We are still fighting with hives on our 10 month old boxer pup. It started about a month ago. A trip to the emergency, benadryl and a steroid shot, plus benadryl for 3 days...a week later it started again. A trip to our vet, same treatment and a week later again but not as severe. He seems to be fine but we cannot figure it out. We have checked everything. Maybe his food. He has a sensitive stmach and when he was born, the breeder had him on the lwest Nutro. Of course, I slowly introduced the Nutro Holistic for large breen puppy and this was fine for 6 months. Our Vet has him on Purina EN. His stomach is fine but now the hives. Thinking about Nutro natural Choice. A woman told me this was great food for dogs, we were both at the mergency vet one night. Cypress doesn't seem to itch but it is hard not to feel bad for him when you pet him and can feel all the weird bumps. The Vet has given up but I won't until his soft silky coat is back. ThanksQ

PLESE HELP LOVER OF BOXER DOGS HAVE 5 OF THEM,  ONE OF THEM HIVE ALL OVER

There can be so many causes for Hives. Remember, hives are not really the problem. They are the result of something wrong with your dog. It could be a bug bite or an allergy. It could be something they ingested. 

Try Benedryl first. If that does not work, I suggest  a trip to the vet. 

as long as she is drinking water, and be sure to give the benadryl, ask your vet to give you some prednosone.  should clear up in 2 days..good luck to you baby and let me know how she is,    lexie 

How cool. It is a small world :)

My first Boxer used to get into the cat litter box. No hives....but EWW!

Oh my gosh!!!  our boxer is currently going through a similar situation - terrible terrible hives!!!  Had to take her to emergency vet and she was given a steriod injection and we were instructed to keep her on benadryl 50 mg. every 8 hours.  We did so . . . following day the hives covered her entire body (poor baby) - back to ER vet (as this all happened on a weekend when our vet was closed).  They gave her another injection, placed her on steroids, antibiotics, benadryl, and even provided us with a spray for her irritated skin.  also took her off her dog food and are feeding her chicken and rice - we are finally seeing good results, but still medicated and need to re-incorporate doggie food. 

thank you for your input . . . this is our first boxer and we just love her.  actually read a post about acorns?  well my red oak tree is producing acorns, sure wonder if she got one that fell off the tree.  This weekend we begin reducing her meds and introducing her food . . . so far so good! Enjoy your weekend and thanks to all who provide information for boxers for those of us that are new to these lovable babies!!!!!

My 2 1/2 month old boxer pup must have either gotten a big bite or something in the back yard. He usually just does his potty and comesnright babk inside, so no prolonged stays out there. I saw the hives in the morning when he went out to potty. I was like what the heck. Then when he came inside he started acting weird in his crate and jumping up and down. I didn't know what to do, luckily it was about 7am and I called the vet. They have him a shot of Benadryl and told me to keep him on it for two days Twice a day. I also took pictures.  We live in a wooded area so I think it was a spider bite. Damn spiders, they have gotten me a few times too while sleeping. I may have to call the Pest control company to come monthly. 

My 4 year old boxer has had allergies all her life and has been tested to show what she is allergic to. We are very careful to keep known allergens out the house and to a minimum but over last 2 weeks she has had lots of episodes of hives when she goes outside. She can pop out in the garden for 30 seconds and come back in covered in them, all over her back and tummy. She is incredibly itchy and sore, but otherwise fine in herself. She has been on piriton for a week which seems to help calm the reaction but not clear it but had to rush her to the vets today for emergency steriod injection as the latest attack compromised her breathing. I cannot work out what causes these reactions to happen so quickly as soon as she goes outside. Could it be going from hot to cold that wakes up the reaction? I haven't tried benedryl so will def give this a go! Any help or advice would be wonderful

IM THINKING RAG WEED  OR SOME POLEN OUTSIDE,,MY DOG DOING THIS IN WINTER USUALLY ONLY WHEN RAGWWEED COUNT HI  BUT MIGHT BE RAGWWED IN BACK YARD,,EVEN THOD DEAD CUZ WINTER,,,MY GOD HIVES TERRIBLE AND EYES SWELLED BEYOND BELIEF

USUALLY ALL UR DOGS OUTSIDE WHEN THIS HAPPENS,,I THINK ITS RAGWEED,,POLEN

I am new to the group, so hello fellow Boxer lovers! My husband and I have four Boxers...Rocco(8), Bella(7), Bianca(6) and Bruno(2). They are the loves of our lives.

About two years ago, our oldest girl Bella (who has countless allergies) started developing permanent hives/bumps on the upper part of each of her front legs. This started happening right around the time that we went away from Prey Model Raw feeding (for financial reasons only). I honestly can't say for sure if I first noticed them prior to discontinuing raw feeding, or if that is just my mental time-marker. We've gone through endless food trials and they never seem to get worse or better, or change in any way. She was eating a dehydrated, jerky version of raw by a company called ZiwiPeak. The food is comprised of dehydrated meat, bones, organs and supplements. It is not only grain-free, but it is 100% carbohydrate-free. We thought for sure the hives would disappear after a few months of eating pseudo-raw, but this did not prove to be the case. She's been to two specialists and they have done several biopsies. They are not cancer, thank goodness, but no one can figure out what they are. She has also seen a wonderful holistic vet who was, like all of the other vets, awestruck by the mystery of these hives. As a side note, they do not bother her at all. She never scratches or bites at them, or rubs herself on furniture (to relieve any discomfort that they may be causing). You can touch them, poke them and pinch them and she won't bat an eyelash. Over the last couple of months, however, they have started to increase in size and spread to other areas of her body. She now has hives on her back legs as well. Another side note, Benadryl does nothing for them.

Here's where it gets really interesting...

Our oldest, Rocco, has them in the exact same area of his upper front legs. I noticed them about six months ago. He doesn't have nearly the volume of them, nor are they as big, but they are definitely there. And now Bianca has them as well. She began developing them about three months ago. First in the [now] classic front leg area, but she also has them on the sides of her back, her hind legs, and the top of her head. Again, none of the bumps seem to bother any of the dogs. Our youngest, Bruno, who is just shy of two years old, has what appears to be tiny versions of them developing on his front legs. Not sure if this is paranoia on my part because I am certainly looking for them, but common sense at this point tells me that it is not.

For those of you that are all-too-familiar with grass allergies, we have artificial turf for this very reason. We've had turf for more than five years...three years in this house (from the time we moved in) and two+ years in the previous house. We used different turf companies at each house, and after doing some reading on the internet, I am starting to wonder about the turf itself. Not only does turf hold onto bacteria far longer than natural landscaping, the infill that is used is toxic (rubber, silica), and it is possible for particles to become airborne. Could this be the cause? Another thought is this...the previous owners of this house had cats. What we did not realize until the papers had been signed was that their cats peed everywhere <sigh>. While we did rip up ALL of the flooring and install new carpet and tile, is it possible that allergies to cats are still wreaking havoc? Because Bella is highly allergic...a 4 on the allergen scale (0-4).

Thoughts/comments/expertise? I look forward to any feedback you may have. And thank you for taking the time to read my novel!

The enclosed pic is from Bella's upper leg. The area measures approx. 4" long by 2" wide.

Welcome !

Boxers are so sensitive with their skin. Usually what upsets one does not upset another. However since all of yours are having the same problem, and it is where they lay down, it would make since to be suspicious of the outside environment as well as the inside environment. 

Make sure you have not put any pesticides down where the dogs can lay on top of it. And you can use Benedryl to help with the hives. 

Boxers can easily get allergies easily. If you have hot dry weather and pollen in the air, that may be part of the problem. 

The same thing has happened to my little girl, the vet told me to keep giving her the Benadryl and the hives did end up going away. My female boxer breaks out wayyyy more often then my male does. It is extremely scary when it happens. Anything and everything makes her break out, boxers are very sensitive.

Does your dog have MCT? My boxer has been breaking out in hives on her legs only every few weeks for the last few months, we give her Benadryl and it goes away, then comes back a few weeks later.

That is a good idea. And it is flea season in many parts of the country including my own. 

This happened to my boxer yesterday? I wasn't there yesterday but my partner thought she was going to die and rushed her to the vet. I didn't see any pics he didn't get any was that worried about getting her to a vet. We thought a bite or food may have caused this!