Dog-Health

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Some Dogs like Boxers unfortunately, are prone to several potential health problems such as:

- Skin allergy
- Food allergy
- Cancer
- Hip dysphasia
- Bloat
- Heart ailments
- Hypothyroidism
- Fleas
- Worms

Knowing what they are will help you to better monitor your pet's health and to gather the pertinent information, in case of an illness, that would assist your veterinarian to administer the correct diagnosis and treatment. Below are some common afflictions of Boxers.

Alapechia (Lost of hair on the trunk)

Seems to be more common in male Boxers.

One, which died at the age of 12 years and 4 months, was diagnosed with seasonal alopecia. "He used to go bald once a year but the hair always grew back on," said its owner.

Bloat

Gastric torsion or GDV or bloat in your Boxer can be life threatening so bring him to the veterinarian immediately.

The stomach gets filled with air and twisting and this can happen suddenly. The symptoms include restlessness, drooling and nausea and the stomach is bloated (distended abdomen). Your Boxer may vomit and continue to retch but nothing would come out.

Cancerous and benign tumors

Boxers are highly prone to cancer.

So any time you see a bump on your Boxer, you should check it out. About 20 out of 100 cases are cancerous.

Watch out for both external and internal lumps, eye ulcers or cherry eye as they called it, as well as dermodicosis or skin sores.

Mast cell tumors are malignant and they do not occur very often but can form either in the skin or within the body.

The related disorders reported along such tumors are round raised masses in the skin of your Boxer, lack of appetite, vomiting and abdominal pain. Check for tarry stools due to bleeding in the upper intestinal tract.

Boxers of any age can develop mast cell tumor but older ones, above 8 years, are more prone to it.

Never take tumors in your Boxers lightly, even a small one! The veterinarian would usually have them removed immediately because of their high susceptibility to cancer.

One owner noticed her Boxer had a bump the size of a mosquito bite that did not go away even after 10 days. The vet diagnosed it a malignant tumor and removed it the very next day. The owner felt so relieved that the tumor was removed before the cancer had a chance to spread.

Another owner found both his Boxer girls had lumps and had it checked out immediately. The vet removed the lumps due to their breed and the Boxers were all fine now!

Yet another owner was not so lucky.

"I have had the pleasure of raising two great Boxers but both passed away much too young of cancer. The last one, Nick, died one week after being diagnosed with anal cancer. It spread rapidly and he was only 7 years old!"

Daniel Lesser
article url: http://www.thingsfordogs.com/dog-health.php

About the Author

Daniel Lesser
Dog and Puppy Articles, Pictures and Resources
http://www.thingsfordogs.com

Written by: Daniel Lesser

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Care Dog Free Health Health.blogspot.com Pet Uk Article

Your dog is probably stronger and healthier than most humans that you know. However, by taking him from his natural environment, where only the strongest survive, to the artificial one in which most pet dogs live, we have exposed him to an entirely new set of dangers which their instincts are not designed to cope with.

A dog's health is influenced by the genes inherited from his parents and by the care given to his mother during the prenatal period, as well as to the puppy during his first 2 or 3 months of life. A puppy, whose mother was properly cared for during pregnancy, will be more able to handle the hazards of growing up.

The majority of dogs lead perfectly healthy, normal lives. They overcome occasional skin rashes, chills, and upset stomachs, recover from cuts and bruises with ordinary care, sensible first aid when necessary, and professional diagnosis and treatment of serious ailments. Chances are that if you give you dog a normal diet, a healthy home environment, a well balanced life, you will only need to see the vet for check-ups and vaccinations.

A healthy dog's temperature, taken rectally when he is rested, is about 101.2 degrees in an adult dog, 102 in small breeds, and 102.5 in a puppy. It can fluctuate one way or the other, being lower in the morning and higher in the late afternoon. Long-coated breeds have a slightly higher normal temperature than short-coated ones. His pulse is taken at the femoral artery, high inside the thigh. There is no normal pulse rate for dogs. It can range from 120 beats per minute in a young puppy, to 70 or 80 in an older dog. Count the beats during 30 seconds and multiply by 2. Normal respiration ranges from 20 or 30 respirations per minute for a puppy to 16 per minute in an older dog.

A normal eye is bright and clear, although the lens becomes pale blue as he ages. His nose is moist and cool most of the time, but a dry, warm nose doesn't always mean a fever or illness. His tail wags and he carries himself normally. His coat is shiny and sheds normally. He eats his meals without gulping compulsively and without being coaxed, drinks a normal amount of water after meals and exercise, and more during hot weather. His bowel movements are regular and well-formed, his urine is clear and both process's are painless. As a puppy he sleeps most of the time, but as an adult only about half the time, and he is generally friendly, alert, and inquisitive.

A sick or ailing dog will have a temperature over 102 degrees, a sign of fever, or under a 100, a sign of weakness. If it does not return to normal within 24 hours, call the vet. If his temperature is as low as 99, or as high as 104, call the vet immediately. His pulse may be weak or irregular, his respiration at rest may be irregular or labored, panting or weak. His eye may appear dull, red or yellow with a sticky discharge. His nose may be dry and hot, also with a discharge.

His tail may be immobile, carried stiffly or between the legs, his coat may be dry and stand up when it should lay flat, the skin may be itchy and flaky and there may be bald spots, or red patches. He may eat with a good appetite but usually doesn't want food at all, and is usually reluctant to swallow any water. His bowel movements may be abnormal in form or color, have a bad odor, and contain blood or mucus, or he may be constipated with no movement at all. The urine may be dark, cloudy, or painfully produced.

He may sleep all of the time and hide in dark corners; his breath may have a bad odor and be labored. He may show very obvious symptoms of disorder such as swellings, protuberances, lameness, pain, prolonged wheezing or coughing, and unusual sensitivity in some part of his body. His overall general behavior will be lethargic and unresponsive when he is normally friendly and active, or nervous and excitable when he is the quite type with snapping or snarling for no apparent reason.

The symptoms offered here which are fairly obvious and not too far from our own human symptoms, (good and bad). It's the severity of the symptoms for an ailing dog that will determine whether you should call the vet. Far sighted dog and cat owners select a veterinarian as soon as they become a pet parent, for sooner or later they get sick to some degree, and your chances of prompt attention are better if the vet already knows your pet.

About the author:

Randy Jones and his partner Brent Jones have been in the pet industry for a long time. Recently they formed Joncopets.com. On the site, customers can read articles about anything pets as well as shop for the latest fancy dog collars, dog dresses, fancy dog beds, and more for their best friend. Feel free to check out the site at http://www.joncopets.com

Written by: Randy Jones

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