Growth patterns and health issues for Boerboels

[Leah]

Mabel is our very first boerboel so we are curious about what to expect. About what age does the growing seem to stop and they just fill in?  She is 10 months and 105 pounds now.

Has anyone had any issues with bloat with this breed?     

[Sharon Bank]

I have only owned two Boerboels, but my experience has been that their major rapid growth is over when they are about 10 months old. From there, they continue to grow and fill out, but at a slower rate. My female is just under 3 years old, and she seems like she is still growing. Seriously, she seems like she grew some more in just the last month. My brother stopped over at my house a few days ago -- and he noticed it and commented on it right away. He seems to think that Azaan (the female) is trying to keep up with the younger tyke! She was on the rangy side for her first two years, and he thinks she is bulking up so that she can keep up with the Incredible Hulk. LOL!

So, it is rapid growth up until about 8 - 10 months old, then slow, steady growth until about 2 - 3 years.

[Leah]

Thanks so much for the input......GO Azaan!

We find trying to adjust food amount to growth spurts can be challenging at times. We've noticed a definite slow down since she's been 10 months as well, and we actually just cut back on her food a little. Mabel always acts as if she is starving...I don't think that will ever change...lol

[Carrie Kruczek]

Yes, bloat is an issue in this breed. Gage's breeder lost one to bloat, and I have heard of others. It worries me because it comes on so fast and kills so quickly. The English Mastiff owners have such a problem that some of the actually keep "bloat kits." We considered having a gastropexy performed on Gage when we had him neutered, but the only place that could perform it endoscopically (near us) was the Cornell Veterinary School Hospital, which is an awesome facility. But, Gage does not do well with strangers. Taking him to an unfamiliar vet and having multiple exams and being kept overnight would have been terribly stressful for him. We have had a perpetual struggle with his dislike of new people, and even though the surgery would have reduced the possiblity for gastric torsion, in the end we felt that a bad experience with strangers would make things worse, so we had the vet he knows do the neutering alone. We took him into the back, and stayed beside him until he was totally unconscious and on the operating table, then they called us to get him as soon as he was awake. Then they took us to the back and we got him out of the "recovery crate." If he was an easier dog, I would have had the gastropexy done though. It might be easier during spaying for females. It doesn't prevent bloat, but it buys you a little more time if it happens, because it prevents the twisting of the stomach, and that kills quickly because it cuts off the blood supply and necrosis sets in.

[Leah]

Thank you for that info...we will discuss gastropexy with our vet before we spay her. Bloat scares us to death too....ugh! You sound so patient with Gage's fears....he's lucky to have great parents!

[Lee May]

Hi Guys, my vet told me a long time ago, to prevent bloat add warm water to their meals, this greatly reduces the chances of Bloat. He led me to beleive fast greedy eaters, or outside eaters who eat everything they get in their mouths, wood rocks grass etc. are the ones with greatest risk.

[James Dillon]

Hi Everyone, as a veterinarian I'm glad to see GDV (bloat) come up on a forum like this! I don't actually have a Boerboel yet (though I'm hoping to get one soon) but during my time in the military I've worked with a lot of large working dogs and this is definitely an issue! It is a very painful way for an animal to die and I think it is worth preventing. The gastropexy procedure is a good procedure. It can be done either using a scope or incisionally, both good procedures (surgical wounds heal side to side, not lengthwise). I highly recommend this procedure at the time of a neuter or spay. Other things you can do are to split feedings into at least 2 feedings per day and try not to let your dog tear around for a bit after a large meal or even a huge drink of water. Anything that makes the stomach more like a heavy pendulum swinging wildly makes it more likely to "flip" and cause a GDV.

[Jay Cohen]

Dear James,

I have a 16-17 month old female BB who has had two heat cycles.  The research I found indicated the best time to spay was between the second and third heat cycles balancing the slight increase in mammary cancer with the dramatic increase in bone cancer of spaying early.  I have decided recently to have the spay done laparoscopically and am searching for a reasonable price.  A vet I called on Long Island suggested "tacking" her stomach while inside to prevent the possibility of future "bloat".  What do you think of this suggestion?  She is not a voracious eater, rather ladylike and slow.  She does not get any exercise within an hour of eating.  We feed twice a day.

I appreciate your consideration.

Jay

[Leah]

We had Mabel's tummy tacked when we spayed her.  She eats rapidly and we do our best to stop any play after she eats.  The procedure went well and our vet thought it was a good plan and he tends to be very conservative.  For us it was worth one less worry but each case is different.  It is good to consult with other BB owners and other vets.  Wish you and your baby the best!

[Jay Cohen]

Thank you Leah.  Can you tell me what at what age you did this and how the procedure was done- open or laparoscopic?

Leah said:

We had Mabel's tummy tacked when we spayed her.  She eats rapidly and we do our best to stop any play after she eats.  The procedure went well and our vet thought it was a good plan and he tends to be very conservative.  For us it was worth one less worry but each case is different.  It is good to consult with other BB owners and other vets.  Wish you and your baby the best!

[Leah]

Hi Jay,

We did it 3-4 months after her first heat which happened when she was about 10months old.  It was done open.  After 24hrs of her being very tender and a bit drugged up she acted like nothing happened.  It was ROUGH keeping her from playing, running, jumping for a couple of weeks post surgery.  We actually put a mattress on the floor where we watch TV so we could snuggle and stop her from climbing on couch.  Hope that helps!

Sincerely, Leah

[Julie Stårvik]

We've tried to record Marvel's growth so far, but I think it will be further and further between the weigh ins as he's gonna be too big to lift now, hehe! :D

I expect him to grow a lot the next few months, and then to slow down and gradually grow in mass and put on the adult look.

10 weeks – 32 lbs (14,5kg)
13 weeks – 42,7 lbs  (19,5kg)
15 weeks – 50 lbs (23,6kg)
17 weeks – 63 lbs (28kg)
18 weeks – 65,2 lbs (29,6kg)
19 weeks - 66,5 lbs (30,2kg)