One of the main concerns for the Boxer dog owner is hip dysplasia. This particular ailment can cause lameness as a result of looseness in the rear hip joints. Often, the tissue around the hip can work its way loose over time, causing the ball to move more than it actually should in the socket. The unfortunate thing is there is nothing any owner can do to prevent it because it is part of their genetic nature.
The Boxer dog is 67th on the list of breeds that suffer the most with hip dysplasia, and over 10% are actually diagnosed with a severe form of it at some stage during their lives. The Boxer dog may also fail to show any symptoms of having this ailment, even while suffering from it. However, dogs can be screened for it from two months old and every Boxer dog should have had a scan by the time they hit two years old. Every dog is simply X-rayed under sedation and then graded according to the results.
Regardless of how your Boxer dog is graded, he or she may not feel the effects of hip dysplasia until they reach eight or nine years old. In some cases it can lead to lameness and arthritis, but a few dogs never show any signs of it. It is an ailment to be aware of, but not one to be overly worried about. The best thing you can do as a Boxer owner is to learn all you can about this particular ailment, and be prepared to best deal with it should it develop in your dog.
4 comments:
Interesting article, but having owned 5 Boxers, showing 3 of them and meeting and talking with many influential breeders here in the UK and in my previous residence, Holland, I disagree with a couple of your points.
Firstly,and I would like to couple my opinion with three of yours, "The Boxer dog breed is one of the most affected breeds" ... "One of the main concerns for the Boxer dog owner is hip dysplasia" ... "The Boxer dog is 67th on the list of breeds that suffer the most with hip dysplasia"
OK, I`m not denying that Boxers don`t die of something or other, we all have to die at one point in our lives, but I seriously disagree that Boxers are inflicted by some form of "at birth they are destined to be affected". This is rubbish, a Boxer from a good bloodline (prospective owners should check such) is like any other pedigree.
Hip Dysplasia ... mmm, until my 3rd Boxer was diagnosed with HD when he was 4 (he rabbit hopped a lot of the time) it was the first time I had experienced this in Boxers, both owned and acquainted. By your own admission, the Boxer is 67th on the list of potential breed HD sufferers, hardly a congenital defect. How many humans suffer from this condition I might ask? Hardly a case for concern in the big picture. It is in fact, the only time I have EVER heard of a Boxer suffering from HD!(My last comment connected the two of yours I said I would comment on).
For the record, most Boxers die of simple old age ... though if you manage to own a Boxer beyond 10 years of age, this is a major plus. The breed doesn`t live as long as say a Yorkie, or a Westie.
My only Boxer to die of an illness (other than old age) was to Hemangiosarcoma ... he was also the same Boxer who had HD, which he managed to cope with all his remaining years, he was 10 when he died :(
Hello Aura..
Thank you for being so positive on HD. As I have been reading many articles on the subject today your comment made me feel a bit better. For the past month or so our sweet 6 yr. old boxer Maddie has been showing signs of what I think may be HD. Just this afternoon she could bearly get off the couch and then proceeded to gingerly walk downstairs to go out to pee. Watching her walk was almost as painful for me. She wobbled to her pen and then looked at me as if to say "please help me"!It looked to me like there was definetly something wrong with her hip. As she return to the house to go upstairs she went up very very
S L O W L Y. What can I do to help her, is there a diet you or or anyone else can recommend? We have started on a joint supplement. I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you, Mary-Anne mamarold@yahoo.com
Sadly today my poor ben was put to sleep. I weep openly as I write this, unsure of his acual age as he was a rare rescue dog and the previous owner just couldnt cope with him. He settled down over the 6 years I was blessed with his company and after a very sad and painful few weeks I let him go to the ducks and rabbits in the sky that he constantly chased when ever he had the chance. Even the vet was unsure at the end what his aliment was. Does it matter now? All I know is he died in my arms and will never be forgotten.
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