Common Boxer Dog Health Problem

Boxers are bright, friendly, lively dogs that are also good around children, making them good family pets. But like many dogs that have been selectively bred throughout the ages, boxers are prone to many health problems, some of which can be serious. Responsible breeders will use genetic screening to try to minimize the likelihood of these diseases, but if you own a boxer, it is important to be aware of them.

A study conducted by the British Kennel Club found cancer to be the cause of death in nearly 40 percent of boxers studied. The study listed brain tumors and lymphoma as the most common cancers. Boxers are also prone to skin cancers.

Heart ailments are among the most common diseases in boxers, and many of them can be fatal. The most common, according to gopetsamerica.com, are aortic stenosis, dilated cardiomyopathy and atrial septal defect. Aortic stenosis and dilated cardiomyopathy are both inherited diseases.

Boxers are prone to problems with both the inside and outside of the eye. These include corneal dystrophy, progressive retinal atrophy and harderian gland prolapse. Corneal distrophy is an inherited condition in which a cloudy buildup causes the corneas to lose their normal clarity. "Progressive retinal atrophy" is a collective term covering a group of degenerative lesions of the retina; they are also hereditary. Harderian gland prolapse, also called cherry eye, is a condition in which the gland bulges out over the edge of the third eyelid and can become inflamed and ulcerated.

Boxers can suffer from a range of skin conditions. These include congenital defects, tumors and skin allergies. Among the most common are cutaneous asthenia, a congenital condition that results in fragile, stretchy skin that tears easily; histiocytoma, a kind of benign skin tumor; and atopy dermatitis, a predisposition to allergic skin reactions to environmental allergens, such as mites and tree pollens.

Boxers are prone to numerous stomach and digestive problems. These include pyloric stenosis, a narrowing of the outlet from the stomach to the small intestine; ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease; and gastric dilation volvulus, a condition that causes bloating and twisting of the dog's stomach.

Boxers can face problems with their bones and joints, the most common areas being the spine and hips. Among the most common ailments are invertebral disk disease, which can cause severe pain and paralysis; and hip dysplasia, which is a degenerative condition of the pelvic joint that can lead to severe pain and lameness.

Boxers can face a host of other problems affecting various parts of their bodies. These include deafness, hypothyroidism and cryptorchidism, a birth defect in which one or both testicles fail to descend.