Puppy First, Health First
MetLife pet insurance1 month included with every puppy†
Real people, daily9AM–11PM EST(888) 729-8812
The big picture
Boston Terriers typically live 10–14 years.
Most Bostons whose knees are checked get normal results. Like every breed, they have a few health problems that run in the family, and most are easier to manage when caught early.
A few everyday habits do a lot of the work.
Worth knowing
Each entry starts with a condition the breed is known to be prone to, then what you might notice and what helps.
This list is not exhaustive or official. Keep asking your veterinarian as your puppy grows.
A Boston's short face can narrow the nose and throat, a problem called BOAS (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome).
Noisy breathing, gagging or tiring quickly, especially in heat or play, are signs to mention to your vet.
Keep your dog lean and cool, and walk in the cooler hours with shade and water on hand. Your vet can check the nostrils at any visit, and a breathing grade can be done once your dog is grown.
A hereditary cataract is a clouding of the lens, and in Bostons it has an early form in young puppies and a later form in adults.
A cloudy eye, squinting or a pink swelling in the inner corner (cherry eye) needs prompt vet care.
A DNA test shows a puppy's risk for the early form, and a yearly eye exam by a specialist catches the later form. The large eyes scratch easily, so look them over every day.
A slipping kneecap (patellar luxation) is common in small dogs, and in Bostons it usually slips toward the inside of the leg.
Watch for a skip or hop in the step.
Your vet feels the knees at puppy visits, since a slipping kneecap can show up in young puppies. A lean weight takes strain off the joints.
Brain tumors, especially a type called glioma, run in the breed and become more likely with age.
Seizures, circling, a head tilt or a change in behavior are signs to take to your vet promptly.
See your vet promptly for any of these signs, and book checkups twice a year once your Boston is a senior.
Less common
Misshapen spine bones (hemivertebrae) go with the screw tail and are common, but many dogs never show signs.
Swelling of the brain or spinal cord with no known cause (meningoencephalitis of unknown origin) is seen more in Bostons than in mixed breeds.
Cherry eye, a pink swelling in the inner corner of the eye, is more likely in Bostons.
Sores on the clear front of the eye (corneal ulcers) are more common in flat-faced dogs, so get squinting checked fast.
Big eyes can dry out (dry eye), and your vet may suggest eye drops.
Glaucoma that follows a cataract or other eye problem (secondary glaucoma) is found more often in Bostons.
Deafness from birth can be found with a hearing test, which also picks up deafness in one ear.
DNA tests
A cheek-swab DNA test works at any age and checks for several inherited conditions.
Each result comes back as clear, carrier or at risk.
A carrier is healthy and does not get the condition.
An at-risk result means a higher chance, not a diagnosis, and some at-risk dogs never get the condition or get it late. The cataract DNA test finds only the early form. For the later form, the yearly eye exam is what counts, so keep it on the calendar. Tests also exist for degenerative myelopathy and for a muscle disease first found in Bostons (limb-girdle muscular dystrophy). A lab listing a test does not mean the disease is common in the breed.
Checkups your dog will get
Care plan by life stage
Planning for Boston Terrier vet costs
These are typical published costs for treating what a Boston Terrier vet exam looks at and the conditions the breed is known to be prone to. Each range shows where it comes from and when, and your own vet's estimate will differ.
| Item | Typical cost | Per | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft-tissue surgery workup with advanced imaging | $800–$1,200 | per workup | at one US veterinary teaching hospital (Illinois) | 2023 |
| Breathing (BOAS) surgery: nostrils and soft palate | $3,120–$5,500 | per procedure | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Illinois, Tennessee) | 2023–2024 |
| Item | Typical cost | Per | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist's first exam (consultation fee only) | $198–$350 | per visit | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee) | 2023–2026 |
| Eye tests before cataract surgery (ERG and eye ultrasound) | $500–$1,300 | per workup | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Missouri, Tennessee) | 2025–2026 |
| Cataract surgery, one eye | $3,800–$5,500 | per eye | at one US veterinary teaching hospital (Missouri) | 2023–2025 |
| Cataract surgery, both eyes under one anesthetic | $5,600–$6,700 | at one US veterinary teaching hospital (Missouri) | 2025 |
| Item | Typical cost | Per | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist's first exam (consultation fee only) | $198–$350 | per visit | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee) | 2023–2026 |
Planning for pet insurance
When you are ready to compare plans, here is one option for Pawrade buyers.
Only with Pawrade, you receive a pet insurance policy with no waiting period included for immediate accident or illness coverage, 1 month, with every puppy.† You activate it by calling MetLife; instructions arrive with your travel details. Continuing MetLife coverage after the first month is strongly recommended.
View the MetLife 30-day offer →†NH, NY, RI, SC and TN residents excluded. Activated by calling MetLife; coverage begins immediately following policy activation. See the offer for full terms.
Whichever plan you look at, read the policy before you buy. Check the waiting periods, how it defines a pre-existing condition, and its deductible, reimbursement percentage and annual limit.
A waiting period is how long after you buy a pet insurance policy before a claim counts.
| Policy | Accidents | Illness | Joints |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetLife policy included with your Pawrade puppy† | None | None | None |
| MetLife, bought directly | None | 14 days | Not listed |
| Industry standard | 0–14 days | 14–30 days | 6–12 months |
| Nationwide | 14 days | 14 days | Not listed |
| Trupanion | 5 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Embrace | 2 days | 14 days | 6 months |
| Figo | 1 day | 14 days | Not listed |
What the Veterinary Health Report checks
The breeder's licensed vet checks your puppy before it goes home. The vet follows PetPay's exam standards, and the results go in your puppy's Veterinary Health Report.
Focus
Breathing
How open the nostrils are · Coughing or congestion
03
Temperature, pulse and breathing rate
Temperature · Pulse · Breathing rate
04 Focus
Eyes
Discharge · Vision problems · Eyelash problems · Cherry eye
05 Focus
Ears and hearing
Debris or discharge · Ear mites · Signs of infection · Hearing
06
Mouth and bite
Teeth and jaw alignment · Bite (overbite or underbite)
07
Skin and coat
Fleas and ticks · Hair loss · Signs of infection
08 Focus
Kneecaps
Kneecaps that slip, and how much (grade)
09
Hips
Hip pain
10
Hernias
Belly-button (umbilical) hernia · Groin (inguinal) hernia
11
Soft spot on the skull
An open soft spot, and its size
12
Body condition and weight
Body condition score · Weight
13
Reproductive organs
Both testicles in place (males) · Extra skin folds around the vulva (females)
14
History of vomiting or diarrhea
Any history of vomiting or diarrhea (reported, not examined)
15
Stool test for parasites
Fecal flotation test, with any treatment given
16
Past surgery and notes
Any past surgery · The vet's explanation of anything abnormal
The vet checks how open the nostrils are, counts the breathing rate and listens for coughing or congestion.
The Boston's short face can narrow the airway, so narrow nostrils are worth knowing about early.
The vet looks at the eyes with a light for cherry eye (a slipped gland in the corner of the eye), eyelash problems and cloudiness.
Boston Terriers can develop a cloudy lens young (early-onset cataract), and eyelids that roll in are something to watch for as your puppy grows.
The vet checks the puppy's hearing for deafness present from birth (congenital deafness).
A clap or noise test can miss deafness in one ear, which a specialist hearing test (BAER) picks up.
The vet feels both knees to check that the kneecaps sit firmly in place, and notes the grade of any slipping.
A slipping kneecap (patellar luxation) can already be present in a young puppy and may change as it grows.
The vet checks how open the nostrils are, counts the breathing rate and listens for coughing or congestion.
The Boston's short face can narrow the airway, so narrow nostrils are worth knowing about early.
The vet looks at the eyes with a light for cherry eye (a slipped gland in the corner of the eye), eyelash problems and cloudiness.
Boston Terriers can develop a cloudy lens young (early-onset cataract), and eyelids that roll in are something to watch for as your puppy grows.
The vet checks the puppy's hearing for deafness present from birth (congenital deafness).
A clap or noise test can miss deafness in one ear, which a specialist hearing test (BAER) picks up.
The vet feels both knees to check that the kneecaps sit firmly in place, and notes the grade of any slipping.
A slipping kneecap (patellar luxation) can already be present in a young puppy and may change as it grows.
Puppies grow and change quickly, and their immune systems are still developing, so no exam can find everything. The Veterinary Health Report is a strong early look at your puppy and a written starting point that your own vet builds on.
Health guarantee
Every Pawrade puppy comes with a health guarantee administered by PetPay, independent of the seller. The terms are on the health guarantee page.
Customers Love Us!
Foster · Boston Terrier“Pawrade was professional and trustworthy. They made us feel comfortable throughout the whole process and we are overjoyed with our new fur baby! I'd definitely recommend them.”
Boston Terrier Puppies for Sale
Frequently asked questions
The conditions that run in the breed are hereditary cataract, slipping kneecaps (patellar luxation), breathing trouble from the short face (BOAS), misshapen spine bones (hemivertebrae) and brain tumors, especially glioma. A lean weight, a daily eye check and a yearly vet exam help you stay ahead of them.
Hereditary cataract runs in the breed, and the large, prominent eyes are easily injured. Squinting, discharge, redness or cloudiness needs prompt vet care. A yearly eye exam catches the later form of cataract, which no DNA test finds.
A slipping kneecap (patellar luxation) is one of the conditions the breed is known to be prone to. It can show up in young puppies, so vets check the knees at puppy visits, and a lean weight helps. Of 5,448 Boston Terriers screened by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), about 95% had normal knees.
Some do, because the short face can narrow the airway, a problem called brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Bostons also overheat easily, so walk in the cooler hours and keep your dog lean, which helps it breathe more easily. Noisy breathing, gagging or tiring quickly is a reason to ask your vet for an airway check.
A cheek-swab DNA test can check for early-onset hereditary cataract, degenerative myelopathy, a muscle disease first found in the breed and inherited urinary stones, among others. A carrier is healthy, and an at-risk result is a higher chance, not a diagnosis.
Deafness present from birth (congenital deafness) can be checked with a hearing test called the brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) test. The breeder's licensed vet also checks a Boston Terrier puppy's hearing at the exam before it goes home. A clap or noise test can miss deafness in one ear, which the BAER test picks up.
Your vet can look at the nostrils and listen to the breathing at any visit, including the first puppy check. A fuller breathing grade, based on a short exercise test, can be done from 12 months. If a young dog is graded, a yearly recheck is a good idea, because BOAS can develop later.
Boston Terriers typically live 10–14 years.
An older Boston does best with vet checks twice a year, eye exams to follow any cataract and a lean weight for the joints and breathing. Behavior changes, seizures or circling, vision loss and new skin lumps are worth a prompt vet visit.
Keep your Boston lean, cool in summer and warm in winter, check the eyes daily, and book a yearly exam that includes an eye check. A harness rather than a collar keeps pressure off the neck and airway.
Look over the eyes every day for redness, discharge or cloudiness, and flush out debris with saline. See a vet promptly for any eye injury, because the large eyes are easily hurt. If the eyes look dry, ask your vet about lubricating drops.
