Health Problems Common in English Bulldogs
CHERRY EYE - A normal and expected thing. Far more English than French will be affected by this. It is due to that flat, massive head. This is when the corner tear gland prolapses or protrudes. It looks like a cherry, hence the name.
There are 2 procedures for this. One is to tack the gland back in, using stitches and hope it never pops out again. In my experience, it almost always does. The other is to remove the gland completely. In either case, you may need to treat your dog with eye drops daily. Depending on how high tear production is after you do either of these things, it may be several times a day.
ENTROPION/ECTROPION – Again, more prevalent in the English than the French. Entropion is when the eyelid rolls in. In some cases the lashes can abrade the eyeball and cause an ulcer. Ectropion is when the eyelids roll out. Surgery can fix this. The more wrinkled your pup is, the higher chance he/she will be affected by this.
BREATHING ISSUES – dogs pant to cool themselves. They also pant when they exert themselves. Due to that smashed face, the trachea is often much smaller than it would be in another breed of the same size. If a Bully pants too hard for too long, they can inflame their throats and cause a huge build up of phlegm that can hamper air flow. Sometimes in these breeds the soft palate hangs down in the throat and can cut off breathing. Again, if your dog is exerting himself a lot, or it’s very hot out, that palate can become inflamed. Never force a Bully to over exert itself. Be prepared for times when your Bully snorts of makes sort of a choking sign. That is how dogs clear their throat. They also snore, loudly. Because they gulp in a lot of air, they also break wind frequently.
SKIN INFECTIONS -There are many folds on a Bully. The more wrinkled your pup is, the more maintenance you will need to perform. All wrinkles should be kept clean and dry. If your Bully has a very tightly coiled tail, you may need to keep that area clean and dry as well. While a docked tail is a no-no in the ring, many owners with this issue in their dog chose to dock the tail. In extreme cases, the tail can grow back into the anal pocket, making tail docking absolutely needed.
ALLERGIES – Dogs can be allergic to many things, pollen, dust mites, grass and food ingredients. If your dog is allergic, consult with a vet to determine why and take proper treatment. Do not feed substandard food. Though they are very tough dogs, the bull breeds often have touchy tummies on cheap food. Buy the very best you can afford and stick with it. Limit treats.
HERNIA – Umbilical and inguinal. Umbilical is a outy belly button. If the ring of muscle is closed behind it, and it is small, these are harmless. Before birth, this area is open and this is where pups get everything they need while in the uterus. Sometimes it takes a bit longer for this to close on a pup. As long as there is not enough room for an intestine to be pinched, it is OK. Inguinal, or groin found an 8 week old pup will often close on its own. If not, surgery can repair.
MANGE – Two types, sarcoptic (called scabies when people get this) and demodectic. Sarcoptic mange is rare in well cared for pups. Demodectic (called demo or demodex) in a localized infection is not cause for alarm. All dogs, every one have mites in their skin. Usually the dogs immune system keeps the numbers very low. It is when the immune system is weak or immature, allowing the mites to multiply rapidly, that you see symptoms. It can usually resolve on its own but we do encourage you to help it along with the use of medications. Localized usually presents itself in spots on the front legs, face and chest. Generalized is when much of the dog is affected. They can become bald from it. Secondary bacterial skin infection is often present as well.
Years ago, the only thing we could do for a dog with generalized demo is put it to sleep. Now, we have many options. Some people insist that any dog infected with demodex should not be used in a breeding program. In a localized infection, I do not agree. It is an immature immune system which is the cause. Upon maturity, this becomes a non-issue. Generalized is another story. As it may be caused by very faulty immune system, other issues may be at work. In this case, the dog should not be bred. It can be a wonderful pet instead.
LAMENESS – Many bulldogs, while going through growth spurt, can have periods of limping or favoring a knee or hip. This is normal and should pass. Never supplement a growing pup with calcium. This can actually cause damage to growing bones. Feed a good puppy or growth formula until your pup is a year old. That is all the calcium he needs. Glucosamine or Vit C is an excellent alternative to calcium.
ANESTHESIA – Bulldogs often have trouble handling certain knock out drugs used for surgery. I myself will not allow any vet to use gas, usually isoflurane. The use of this drug requires a trach tube and that can be very bad news for a dog with small trachea and/or palate issue. We use fast acting/short lasting inject able on our dogs. We also cut the usual dose in half. Often that is enough. My vet works very quickly. Talk to your vet about what he/she feels is best. Understand though that most of them prefer gas and that a larger than acceptable percentage of English bulldogs may not live through the surgery.
About the Author
If you’re looking for the pick of the litter, we’ve got English bulldog puppies for sale with the championship characteristics you desire. Our litters of English bulldog for Sale are wrinkly with a massive nose rope and overdone. Add one of these classic English bulldog puppy for sale to your family
Black Labrador Puppy Snoring Loud
