death of my boxer

Question
Why would my 9 year old white male boxer just all of a sudden fall over and die? He went outside to the bathroom and fell over kicking his front legs. I carried him in the house and he stopped breathing and his heart stopped. He has never been sick and always active and fun. I am having a real hard time with this and my heart is broken over this. I think that if I had some sort of reasoning I would feel much better....

Answer
I am so very sorry for your loss. This is everyone's nightmare.

Since he was outside doing his business with no warning signs of pending illness, and fell, kicking his feet, it truly sounds as though he had a heart attack.

Boxers are prone to heart problems, and the only way to know and help prevent one, is testing.

Again, I am so very sorry for your loss.

If you should get another Boxer puppy when your grieving has subsided, insist on spending a little more money and choose one that the breeder (professional Boxer breeder) has had heart testing and health testing on. Be sure to inquire about the parents and ancestors health.

Not all Boxers have heart disorders, but it is more common in the breed than other breeds- but you can choose a puppy that has been tested and cleared of any potential disorder.

Good luck on your puppy search, as I am sure it will help your grieving to get a new puppy to fill the heart ache.