A Question for White Boxer owners!!!

[DixieDiana]

We are considering getting a White boxer....possibly two.

I did work for a Vet....but left a few months ago.
So I called the Vet's office that I use to check on the current cost of spaying and mentioned that I was interested in getting a white boxer.
Immediately, I was told that it wasn't a good idea.
That white boxers tend to have numerous health problems, especially skin problems and cancer.
I really don't know that much about white boxers....the Vet I worked for....had a small country practice....and we didn't have any white boxers as patients while I was there.

Any information or opinions that you could give would be most appreciated!

We really wanted to get white boxer....but I want to make sure that it wouldn't be a bad decision.


Please help!!

Thanks so much!!

 

[BXR MOM]

There are several old posts on the board about this topic. I think you will find that the only proven (which is still up for debate)health related problem is the higher percentage of deafness in white boxers.

I currently have a 3 year old white female and a 7 mo. brindle male. I have also had a fawn female. My female is three years old and there is nothing different about her from her "colored" siblings. She can hear and see fine (even though she does have one blue eye - makes her look funny!).

The only health issue we have had with her is an outbreak of severe hives once every summer. We have yet to determine the exact cause. There is no way of knowing if this sensativity has anything to do with the color of her coat.

I would definitely get the white pups. Hopefully, you can prove your country vet wrong! The only extra thing you will need is plenty of sunscreen if they are going to be out in the sun frequently.

Good Luck.

 

[Vela]

I also have a white puppy. I agree with the above post. I researched white boxers extensively when I decided to get my boy and the only conclusive evidence of health issues I could find with whites was the chance of deafness. My puppy hears fine and you can have the testing done at about 4-5 weeks of it is a major concern to you. I also found some really great webites on teaching and training deaf dogs in case my puppy had turned out to be deaf. I did buy some specialy made dog suncreen, don't use the kind made for people, the chemicals in it can be dangerous to dogs. Also try to use a really mild shampoo and don't shampoo often. My boy hasn't seemed to have an allergies to grass or his food yet. I would do a web search using a good search engine too, I came up with lots of information about white boxers that way. Good luck on your pups!

 

[avts1977]

I've never had a white boxer, but I would think that you'd only need to take care that they didn't get sunburned. I wouldn't think they'd be more susceptible to any other skin issues. I have a fawn that gets hives every now and then from something out in the yard, but that's just an individual thing (our brindle doesn't react).

Other than that, you have to be careful about cancers in every boxer, regardless of color.

 

[LuvMyKids]

I have a white boxer (14 wks old on Friday 6/6/03). She's not blind and not deaf. Although she does have puppy selective hearing! LOL I did go for a consultation with a vet before I got her. He basically told me that they should have put her to sleep because she "could be deaf and have skin problems". The nerve of that vet! Needless to say my baby doesn't go to that vet!!!!!! I was told by another vet that if she had blue eyes that I shouldn't get her because the ones with blue eyes tend to have siezures (SP?). My pup does go to that vets office but does NOT see that vet. The vet she see has never said anything to me at all about her being white! I did a lot of research on white boxers before I got my pup, that's what led me to BW. I never found anything about white boxers with blue eyes having seizures. Personally I think it a lot of crap!!!! I think vets just haven't seen enough white boxers and assume they have problems. Not to imply that they are rare, just saying that so many of them have been put down and the vets haven't got the chance to learn anything about them. IMO they try to take the easy way out and say bad stuff about them.

Laura
Mom to many

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

I have a white boxer. She has brown eyes and she has epiliepsy as well. But, my vet and I realize that the epilepsy has NOTHING to do with her being white. Many dogs of all breeds can have epilepsy, it is not a boxer trait by any means, white or any other color.

As has been said before, about 20 to 25 percent of white boxers may have hearing problems. That's pretty small considering. . .

The only other issue I have with Susie is to make sure she is properly sunscreened in the sun. She does tend to burn quickly (but then so do I, as I have fair hair/skin).

If you find some statistical information (look for posts from JulieM in particular regarding whites), you might want to take it to your old vet and help educate him a little on white boxers and boxers in general. But that's up to you.

I love my white boxer girl and would have as many white boxers as I could have, or any color boxer for that matter.

Oh yes. . . One other issue with Susie. She has yet to meet a mud puddle she doesn't like and want to splash in. So, we tend to be wiping her down with baby wipes or rinsing her off with the hose more than I do with my fawn girl. But that is a particular issue with Susie, not all white dogs.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[ccsc3400]

Tulsa Dan...How do you "properly sunscreen" your dog? I dont have a white boxer but I am curious because I would still like to protect my girl as best I can from the sun.

 

[Adelle]

White boxers can be born deaf but don't go deaf later in life because they are white. Other than that there is no evidence that they have more health problems than any other color of boxer.

I have a beautiful white 2 year old boxer, who is the picture of health. He does however have a very mild heart murmur, but my last boxer who was brindle also had one so its nothing to do with the fact that he is white.

As mentioned by others watch out for sun burn, I use a kiddies hypo allergic sunscreen which I spray on my hands then rub on his pink parts, like around his nose, ears, back of his neck etc and try to encourage him to stay in the shade, as he is a bit of a sun worshiper

 

[Dad's Boxer]

We have two white boxers, one 3 yrs old male and one 8 month old female. They have no health problems, only complete crazy boxer behavior. Our little girl is covered with spots under her white fur - has anyone connected extreme boxer puppy behavior with the number of spots? Get that white sweetheart and enjoy a wonderful, loving, energetic boxer.

 

[Sade's Mommy]

My friend has a 5 month old white female and she has no problems she can see and hear both very well. She also has many spots starting to look like a dalmation too but other than that she is very heathly