fordraceing_
Super Boxer
like the title says any other probs with the white dogs?
white boxers, any probs with them?
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fordraceing_
Super Boxer
well
i talked to a breeder, she said he pups are from champion bloodlines, they are hip certified, heart checked, tails docked, and 1st vacanation given. they are ofa certified. she told me that the wite boxer thing with them being blind and deaf is a myth, then i called a vet he told me the same thing, then i called someone who has showed boxers for 20 and he told me the same thing. so im assuming thats just an old wives tale, is this ture?
thanks,
joe
i talked to a breeder, she said he pups are from champion bloodlines, they are hip certified, heart checked, tails docked, and 1st vacanation given. they are ofa certified. she told me that the wite boxer thing with them being blind and deaf is a myth, then i called a vet he told me the same thing, then i called someone who has showed boxers for 20 and he told me the same thing. so im assuming thats just an old wives tale, is this ture?
thanks,
joe
fordraceing_
Super Boxer
is it at birth
is this something can happen at birth or is it something that only happens after there a few years old? if i do go ahead and get this white pup, and i take it to the vet will they be able to test for this?
is this something can happen at birth or is it something that only happens after there a few years old? if i do go ahead and get this white pup, and i take it to the vet will they be able to test for this?
There are - or at least used to be - a lot of myths about white boxers and health problems. But there is no evidence to prove that to be the case.
The exception is deafness (not blindness, so forget about that one) - and there is a plenty of evidence to show it is the case. We even know the specific gene responsible - and it just happens to be the same one responsible for white markings/coat colour. White on a boxer is not a colour, per se, it is lack of pigmentation - exactly as it is in Dalmations. That lack of pigmentation (or lack of melanocytes) causes suppressed blood supply to the cochlea, resulting in deafness. End result is that around 20% of white boxers are deaf in both ears (versus about 2% for coloured boxers). Most likely a similar number are deaf in only one ear.
If you've found a breeder and vet who say otherwise, I'm afraid they are wrong and could use a little education on basic boxer genetics. You could point them to these threads/sites for a crash course: http://www.americanboxerclub.org/white-deafness.html
http://www.steynmere.com/DALM_DEAFNESS.html
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34760
Of course, if you've lumped questions about deafness in with blindness and other health defects supposedly attributable to whites but for which there is no evidence, it is perhaps forgivable that they've refuted that.
What is worth noting here is that if a white boxer is going to be deaf, it will be so from an early age (around 3-6 weeks, not actually from birth). So if you're looking at purchasing one at the correct age of 8 weeks, it should be perfectly evident whether or not he can hear. Take someone with you when you go to see him and have them make a loud noise in another room (a whistle is good, but not something that causes vibration like stamping). If he can hear, he'll look in that direction. If you particularly wish to know whether or not he is deaf in one ear, you'd have to take him for BAER testing.
If he is not deaf at 8 weeks, he will not become deaf later for any reason related to being white. Deaf boxers also make perfectly good pets and can be very well trained using hand signals. LOL - since dogs don't actually speak or understand English, there's really no difference to the pup if you teach him to respond to a voice command for 'sit' or if it's a hand signal instead.
The exception is deafness (not blindness, so forget about that one) - and there is a plenty of evidence to show it is the case. We even know the specific gene responsible - and it just happens to be the same one responsible for white markings/coat colour. White on a boxer is not a colour, per se, it is lack of pigmentation - exactly as it is in Dalmations. That lack of pigmentation (or lack of melanocytes) causes suppressed blood supply to the cochlea, resulting in deafness. End result is that around 20% of white boxers are deaf in both ears (versus about 2% for coloured boxers). Most likely a similar number are deaf in only one ear.
If you've found a breeder and vet who say otherwise, I'm afraid they are wrong and could use a little education on basic boxer genetics. You could point them to these threads/sites for a crash course: http://www.americanboxerclub.org/white-deafness.html
http://www.steynmere.com/DALM_DEAFNESS.html
http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34760
Of course, if you've lumped questions about deafness in with blindness and other health defects supposedly attributable to whites but for which there is no evidence, it is perhaps forgivable that they've refuted that.
What is worth noting here is that if a white boxer is going to be deaf, it will be so from an early age (around 3-6 weeks, not actually from birth). So if you're looking at purchasing one at the correct age of 8 weeks, it should be perfectly evident whether or not he can hear. Take someone with you when you go to see him and have them make a loud noise in another room (a whistle is good, but not something that causes vibration like stamping). If he can hear, he'll look in that direction. If you particularly wish to know whether or not he is deaf in one ear, you'd have to take him for BAER testing.
If he is not deaf at 8 weeks, he will not become deaf later for any reason related to being white. Deaf boxers also make perfectly good pets and can be very well trained using hand signals. LOL - since dogs don't actually speak or understand English, there's really no difference to the pup if you teach him to respond to a voice command for 'sit' or if it's a hand signal instead.
fordraceing_
Super Boxer
what about shedding?
do white boxers shed any worse then other boxers?
do white boxers shed any worse then other boxers?
Nope, they're not born deafJamielyn said:
They would, however, become deaf by the age of 3-6 weeks and thus quite obvious before going to their new homes. As Dr Cattanach puts it: "The type associated with white coat colour is described as sensorineuronal. It has been shown in mice that the presence of pigment cells is essential for normal inner ear development. They normally colonize the stria vascularis. However, in their absence, as is also well documented in the dog, the stria vascularis degenerates. As this provides the blood supply to the cochlea, damage to this structure occurs and the sensory hair cells necessary for hearing die."
In other words, white puppies are born hearing but for about 20% of them, lack of blood supply to the cochlea will result in the death of sensory hair cells and hence hearing by the age of 3-6 weeks.
No. Shedding is completely unrelated to pigment or lack of it.fordraceing_ said:
Since the hairs are white, you might notice them more, but that's the extent of it.
I have a brown and white boxer, both from the same litter and I don't notice either one sheding more than the other.....
http://dogs.laptopsnz.com/flynnjake24112004/slides/flynnjake24112004 038.jpg
http://dogs.laptopsnz.com/flynnjake24112004/slides/flynnjake24112004 038.jpg
Marybeth18
Super Boxer
I have a fawn and a white and yes - you just notice the white hair more.
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