Expert: Jannie Balliett - 2/15/2010

Question
My 15 month old boxer, Tysie, only weighs 40 pounds. Another lady had asked this question and you also told her it was not normal, which also concerns me because my vet also says this is not an issue. Tysie is very energetic, eats well. She gets about a cup of dog food a day, is this right? She eats once in the morning and once at night each feeding a half a cup. Our vet also does not think this is a big deal and maybe since she is a female and was the runt of her litter, this will be her size? She was a pound lighter than the rest of the dogs in the litter. The vet says she will fill out a bit more, but not much more. I'm just wanting to know if I should be watching her weight more closely and maybe thinking about asking another vets opinion based on your answer.
Another question of mine is her red eyes. She seems to have bloodshot eyes not in the white of her eyes, but in the lower corner where we humans get "sleep". It is not always red, but varies from light to dark red. The vet says that there is no concern unless the whites of her eyes go red. The last time we were in there they gave us eye drops and we put them in for just over a week twice a day. The vet also says it may be allergies, which some dogs can get. I am asking your opinion because based on how you answer it may cause me to get a second opinion. I am feeling that I might anyway. Thanks for your time.

Answer
First, I'd like to address the "red" eyes.

If you are talking about the lower eye lid being red- this is called a "third eye," as silly as that sounds. It is a common characteristic in Boxers and all short mussled bully dogs; Pit Bulls, English Bulldog, etc.

It is not harmful and normal. Some Boxers only have one and the other normal. Or some have both.

As long as she does not have running eyes, crusting and caking, and the white of her eyes are normal, there is nothing to worry about. It is normal.

I'd like to address her feeding. I disagree with only 1/2 cup twice a day. That is not enough food. Thus, her weight might reflect that.

I have always disagreed with measuring of food. Dogs don't always have an appetite when you decide it's feeding time, and Boxers are prone to be "grazers" eating bits off and on all day- and night time eaters- later at night.

I highly recommend self-feeding. Keep fresh food and eater available for her 24/7.

Your vet sounds as though he or she is not a Boxer-savvy vet. I highly recommend you call a Boxer club or a good Boxer breeder in your area and ask what vets they use. Or call around and ask the vet if he is quite educated with the Boxer breed.

If a vet is not- he can kill a Boxer very easilly. Boxers cannot have "Acepromazine (acepromazine maleate, acetylpromazine, ACE, ACP)" or it can and will kill them.

Read this:

http://www.jlhweb.net/BOSS/ace.htm

You must have a Boxer vet that knows the breed and be a responsible owner and make a list of these things to ensure your vet doesn't give your Boxer this and other harmful things.

Please join for free the Boxerworld.com and Boxerforums.com Online communities and read all there is about Boxers. You can post and ask questions, and read about health issues, characteristics, personailities, foods, anything at all, by highly regarded Boxer experts and owners.

I hope this info has helped. Let me know how she is doing in a few weeks please.