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Owners of boxers know they come with unlimited amounts of affection, energy, appetite and drool. But this beloved breed is prone to health problems, from neurological diseases to cancerous growths to respiratory ailments. Sometimes those ailments include arrythmias.
Any dog breed can get these, of course. However, boxers face one unique, potentially fatal condition that can affect up to 40% of the breed: A condition, known as arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy is a condition in which an irregular heart rhythm develops due to fatty infiltration into the heart. Sometimes, this condition only manifests as an arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythm) while other times there can be structural changes to the heart itself. English bulldogs can suffer from this condition too, but less frequently.
How Arrhythmias Affect Boxers
Boxers most often get ventricular or supraventricular arrhythmias, defined as unusually rapid and irregular heartbeats in the lower chambers of the heart (ventricular) and upper chambers of the heart (supraventricular). A less frequent condition called atrioventricular block occurs when the electrical system in the heart is not communicating appropriately, causing slow and irregular heartbeats.
The condition most often associated with these arrhythmias in Boxers is known as
arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, commonly known as “Boxer Cardiomyopathy.” But the semantics have changed, because both the left and right ventricles (lower portions of the heart) can be affected.
Arrhythmias: Genetic But Not Congenital
Although this disease is genetically inherited by some boxers, it’s an acquired condition; you won’t see it in boxer puppies. It usually develops in middle age, between 5 and 9, though it can manifest itself earlier.
It’s not triggered by diet, exercise, environment or other health factors. Some dogs with the gene never become seriously ill; others are affected severely. Arrhythmias from this condition can’t be cured. However, veterinarians can monitor and treat it by trying to support the heart’s function and reduce the amount of abnormal heart beats present if needed.
Keeping a Watchful Eye
Unfortunately, the first sign of arrhythmia an owner sees may be a fainting spell, where the dog suddenly collapses. These are not strokes, but arrhythmic episodes where the pet’s heartbeat becomes so abnormal that its blood flow doesn’t send enough oxygen to the brain.
Counting your pet’s heartbeats can’t always give you accurate information, because arrhythmia can be so irregular; you may not be checking during an episode. That’s why vets want an annual screening for boxers, ideally by the age of 4.
Doctors start with an ultrasound of the heart to look for structural heart disease. Then they attach a Holter monitor worn like a backpack, with sticky patches attached to the dog’s skin. Those record information over a 24-hour period to allow analysis of the data and then prescribe treatments if indicated. Then, depending on treatment recommendations, these readings may be repeated at intervals of six or 12 months.
Treating Boxer Arrhythmias
Vets may monitor less severe cases and not all Boxers will need medications. The beta blocker sotalol, which also works for humans, slows down the heart rate and helps decrease the number of abnormal heartbeats. Most dogs tolerate it well; it tends not to lose effectiveness, and many can remain on it indefinitely.
Prognoses vary widely. Affected pets can live anywhere from a few months to a full lifespan. Dogs don’t have to make lifestyle changes as long as the disease is controlled. Pets can eat and exercise as usual, though studies have proven that Omega-3 fatty acid supplements can help.
P.S. Reliable breeders of boxers seek cardiac clearance by performing screenings and mating dogs who have the potential to be less affected by the condition. Owners who want boxers should do their homework and seek these breeders out.
Charlotte Animal Referral and Emergency attends to pets the way a medical center for humans attends to people. CARE is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and provides all types of treatment. That can mean emergency assistance or board-certified specialty work after a referral from a primary care veterinarian. You can take a visual tour of our practice at carecharlotte.com/tour.
