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As your Partner in Pet Health, the team at Hillside Animal Hospital would like to provide you with as much information as possible regarding your role in keeping your dog happy and healthy. With this in mind, we have developed new Breed-Specific Wellness Programs. These programs are intended to increase your awareness on health conditions that have been found to be commonly associated with your dog's breed. While many dogs live a long, healthy life without facing major health issues, we feel that educating pet owners about possible health conditions is the best way to be proactive in detecting health issues before they become a problem. You'll find important recommendations for scheduling physical exams and diagnostic tests which we encourage you to discuss with the doctor throughout your pet's care. Please contact us at 480-391-7297 if you would like further information or to schedule an appointment.
Boxer - Specific Wellness Program
Cardiovascular Conditions
 Aortic stenosis
About the condition:
- Inherited condition that, if undetected and untreated, may cause weakness, collapse and even sudden death.
How to detect this condition:
- Annual exam - your doctor will provide a thorough physical examination and can listen for any heart murmur, which may indicate this condition.
- If a heart murmur is detected, an ultrasound is recommended. This is a type of non-invasive imaging that allows detection after 8 weeks of age.
Dialated cardiomyopathy
About the condition:
- A condition in which the heart walls are thinner than normal and the heartbeat is not as strong.
- Increased prevalence with age and is more common in males.
How to detect this condition:
- An ultrasound/ECG is recommended at age 6.
Endocrine Conditions
Hypothyroidism
About the condition:
- A deficiency in the secretion of thyroid hormone.
How to detect this condition:
- A blood test can determine whether your pet is within the normal range of thyroid hormone
Gastrointestinal Conditions
Chronic idiopathic colitis
About the condition:
- This condition causes chronic diarrhea and inflammation of the colon
- Most common in young to middle-age dogs.
How to detect this condition:
- If your dog has frequent diarrhea, an endoscopy/biopsy may be recommended.
Neoplastic Conditions
Mast cell tumors
About the condition:
- These skin tumors may range from benign to highly-aggressive malignant and are relatively common in dogs.
How to detect this condition:
- If you notice any lumps on your pet, please let your doctor know so he may examine them.
This list is not intended to cover all possible diseases and/or conditions found in Boxers, but instead lists those that we have found to be most common at Hillside Animal Hospital. Please let your doctor know if you have further questions regarding these or any other conditions.
Wellness Recommendations
An annual physical exam is recommended for the life of your pet so that any problems can be detected. In addition, we recommend the following diagnostic evaluations in order to provide more thorough veterinary prevention and care:
| Age 6 |
45 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, ECG of the heart
to test for any heart conditions |
| Age 8 |
55 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays of chest,
abdomen and hips if needed |
| Age 10 |
66 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 12 |
77 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 14 |
88 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
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