In This Chapter
- Reacting to your Bully’s illness
- Spaying and neutering your Bulldog
- Identifying Bulldog ailments
- Medicating your Bully
Generally, any problem that lasts
longer than 24 hours needs a trip to the veterinarian. Also, any problem that
gets progressively worse over several hours — such as loss of appetite,
weakness, or fever — needs attention from your veterinarian.
The longer you have your Bulldog,
the better you’ll be able to tell whether a stomach upset just requires some
cooked meat and rice to correct it or whether you need your veterinarian, but
when in doubt, make the appointment. Bulldogs are sturdy dogs, but compared to
a human, they don’t weigh much. A dog can “go downhill” much faster than a
human with a comparable health problem.
Spaying or Neutering Your Bulldog
After vaccinations (see Chapter Knowing
Your Veterinarian, Vaccinations, and Common Treatments), spaying or neutering is likely the first major health issue you’ll have to
address with your Bulldog. For various reasons, spaying or neutering is a good
idea if you don’t plan to either show or breed your Bulldog. Breeding is not
for the faint of heart no matter what the breed, but with
When a dog has an operation to
become sterile, no matter what the gender, the animal is neutered. With a
female, the removal of the ovaries is a spay. With a male, the removal
of the testicles is castration. Commonly, though, while the term spay
is still used with females, neutering applies to the operation
performed on males. So I’m using the terms spaying and neutering as
opposed to spaying and castrating.
Neither spaying nor neutering is
particularly hard on a healthy young dog. Spaying takes longer because the
surgery is performed abdominally. Neutering is easier and quicker because the
testicles are external. If you’re concerned about appearance, ask your veterinarian
about a vasectomy, which is a more complicated operation.
Remember
Before any surgery, make sure that your veterinarian knows that a Bulldog may have problems breathing after the operation when the ventilating tube has been removed but the dog is not yet fully conscious.
When your Bully is neutered, he
is first anesthetized; then an incision is made at the base of the scrotum, and
the testicles are removed. When a female is spayed, a short incision is made in
the abdomen. The veterinarian draws out the ovaries and uterus, ties off the
blood vessels, cuts the uterus and ovaries free, and stitches up the incision.
With both operations, most
veterinarians want to keep your Bully overnight to make sure that your dog
recovers fully from the anesthetic. About ten days after the operation, you’ll
return to the veterinarian to have the stitches removed.
Warning!
With a spay incision especially, keep an eye on it. If you notice any redness or puffiness, call your veterinarian. It can be a sign of infection. Also, keep an eye on your dog, and make sure she doesn’t try to remove the stitches herself before it’s time.
Tip
Watch your Bully’s weight after spaying or neutering because the metabolism does change a bit. None of my females ever gained any weight after being spayed, but after neutering, my male did start to gain weight. Cutting back his food by about half a cup got him back to his normal weight.
What to know about male Bulldogs
Sometime between 6 months and 2
years, your male dog becomes sexually mature. (It may take a Bulldog 4 years to
reach full physical maturity.) He’ll start to exercise his authority a little
more around the house (and the neighborhood):
- He may become more aggressive toward other males.
- He will definitely become more interested in females, especially females in season. Around such a female, he will pay more attention to her than to you. Because of this attraction, if an intact male gets loose, he’s more apt to wander farther from home than a neutered male.
- He’ll lift his leg to urinate more frequently on walks as a way to let other males know that the neighborhood is his territory.
- He may also start marking the house with his urine, which can be a hard habit to break.
Intact males are more apt to
suffer from prostatic hypertrophy, which is a benign enlargement of the
prostate. Neutering prevents prostate problems, may curb aggression toward
other males, and may end marking in the house.
Some neutered males may continue
to mark, but if marking is a problem, neutering is definitely worth a try. My
male was constantly marking the furniture, and I went through rolls and rolls
of paper towels and tried every cleaning product available. I was told that his
behavior patterns were set and that it was unlikely that neutering would have
any effect on his marking at all. When he was 6, I brought a female home, and
not wanting to deal with keeping him away from her when she was in season, I
had him neutered. He’s never marked since.
What to know about female Bulldogs
If you have a female, look for
her to come in season sometime between 6 months and 18 months. After her first
season, she will cycle about every 6 months after that. Ask your breeder about
the females in her pedigree, so you’ll have a rough idea of what to expect.
If you have a fenced yard and let
your female out unattended, make sure ahead of time that your fence has no
holes or gaps and is high enough to prevent any wandering males from jumping
in. All the boys in the neighborhood will be interested, not just other
Bulldogs. If you’re walking your Bully, keep a grip on the lead, and be alert
to the approach of any romantic males.
With females, besides the
benefits of no unwanted litters, a spayed female has less chance of getting
mammary tumors if spayed before her third season. After that, the incidence of
tumors is not much different. Spaying also eliminates the risk of Pyometra,
which is relatively common in Bulldogs and which can be life threatening, as
well as other possible infections of the reproductive system.
Alleviating Canine Allergies
Allergies commonly occur, and you
should keep an eye out for these sensitivities in your Bulldog. When you’re
checking your dog for fleas and ticks, look at his skin as well. Allergies
cause itchy skin, so check for red patches, scratches, or anything that isn’t clean
healthy skin.
Dogs, just like people, can be
allergic to food, mold, and pollen. If your dog seems to present problems
during certain seasons, the allergy can be “something in the air.” If the
irritation continues, try checking other sources
Figuring out food allergies
Your dog’s allergic reactions may
derive from his food. If your Bully’s reaction is not too severe, you may have
time to try different foods. Look at the grain in your dog food, and switch to
a food with a different grain. Corn, wheat, and soy grains most generally cause
allergy problems.
If your dog’s condition worsens
or is severe, make a trip to the veterinarian, who may run a series of tests
and also suggest a food made of all one product. These special diets have just
one ingredient, such as duck, and by gradually adding other foods (a lengthy
Flea saliva
Your dog may also be allergic to
flea saliva. If a flea has bitten your Bulldog, the bite may become irritated
through biting and scratching from your dog. Prolonged agitation may cause a
raw, red, oozylooking spot called a hot spot.
Tip
Hot spots generally can be treated with a triple antibiotic ointment. If the spot does not get better or is left untreated, an infection can occur and then a trip to the vet will be inevitable.
Mold, pollen, fungus
Dogs, like people, can be
allergic to airborne particles, such as pollen and mold and fungus spores. It
can be hard to determine just what particular plant is causing the problem,
other than to observe what time of the year your dog is bothered and what plants
are in your area at the time. Talk to your veterinarian about whether or not
your Bully may need an antihistamine.
Whether or not an allergy of any
kind exists, if your Bully is continually licking or biting an area on his
body, he may develop a hot spot, and you may want to get him checked out.
Preventing External Parasites
Depending on where you live and
the time of year you get your Bully, you may already have encountered fleas or
ticks.
Making fleas flee
Fleas are nasty little critters,
and if your dog is allergic to flea saliva, they can make your pet miserable.
Be aggressive when fighting fleas. In northern areas, where winter arrives with
a lot of cold weather, expect a short break. If you live in a warmer climate,
you face a year-round battle, but desert areas are virtually flea free.
Technical Stuff
The flea generally seen on dogs is a cat flea and is not native to this continent but is originally from Africa. It is becoming resistant to many flea-control products on the market.
If your dog is scratching, and
you suspect fleas, check any white areas of fur and push the hair against the
grain, or turn your dog over and check toward the hind legs, where the fur is
thinner. When you push the hair away from the body, you may see a flea or two
running for cover. If you don’t see any fleas, check for small flecks of flea
dirt. If you can’t tell if what you’re looking at is flea dirt or just a bit of
regular dirt, collect some on a piece of paper or a paper towel, and wet it. If
it turns red, it’s flea dirt. Flea dirt is flea excrement, and it turns red
from the blood it’s been enjoying from your dog.
If you don’t see anything on your
dog but still suspect fleas, run a flea comb through your dog’s coat. Flea
combs have very fine, closely set teeth that trap fleas and flea dirt.
Fighting fleas with medicine
After you’ve determined that your
dog has fleas, the war has begun. If your dog has a heavy infestation, start
with a bath using a flea-fighting shampoo. Wash all bedding, as that is where
the fleas lay their eggs.
If you decide to use a topical
flea preventive, your veterinarian can help you choose the one for your dog.
Many different products are sold on the market and through your veterinarian
that can help you eliminate fleas:
- Program: Ingested monthly, this medication may be used safely with other flea-control products. Program acts as a birth-control method for fleas. The flea absorbs the medication from the blood of your dog, and Program prevents a cocoon from forming, so the flea larvae never develop into adults.
- Frontline: This topical preventive for fleas also fights ticks for 17 days.
- Advantage: I use Advantage, another monthly topical preventive, and have had good luck with it.
If heavy infestation occurs,
bathe your dog with a flea-fighting shampoo before trying the topical
medications. For your home, you should consider hiring an extermination company
that specializes in fleas.
Keeping the house and yard clean
Daily vacuuming works just as
effectively as any spray in keeping the flea population down in the house. You
can cut up a flea collar and put it in the vacuum bag to help kill the fleas.
Also, change the vacuum bag frequently (when the bag is half full) to prevent a
flea colony from growing in the bag. Wash your dog’s bed, where most of the
flea eggs accumulate, frequently. Combing your dog with a flea comb also helps
trap the unwanted guests.
Help keep your yard flea free by
planting marigolds. You can also use diatomaceous earth inside and out.
Diatomaceous earth helps dehydrate the fleas.
Avon’s Skin-So-Soft control bugs,
even though the product was not invented as a bug repellent. Don’t overdo it,
but a light application helps control the blood-sucking pests. Be sure to
monitor your dog in case he reacts to the Skin-So-Soft. Exchanging fleas for a
rash is not the point in eliminating fleas.
Flea collars tend to keep your
dog’s neck free of fleas but don’t do much over the rest of the body. You can,
however, cut up a flea collar and put it in your vacuum bag to help kill fleas
that you suck up. Change the vacuum bag frequently, or you’ll end up with a
flea colony in the bag.
Getting ticked off
Ticks may be a problem in your
area. If you take long walks in tall grass or through brush, the likelihood of
picking up ticks increases (for both you and your dog). Most ticks are
relatively small, and you may find them on your dog by touch faster than by
sight. Ticks feast on your dog’s blood and create a large, dark bump buried in his
fur. The bump is actually the tick itself.
Checking your dog regularly for
ticks prevents further health problems for your dog. Don’t leave ticks on your
dog. Ticks can be hard to find even on a short-coated dog like the Bulldog, so
be patient and thorough. If you don’t think that you can get the tick off
properly or just don’t want to try, make an appointment to visit the
veterinarian so he can perform the procedure.
Tip
Place a touch of rubbing alcohol on the tick to shut down the oxygen supply, and the tick may back out of your dog on its own.
You can remove ticks gently with
tweezers, being extremely careful not to leave the head behind. Follow these
procedures:
1. Grasp the tick with the
tweezers where the mouth parts enter the skin.
Don’t use your fingers.
2. Pull steadily and slowly
until the tick comes away from the dog.
Dispose of the tick so that it can
no longer affect your dog or your family.
3. Wash the site after the
tick has been removed.
Warning!
Never use a cigarette or burning agents to extract a tick. Undoubtedly, you would get the tick’s attention, but you are also apt to burn your dog.
Four types of ticks can affect
your dog: the Rocky Mountain wood tick, the American dog tick, the brown dog
tick, and the deer tick. All of these ticks, with the exception of the deer
tick, are the size of a watermelon seed. The deer tick is the size of a freckle.
The Rocky Mountain wood tick is a more robust, husky tick with a rounded, thicker
body.
The following diseases or
conditions are spread by ticks:
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever: This disease is spread by the Rocky Mountain wood tick; this tick has been found in almost every state and in Canada. Symptoms can include fever, lethargy, vomiting, refusing food, and skin rashes.
- Tularemia: Highly infectious, tularemia is also considered a potential biological-warfare agent. Tularemia occurs naturally throughout the United States. Most cases have been reported from the central states of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. There has been a decline in the number of cases over the past several decades. This disease is spread by the American dog tick.
- Tick paralysis: Certain ticks can cause a progressive paralysis, which is reversed upon removal of the tick. Recovery is usually complete. The paralysis isn’t caused by a disease pathogen but by a toxin produced by the tick. Paralysis begins in the extremities of the body with a loss of coordination. It progresses to the face, with corresponding slurred speech and, finally, shallow, irregular breathing. Failure to remove the tick can result in death by respiratory failure. Most cases of tick paralysis are caused by the Rocky Mountain wood tick in northwestern states. The American dog tick has also been known to cause tick paralysis.
- Human ehrlichiosis: This is a human disease that can also affect dogs. The disease causes fever, nausea, vomiting, rash, and weight loss. This is carried by the brown dog tick and the deer tick.
- Human babesiosis: This disease causes hemolytic anemia. The disease is most dangerous to puppies. Attachment to people is uncommon. Babesiosis is a malarialike illness caused mainly by Babesia microti, a protozoan parasite of red blood cells. Signs and symptoms include fever, fatigue, chills, sweats, headache, and muscle pain, beginning usually 1 to 6 weeks after the tick bite. This is carried by the brown dog tick and the deer tick.
- Lyme disease: This disease is spread by deer ticks. Ask your vet if this presents a concern in your area. You can obtain a vaccine for Lyme disease. Symptoms include a rash, usually spreading outward from the tick bite; muscle stiffness; and lethargy.
Ear mites
If your Bully is scratching his
ears constantly, or rubbing his head along the carpet or a piece of furniture,
make an appointment with your veterinarian, and have him check your dog’s ears.
Because ear mites can live on other areas of the body as well as the ears, you
may need to dust your Bulldog with flea powder or have him sprayed or dipped
for 3 to 4 weeks, which covers the 3-week life cycle of the mite. Ear mites are
more common in cats than in dogs, so this problem may not occur for you and
your Bully.
Mange
Two types of mange exist that can
affect your Bully, and tiny mites cause both types. Sarcoptic mange is most
noted by intense itching, and as the mange advances, skin lesions and hair loss
occur. Sarcoptic mange is treated externally with sulfur dips and internally with
ivermectin. Revolution, a monthly flea and tick preventive, is also an
effective treatment. Treatment lasts 3 weeks, and your Bulldog’s bedding should
be thoroughly disinfected or thrown away.
Your veterinarian uses ivermectin
to treat Demodetic mange and may also recommend a special shampoo. If the mange
isn’t widespread, it may go away on its own, but if it spreads beyond small, localized
areas, it may need up to a year of treatment. Bulldogs with compromised immune
systems may be susceptible to Demodetic mange their entire lives.
Guarding Against Internal Parasites
You can’t see an internal
parasite by rubbing your dog’s fur the wrong way. Your veterinarian wants to do
a fecal check once or twice a year to check for whipworms, hookworms,
tapeworms, and roundworms. Heartworms require a blood test, and tapeworm segments
are usually evident with the naked eye.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms are the least harmful,
but most common, of all the types of worms that may infest your Bulldog. One of
the ways your dog can get tapeworms is by swallowing a flea, so controlling the
flea population prevents tapeworms in your dog. Tapeworm segments look like tiny
grains of rice in your dog’s stool, so check periodically for this evidence of
tapeworms. If you never treated for tapeworm, your dog would survive, but any
parasite takes nourishment away from its host, so your dog would want more and more
food.
Hookworms
Hookworm eggs pass through feces
and can live in the soil. They also pass from a mother to her puppies. Instead
of maturing, the larvae live in the female and then pass to the puppies through
their mother’s milk. Hookworms feed on the blood of their host and can cause
fatal anemia in puppies. Untreated adult dogs will become anemic, and the
constant irritation from the worms can cause gastroenteritis, or inflammation
of the bowel, which may cause diarrhea and lessens the amount of nourishment
the dog can get from food.
Roundworms
Roundworms, like hookworms, can
contaminate the soil, and the eggs are highly resistant to adverse conditions.
Roundworms live in soil for years. Most puppies are born with these worms
because the larvae live in the mother but don’t infect her. Even if your female
Bully tests negative for roundworms, her puppies can still have them.
Roundworms in puppies can cause death from intestinal blockage, and if the
worms migrate to the lungs, they may cause pneumonia. Adult dogs may have
diarrhea and abdominal pain, and may suffer from dehydration.
Whipworms
Whipworms can cause a deep
inflammation of the colon. If your Bulldog has periodic bouts of diarrhea, with
blood and mucus present, whipworms may be the culprit. Left untreated, your
Bully will become dehydrated, and the inflammation of the colon will become worse.
He may suffer abdominal pain, become anemic, and lose weight. Once again,
contaminated soil is to blame, and the bad news is that after you have
whipworms in your soil, paving the entire yard is about the only way to solve
the problem. Protect your Bully with periodic fecal checks.
Heartworms
Heartworm is a deadly parasite
that doesn’t show up in fecal checks but requires a blood test. This parasite
can kill or incapacitate your dog, and the cure can be almost as bad as the
disease, so preventing heartworm is better than having to cure it.
Heartworm larvae develop in
mosquitoes and enter a dog’s bloodstream when a mosquito bites the dog. These
larvae then move to the chambers on the right side of the dog’s heart. Once in
the heart, the worms mature and produce microfilariae, which circulate in the
blood until another mosquito picks them up after feeding on the dog. Adult
heartworms can completely fill the heart chambers. An infected dog may tire
easily and develop a cough.
The annual blood test by your vet
detects the presence of microfilariae. Talk to your veterinarian about a
monthly heartworm preventive for your dog. Some medications prevent only
heartworm; some also include chemicals that kill other worms, such as
hookworms. A shot is also available that is effective for up to 6 months.
Tip
If you live in an area with a short mosquito season or no mosquitoes at all, you may opt not to give your Bully any medication, but just have him tested every 6 months to see if he’s infected.
If your dog does contract
heartworm, the first step in the cure is to get rid of the adult worms, which
involves arsenamide injected intravenously twice a day for 2 or 3 days. Your
vet can do this for you or show you what you need to do. The worms in the heart
die slowly and travel to the lungs through the bloodstream. The worms gradually
disintegrate in the lungs. The worms must be poisoned slowly, because if all
the worms were killed immediately, simultaneous embolism can prove fatal to
your dog. Even killing the worms slowly stresses your Bulldog’s lungs and may
cause permanent damage. Enforced rest for 4 to 6 weeks following treatment is
usual to help your Bully recover.
Recognizing Skin Problems
Bulldogs are very susceptible to
skin problems, so if you notice your dog scratching or licking, or if you
observe any hair loss, redness of skin, or a rash, have your veterinarian check
your dog before the problem gets worse. Most skin problems can be cured or kept
under control with medications, especially if they are not allowed to spread.
Check with your vet to make sure your dog’s skin problems aren’t being caused
by parasites or allergies, discussed earlier in the chapter.
Hot spots are raw, oozy
round patches of skin and are created when your dog bites and licks a bug bite
or an itchy spot. These spots need to be treated before they become infected.
Hot spots are not limited to Bulldogs but are common enough to cause problems.
Tip
Use a dab of triple antibiotic cream, available at any drugstore, on hot spots. If the spot doesn’t clear up in three or four days, see your veterinarian, who may want to prescribe an oral antibiotic. For more information, also see Chapter Grooming Your Bulldog.
Taking Care of Interdigital Cysts
Interdigital cysts may be caused
by almost anything that gets caught between a dog’s toes and starts to work its
way into the skin, but Bulldogs are quite likely to get interdigital cysts
because of the short hairs between their toes. These short hairs can get bent
backward into their roots, and the irritation to the skin results
Check with your veterinarian if
your Bully gets a cyst. With time, your veterinarian may recommend ways to
treat the cyst at home, and once you’ve dealt with a few of the cysts, you’ll
get to know how to deal with them yourself and when you need to have your dog
looked at by a professional:
- Many Bulldog breeders soak the infected paw in warm water with Epsom salts or with an antibiotic solution added.
- Soak the paw for about 10 minutes. If your Bulldog won’t agree to have one paw in a pan of water, use the bathtub. The treatment won’t do any harm to the other paws.
- After drying the paw, apply an antibiotic ointment to the cyst.
Some people use Preparation H,
which seems to help. Some breeders pop small cysts before they have time to
grow to a size that irritates the dog, but if you think that’s what you want to
do, make sure the area is clean, and watch closely for infection.
Knowing the Truth about Bulldog Breathing Problems
Bulldogs have the unfortunate
reputation for having breathing problems, associated with small tracheas,
elongated soft palates, or stenotic nares. Not all Bulldogs have breathing
problems. Conscientious breeders are working hard to correct these problems. However,
your Bully may be affected by one or more of these problems, and it’s a good
idea to understand them and to know what you can do to help your dog breathe
easier.
Elongated soft palate
The soft palate is the soft
extension of the roof of the mouth that forms a flexible barrier and prevents
food and water from going up the nose when your Bulldog swallows. (See Figure
14-1.) Fold your tongue back in your own mouth, and you can feel your soft
palate. In many Bulldogs, this soft flap extends back into the throat and can
fall into the larynx when the dog breathes in. If your Bully becomes excited or
stressed and is breathing hard, the soft palate
Figure 14-1: An elongated
palate makes it harder for your Bulldog to breathe.
This phenomenon is why heatstroke
is such a danger (and I mention it so much), even when you may not think the
weather is hot. The soft-palate problem is also why you shouldn’t get into
battles of will with your Bulldog. Bulldogs are bred to be tenacious and determined,
but that can work against them because they won’t give up and continue to
fight. If you are trying to work with your Bully to get him to do something,
like let you cut his nails, don’Tip keep struggling. The struggle can cause
greater problems.
The elongated soft palate can be
surgically corrected. Laser surgery makes the process quick, and less bleeding
and swelling occurs with laser surgery than with other methods. Talk to your veterinarian
about whether she recommends this surgery for your Bulldog.
Warning!
Elongated-soft-palate surgery sounds simple but is actually quite an art form, and complications can be dangerous. Owners should seek out a veterinarian with a history of performing the surgery successfully and with the desired results.
Small trachea
Besides the breathing problems
caused by an elongated palate, Bulldogs may have extremely small tracheas,
sometimes only the size of a pencil in diameter. Breeders are working to
correct this problem, so your Bully may have a trachea that is normal for his size
and weight, but you should be aware that it may be a problem.
Tip
Carry a little squirt bottle filled with lemon juice and water. Lemon juice cuts the phlegm that can build up in your dog’s throat as a result of the elongated soft palate and the small trachea.
Stenotic nares
Stenotic nares is the technical
term for pinched nostrils, and most Bulldogs are born with this condition. The
opening of their nostrils is narrow, and the separating cartilage is soft. So
when the dog breathes, the cartilage closes in, further decreasing the size of
the opening for air. Your veterinarian can easily remove a small piece of the
wall of each nostril so your Bully can breathe easier.
Being overweight
Breathing problems increase the
heavier your dog is. Don’t let your Bully get overweight. Bulldogs are no more
prone to being overweight than another dog, but because Bulldogs are more laid
back than many breeds, they may not get the exercise they need to burn the food
they are given. Extra pounds aren’t good for any dog. You should be able to
feel your Bully’s ribs when you run your hands down his sides. If you can’t
feel them, it’s time to cut back on a snack or two.
Handling Heatstroke
I mention heatstroke in Chapter Familiarizing
Yourself with Fido First Aid, on first aid, but it’s here (and throughout the book) too because various
situations can lead to your dog’s overheating, and heat can kill your Bully.
Technical Stuff
All dogs cool off by panting. By breathing quickly, Bulldogs exchange the hotter air in their lungs for the cooler outside air. The air moving over the tongue also helps in the cooling process, and this process allows for some heat exchange. The tongue is full of blood vessels close to the surface, and the cooler air hits the blood vessels and cools the blood that is then sent to the rest of the body. This process of panting eventually cools the entire body.
Some Bulldogs cannot exchange air
as fast as other dogs because of their narrow tracheas and the shape of their
noses. When heatstroke occurs, they begin to pant more rapidly. This panting
may add stress, which can cause swelling of the throat, making panting less and
less effective as a way for your Bully to cool off.
Tip
Bulldogs are cute puppies, and the attention you get when you take your Bully out in public may be nice, but use common sense when you care for and travel with your Bully:
- Put some ice cubes in your Bully’s water dish. He’ll enjoy fishing them out, and the ice keeps him cool.
- Give your Bully frozen treats instead of regular dog treats from time to time. Freeze meat-based broth in ice cube trays, and pop one out for a treat a couple times a day.
- Never leave your dog outside unattended on a hot day. Your dog may love to go with you in the car, but if it’s a hot day, leave him at home. Even with the windows down, a car in summer can be too hot for a Bulldog.
- During the summer months, carry a squirt bottle of water with you.
- Invest in a cooling jacket for your Bully.
- Don’t take your Bully to the beach. (You can return his water wings now.)
- Don’t go jogging with your Bully. You can take your Bully for walks, and I hope you do, but be aware of his panting and level of energy.
- Monitor his activity. For instance, if he has a favorite toy, take it away from him before he gets too warm playing.
If your Bulldog is panting or
slobbering excessively, has diarrhea or is vomiting, or if he’s collapsed,
heatstroke can be the cause. Move your dog to the shade, and soak him with cold
water. Give him small amounts of water to drink. If your dog is unconscious, get
him to the veterinarian immediately.
Eyeballing Eye Problems
Eyelid issues
Eyelid problems are the most
common eye problems in almost every breed, and fortunately, they are the
easiest to correct if caught early. They can be very painful, though, so prompt
attention is necessary.
All those lovely wrinkles that
give a Bulldog his special look may also be the cause of two types of eyelid
problems: entropion (the inward turning of the lower eyelid) and ectropion
(the outward turning of the lower eyelid). Fortunately, both of these
conditions are easily corrected with surgery.
Entropion eyelids
With entropion, the eyelashes rub
against the cornea. The cornea becomes severely irritated or damaged as the
chronic abrasion wears away the corneal surface. In some cases, deep ulcers
form in the cornea, even to the point of rupturing its surface. This damage quickly
leads to inner eye infections and potential blindness. After diagnosis, surgery
is the only treatment.
Several different surgery
techniques are available, but typically, a small incision is made below the lid
and a small portion of skin is removed, and when the two sides of the incision
are sutured, the incision pulls the border of the lid downward into a normal
position. Antibiotic ointments may be applied if infections are present.
In rare cases, the upper lid can
also be affected to some extent. One or both eyes may be involved. Most dogs
with entropion squint and have a reddened, inflamed eye. Because of the pain involved,
dogs tend to scratch the eye, possibly doing further damage. Left untreated,
severe eye infections may develop.
Ectropion eyelids
Many Bulldogs live normal lives
with ectropion. However, some develop repeated eye infections due to the
collection of air particles. The risks are minor except in severe cases, where
secondary eye infections may develop. Some Bullies require no treatment; however,
if eye irritations develop, medical attention is advisable. Mild cases can be
treated with eye drops or salves to alleviate irritations and/or infections
when they occur. In severe cases, a surgical procedure is preferred, which
removes excess tissue, thereby tightening the lids and removing the
abnormal pocket.
Cherry eye
Cherry eye is a condition in
which a gland attached to the third eyelid — the membrane that covers the eye
sideways — gets inflamed and becomes a red, swollen mass in the inside corner of
the eye. The cure used to be removing the third eyelid, but removal frequently
led to dry eye, so now, the membrane is tacked back into its correct position.
Warning!
Because of the shape of a Bulldog’s head, only a board-certified ophthalmologist should perform this surgery.
Dry eye
Dry eye is just what it sounds
like. The eye, for whatever reason, doesn’t produce tears. The condition can
lead to blindness if not treated, and the treatment is usually eye drops and
either Cyclosporin or Tacrolimus. Some dogs will need eye drops for the rest of
their lives; some will begin producing their own tears again, and the drops can
be stopped. See Chapter Caring
for Your Senior Bulldog for more information.
Getting Hip to Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is the abnormal
development of the head of the femur. Instead of fitting properly in the socket
of the hip joint, the femur fits loosely and may come out of the socket
altogether. Considerable swelling and ruptured ligaments may occur. A dog with
hip dysplasia may develop arthritis in the joints and may also be lame and in
pain.
Hip-replacement surgery is an
option. In many breeds, breeders have their dogs x-rayed to determine the
quality of the hips. The x-rays are studied and given a rating by either the
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) or by the University of Pennsylvania Hip
Improvement Program (PennHip).
Technical Stuff
Most Bulldog breeders do not x-ray hips, and it is likely that your Bulldog will have hip dysplasia. Bulldogs hips are generally dysplastic on x-rays, but this rarely causes clinical problems for the dog. The Bulldog’s unique musculature supports the hip in a way that is not seen in most other breeds. Most rear-leg lameness in Bulldogs will originate in the knee or stifle, and owners and vets should not be led astray by the hips’ appearance on x-rays.
Because one of the signs of hip
dysplasia can be a rolling gait, many people believe that this is what gives
the Bulldog his distinctive gait. In fact, Bulldogs have such a gait because of
their general build. The wide, heavy front and the narrower, lighter
hindquarters give the Bully his distinctive gait, not badly formed hip joints.
It Hurts When I Sit! Ingrown Tails
If your dog has an ingrown tail,
the tail grows backward and down. This awkward growth creates a deep pocket and
can be painful and infected. If your dog has an ingrown tail, you’ll need to
pay special attention to keeping the area clean and dry. In severe cases, the
tail is amputated.
The tail end of the discussion:
The standard for the Bulldog says that the tail may be either straight or
screwed, but breeders disagree and say that the tail should be straight. The
reasoning is that the tail is an extension of the spine. Says one
breeder–veterinarian, “If the tail isn’t wagging, the spine isn’t normal.”
Speaking of Spines: Hemi-vertebrae
Hemi-vertebrae are vertebrae that
are malformed, looking more like triangles than blocks. A Bulldog may have
malformed vertebrae and be just fine, but some will start to have trouble
walking at around 5 months old and will eventually not be able to walk at all.
Patellar Luxation
Patellar luxation is the partial
or complete dislocation of the patella, or kneecap. The kneecap normally fits
into a groove in the thigh bone. The kneecap may slip out of the groove because
the
by Susan M.Ewing
0 comments:
Post a Comment