery, whether it is spaying/neutering,
dental cleaning, taking
x-rays, removal of suspicious lumps, or as a
result of trauma or illness.
Here is a brief discussion of various types
of anesthetic drugs. It is
important to find out what type your vet
uses, so you will know what to
expect. The link is to an article on ear
cropping and tail docking, so
scroll down a little to find out about
anesthetics.
Dog
First Aid Kit - It's a good idea to have everything you
might need for
an emergency ready to grab at a moment's
notice. This website gives a
list of things you should keep on hand. It
would be a good idea to print
out
the page and show it to your vet prior to the emergency
need.
He/she will tell you the appropriate dosages
for your dog, and may add
other items to the list.
Considerations
for Winter
Disaster/Emergency Animal Resources
Head Tremors
Household
Medications for Pets
Ibuprofen - Extremely toxic to dogs. Read this dog owner's
story.
Obesity in Pets
Underweight Pets - This recipe is
guaranteed to put weight on your
dog, and dogs love it!
National Animal Poison Control Center -
Costs
$45 for a consultation, but
in an emergency, isn't your
pet worth it?
The
Dangers of Antifreeze
Plants Poisonous to your Pooch -
Self-explanatory
Stings - Dogs, like people, can have allergic reactions to
bee, wasp and
other insect venoms. If
you notice that your dog appears to have
a swelling (usually on
the face) or hives, call your vet. Most vets
will advise
administering Benadryl (1 mg/lb). If the swelling does
not subside, or gets
worse, or if your dog has trouble breathing,
take the dog
immediately to the nearest
vet or emergency vet.
Parasites
- Heartworm, fleas, ticks,
earmites and sarcoptic mange.
DISEASES CAUSED BY
PARASITES:
Canine
Heartworm Disease - Explanation, prevention and treatment
*
* * W A R N I N G! * * *
We do NOT recommend the use of ProHeart
6, the six-month injectable
heartworm preventative. There have
been some serious bad effects in many
dogs, including deaths, and until
this new preventative has been around for
quite a bit longer, we highly
recommend sticking
with the tried and true monthly
heartworm preventative HeartGard.
For statistics on
adverse effects of ProHeart 6 during one study, click here.
For an article that will make you think twice about ProHeart 6, click here.
Mange mites -
Demodectic Mange
Sarcoptic Mange
Ticks - Many tick-borne illnesses are
extremely dangerous and can
be
fatal, both to humans and dogs. Dog should be treated
with tick repellent (currently Frontline is the most popular
choice), and any ticks that are found
should be removed
immediately. Tick-borne diseases
are notoriously difficult
to
diagnose, and prompt diagnosis and
treatment are
essential to successful recovery. If
you find a tick on your
dog,
watch the site of the bite carefully and be familiar with
symptoms
to note.
Several good websites are:
Deer tick -
Lyme Disease
Brown Dog Tick - Rocky
Mountain Spotted Fever
-
Ehrlichiosis
Fleas -
Fleas can actually be the carriers of extremely serious
diseases, such as the
plague . For most pet owners, however,
the major concern is that the flea will infect the dog
with
tapeworms or cause the dog to have (often
severe) allergic
reactions. Even if the dog does not have
flea allergies , fleas
are terribly
uncomfortable for the animal, and can easily be
controlled these days by topical treatments such as Frontline
or
Advantage
. Flea dips can be very
dangerous to dogs, and are no
longer recommended as the treatment of choice.
Worms - Dogs can get several type
of intestinal worms (most commonly
roundworms, hookworms, whipworms and tapeworms),
which can do
serious damage if not
treated. Although they can sometimes
be
seen in the dog's
stool, this is not always the case. Usually,
worms are diagnosed
when your veterinarian finds worm eggs
in a stool sample.
Because of the damage intestinal worms can do,
it is important to
have your dog checked at least annually (more
often, if your dog has
been diagnosed with worms already). Do
not ever use
over-the-counter dewormers that are found in pet
stores!
Without knowing exactly what worms your dog may have,
you may be giving your
dog an unnecessary, or even dangerous,
treatment. Most common
symptoms of worms are weight loss, hair
thinning, dry hair,
diarrhea or vomiting. Always consult your vet
if you suspect your
dog may have worms.
Canine Worms: Watch Out for Worms
Worms
and Your Dog
Giardia -
Giardia is now common in most areas of the country, except
dry regions.
Areas with heavy wild mammal populations are
especially at
risk. Dogs (and humans) can pick up giardia in
contaminated
streams, or even on moist ground that has been
contaminated. It
can be extremely difficult to diagnose
accurately, but
fortunately, the treatment is not dangerous, and
can be given
without definitive diagnosis if all else fails.
Symptoms are
continuing diarrhea, often bloody or with mucus,
and abdominal
pain.
Managing
Giardia in the Carrier Dog
Coccidiosis - Fairly common in puppies,
coccidia
are picked up from
contaminated ground. They are
detected in fecal
samples.
Animals with
coccidia usually have watery diarrhea, sometimes
bloody. If not
treated, coccidiosis can be fatal to a young puppy,
through
dehydration.
Coccidia and Coccidiosis
Kennel
Cough
Skunk - Sooner or later, many pets encounter skunks. Here's a
foolproof
way to eliminate the skunk
odor safely.
Odor Control
Sunburn - One boxer owner recommends using a product called
"Waterbabies
SPF45," which is sold for use on children. Also,
Neutrogena
Sensitive Skin Sunblock has been mentioned as
effective.
PRODUCTS TO AID
HEALTH
A bed
for
incontinent dogs - It's about time!
Make your own
orthopedic bed
OTHER
GENERAL BOXER HEALTH SITES
Common Boxer Medical Information - What
should a normal dog's
temperature be? Why does my dog have spasms
of snorting? What are
the most common dog diseases? What parasites
might my dog get?
General information about 'normal' dogs.
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