My female Boxer

Question
I have a 12 & a half year old female boxer that hasn't started her heat. I've had other dogs before & this has never happened. Should i be concerned? Is this normal? Do you know why a female whould take so long? I have taken her to all of her vet appointments & i got all her shots. Can you direct me in the right path? Thanks!

Answer
Hi. Did you say 12 1/2? It is odd for a dog to have went that long without a heat cycle. Did you get her as a puppy or as an older dog? Dogs can have what is called a false heat. This is when a dog goes in to heat but doesn't show any signs of being in heat. But to have them for that long is unusual. She may have had something wrong with her ovaries, a thyroid problem, or maybe she had been fixed before you got her. I honestly don't know what the reason is. Your best bet would be to take her to the vet and let him run some tests on her. At her age though, since she can't be bred anyway, it would be to put your own mind at ease.