My New Bulldog Blog Site: Ask Bulldog Health

Please go to my new blog, ask bulldog health for newer posts and answers to your questions!

How Do I Introduce a New Bulldog Puppy to My Dogs.

I am in the process of getting a bulldog puppy. i already put a deposit down. so in about a month i will be bringing her home.

Well see my question is, i have 2 other dogs at home, shih tzus. one male and one female. ok, well my we just found out that my female is going to be delivering on April 30th. ok, well i will be bringing my bullie baby home a little before the birth.

My question is do you think that we might have a problem with this.? I will have a private place for the female shih tzu to whelp. How do you think a bull dog and shih tzus will get along with each other?  Is this a mistake.

From my experience of being around bull dogs they seems sooo easy going and loving, im hoping she will fit right in with our family, is this possible?

Stacy

——–answer——

Hi Stacy,

Introducing a new puppy to home dogs does take some extra care,
but a few simple steps should help.  And yes, english bulldogs in
general are quite mellow and loving.

I’m not a behavior expert but I’m happy to give you my opinion.

I think they should all get along fine.  It’s the dogs you already have that
may potentially be a problem and need to be introduced properly to the
new puppy.

If you keep your dogs in crates this process could go much smoother,
but if you don’t it should be ok if you are mindful of a few things.

Dogs are pack animals and their instincts kick in when they see a new
dog in their midst.  You now have 2 dogs but 3 dogs constitutes a pack
and there will be ‘ranking’ in that pack.

Remember that you are the true alpha, or ruler of your pack and it is
up to you to set the tone and keep everyone in their place.

The pregnant female is going to be instinctually protective of her unborn
puppies, so she’s the one I would pay close attention to.

Fortunatley puppies do not pose as big a threat as an adult dog would.
That said, you have a pregnant female and are bringing in another
female.  Statistically the female dogs fight for rank more than the males.

It is best to introduce the puppy to your current dogs on a neutral location
like a local park or your neighbor’s yard.  When they meet, be sure to praise
them in a cheery voice to reward the behavior.

Let them sniff each other.  The puppy will probably bow down, which is a
sign of “lets play”.  If your dog’s hair starts to raise up, that is a sign of
aggression and you should probably separate them.

If things go well, which they usually do with a puppy, you can bring the
puppy in the house.  Be aware that a puppy will want to play with the
adult dogs a lot – possibly more than they want.  Your adult dogs may
growl to tell the puppy to lay off.  This is normal.

If you current dogs respond to the puppy by biting him, this could
be dangerous to the puppy so you need to keep an eye on them until
they all seem to be doing fine in their new pack.

This might sound scary, but usually these introductions go really well
when a puppy is involved.  I introduced my first bulldog puppy into a
household with an Akita and a cat.  We introduced the two dogs in the
front yard and they got along famously.  It was the cat that became the
benevolent dictator of the pack.

I’m attaching a pdf document from the Dumb Friends League with
more information for you.

Congratulations on your puppy and let me know how it goes.

Your Bulldog Pal,

Jan

Bulldog Chewing Her Feet: How Can I Help Her?

Hi Jan,

I am wondering what to do for my grand puppy Lucy. I have written to you about her before and since she is having yeast issues on her feet and face I thought I would revisit your articles, and I noticed that you wrote that your Bulldog had some of the same issues for a while. My problem is compounded by the fact that she is not my dog. I do dog sit for her during the day, so I share in the care of her! I can’t take her to a vet that knows Bulldogs better than the one that the owners take her to. Their vet said that she has yeast , but he attributed it to “getting her feet wet outside”!

Please review for me what I can do to help her! Their breeder told them to use baby wipes on her face, but that does not seem to be enough. I have tried the eyewash and even Lotrimin and Gold Bond on her and nothing seems to help.Lucy is now one year old. She is on the Royal Canine Bulldog food. She now has chewed a hole in the fur on one foot!

Thank you for being such a Bulldog enthusiast.

Marie

—–answer—–

Hi Marie,

Paw licking is a primary sign of allergies. In my opinion
that vet doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Her feet
are wet because she’s licking them all the time and she’s
licking them because she has allergies. Allergies are
caused primarily by a depressed immune system.

The best thing you can do for Lucy is to change her food –
get her off that Royal Canin, she’s probably allergic to something
in it.

Switch her to something like Prairie lamb and oatmeal or California
Naturals lamb and rice or Canidae lamb and rice. You should see
significant changes within a month.

You could also add probiotics and Omega 3s to her diet. They will
help boost her immune system. I give Archie Nordic Naturals Omega
3s and Optagest Digestive Aids – both purchased at a natural foods
store.

While you make the switch, you can bathe her in a medicated
shampoo like Chlorhexiderm 3x a week and/or a rinse of
apple cider vinegar mixed 1 to 1 with water. Or you can just
put dilute apple cider vinegar on the most yeasty areas – it is a
natural anti-fungal. Avoid getting any of these in her eyes.
This should make her feel better.

Gold Bond is probably irritating her face. Just keep her dry and
maybe put a little Monistat in her nose folds. The change of food
should help immensely.

Explain to the owners that spending more on better food will save
on future huge vet bills and keep Lucy from suffering needlessly.

I hope this helps. Please keep me posted on her progress.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

Inverted Tail in English Bulldog Gets Infected

Hi Jan,
Thanks for the email and I also ordered your book! I have a question about our 9-month-old bully, Mack. For the past 3-4 months he has started scooting across the carpet and spinning in circles while whining painfully.  I have noticed his tail is very tightly screwed into his body which is apparently causing him a lot of pain. We clean and disinfect his tail daily, however it is still inflamed and sometimes has little sores. We have checked his anal glands and had them expressed a couple times, but it does not seem to give the poor little guy much relief. It has now gotten to the point where he is almost acting psychotic and won’t stop spinning/scooting even when coaxed with treats or his favorite toy. Fortunately, he has a very good breeder who breeds champion bulldogs and we called him when we were at a loss of what to do. We brought Mack over to see him and after throughly cleaning his tail and seeing his behavior, he suggested we might want to think about tail amputation. Our vet has also suggested this. It seems like such a drastic move and I don’t mind paying the money as long as it gives him some relief. Do you have any suggestions of what to do?? Please help!

Jessica

———my answer——

Hi Jessica,

Since you’ve ruled out impacted anal glands as the source of Mack’s butt scooting,
it sounds like he has an infection in his tail pocket.  It can be quite painful and
life threatening if it cannot be cleared up.  He may have a severe yeast infection
in the pocket – does it smell sour?  The little sores could indicate a
bacterial infection such as staph.  A chronic infection can become systemic
and spread through his body.  This would be very dangerous.

All English Bulldogs have part of their tail still inside the body as an extention
of the tail bone.  Some have straight tails and some have screw tails.  An
inverted tail is a condition where part of a screw tail makes a loop inside
the body and then comes out.

This inverted tail is very tight and close to the body with a very tight tail pocket
and part of the tail constantly rubbing and festering in the pocket.  This is
not a fault of breeding, it just happens sometimes.

Sometimes constant maintenance of the tail pocket will keep your bulldog
healthy.  You need to clean out the tail pocket daily using warm water on
a washcloth in a circular motion and get deep into the pocket. Then the
area must be thoroughly dried and perhaps add some Gold Bond powder.

In your case it sounds like you have been very diligent in keeping Mack’s
tail clean and he still has chronic infections. So in this case it would
probably be best to amputate his tail.

This is a condition that happens on occasion with bulldogs, even from the
best lines.  And he will be much happier and healthier if you do the
amputation.

I hope this helps.  Please keep me posted on Mack’s progress.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

Multiple Problems in Bulldog Puppy

Hi Jan,

I’m so glad you e mailed this, as a matter of fact my husband is responcible for purchasing our bullie. I had just lost my 14 yr old companion, an Old English mastiff, and was needless to say heartbroken. I took a little vacation to visit a friend, to help take my mind of my loss, only to discover when I arrived home this little bundle of cuteness awaited me. Being a dog lover since birth, at first I was angry at my husband, but after a day of sharing my space with this adorable creature, I was once again in love. Now if it was me purchasing a dog, I would have really investigated the breeders. Jim purchased Spike from an online breeder, I did some snooping, and although I get thousands of complements on Spike’s looks and friendliness, I am now dealing with some of the issues you mentioned in your  email.  He has terrible stains in the folds below his eyes, I am now treating this with medicine from the vet. I have also had his nostriles operated on because his snoring and breathing was so bad.  He is passing gas all the time, so bad that we have to leave the room. And I have noticed he vomits alot, I thought it was from me tugging his leash against his short throat. He is fed a product called Innova “puppie” which the pet shop in my neighborhood reccomended as it is all natural and suppose to be one of the best ( I say that with tongue in cheek) as I am a sceptic with all the commercial dog food products. I am a business owner and ashamed to admit I don’t have the time to cook for my family let alone my Spike. I have hunted the internet for any and all articles on bulldogs and I’m happy that I stumbled upon yours. I will go to all lengths for my animal, I’m happy that I can afford a purebreed and all I want is to give him the love and care that he returns to me everyday with his anticks and personality. THe bulldog is one funny critter, I can’t tell you the joy he has brought me. Owning a Mastiff was a very expensive endevor to say the least, he had skin issued, allergies, ear problems. So I know now how important preventitive care is. I could have put another child though 8 yrs of college with what I paid in vet expenses. I look forward to your reply and I want to thank you for your time to send me your emails. I was very impressed with your interviews and your knowledge.

Thank you again,

Rosemarie Tinsley

———-answer——–

Hi Rosemarie,

I’m not familiar with that breeder – did a quick search on the internet, but didn’t learn much.
Many breeders do their breeding for looks and for the money.  And many of them love the
breed but don’t really know what they’re doing.  Usually when I hear from someone, it’s
because they are having problems.

The problems you list are common, although in my opionion, they can be bred out of the
breed lines by conscientious breeders.But you love your bulldog so now what you need
to do is cope with what you have.

The eye problems are probably caused by eyelashes that are irritating Spike’s eyes.
I recommend you take him to an ophthalmologist who can treat them.

The gas can often be cured by elevating the food and feeding 3x a day instead of
once.

The vomiting is another thing that may be cured by elevating the food, but can also
be a more serious issue known as megasphagus.  You can read about that on my
blog:
https://bulldoghealth.wordpress.com/2008/01/11/bulldog-megasphagus-and-esophageal-motility-disorder/

I think Innova is the very best brand.  It is rich and can cause some digestive things
like gas and soft stools.  But it is particularly high quality.

I hope this helps.  Let me know if I can help you any further.

Your Bulldog Pal,

Jan

English Bulldogs and Rawhide Treats

Jan, another question.

I have read conflicting reports on the net about Bullies and Rawhides. Roxie absolutely loves the Pig Ear style and small stick rawhides. When she has them, we always monitor her and never leave her alone or put one in her crate with her. Is it OK for her to have them, or is it too risky, as some say they pose a high risk for choking?

Erik

—–answer——-

Hi Eric,

My opinion is never let an English Bulldog have a rawhide, pig’s ear, or greenie.
Not even if the rawhide is the particulate type. Bulldogs do love them because
they are quite tasty but to me it’s not worth the risk, even if you are watching
Roxie she could swallow it whole.

The problem is the bulldog tends to inhale, not chew, and they can get lodged in the
throat or worse in the stomach or intestines. Rawhide expands in the stomach and can
kill a bulldog who swallows chunks of it.

I learned this the hard way, twice having to do the heimlich on my first bulldog. She
inhaled a rawhide and it got stuck in her throat. On another occasion she dug up my
neighbor’s dog’s rawhide and ate it without my knowledge.  She regurgitated it
onto the carpet about 4 hours later.

A dog has a reflex at the back of the stomach that causes the to throw up
things that cannot be digested, but it does not always ensure your dogs
won’t be harmed by ingesting the wrong thing.

As for greenies, they don’t dissolve when swallowed whole and can get stuck in
a bulldog’s intestines. I’ve heard of a case from my breeder where a Greenie had
to be surgically removed from a bulldog puppy’s stomach (at a cost of $3000).

Rope toys may be shredded and if they eat them, you can
get the same stomach problem. So you need to keep an eye on them with a rope
toy.

I’ve found the Kong toys to be the most durable. You can put something tasty
like peanut butter inside and it will keep Roxie occupied for quite a while.

I’ve found it best to err on the side of caution.

Your Bulldog Pal,

Jan

English Bulldog Puppy with Parasite Coccidia

Jan, I am a new english bulldog owner of a wonderful 9 week old we’ve named Roxie.
I have read a lot of internet information, and have become somewhat of a
hypochondriac worry about her well-being.  We just took her yesterday for
her initial vet visit, and was informed that she has Toxicidia.  The vet put
her on a 10 day oral antibiotic.  He said that otherwise she appears to be
healthy.  I am going to order your book, in hopes that it will relieve some
of my concerns.  She is our second dog, but has absolutely captivated our
hearts in the short time we’ve had her.  Will stay in touch.

Eric

—–answer——-

Hi Eric,

I’m sorry to hear your english bulldog puppy has parasites.
Did you mean Coccidia?  It’s a parasite that’s found in soil and feces.
It’s fairly common along with other parasites that can infect dogs.
It usually affects puppies and is highly contagious from dog to dog.

From what I understand it is fairly common and often clears up on
it’s own, but with a bulldog or any puppy it needs to be treated
because they do not have fully developed immune systems.

Here’s a couple links to more information:

http://www.petsandparasites.org/dog-owners/coccidia.html

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_coccidia.html

She should recover fine from this but I’d be wondering if all the puppies
of this breeder are also infected.

And you should be careful to clean all bedding and any feces from
your yard so that she doesn’t get reinfected.

Glad to hear you’re ordering the book.  Bulldogs are great dogs and
you just need to know what to look for in their “special needs”.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

English Bulldog Gagging and Coughing?

I have spent a fortune at the vet this past month. My
Olde English is 1 1/2 years old. She has started gagging (like trying
to clear her throat or puke? Sounds like a bark) and coughing. This
goes on basically 24/7. The vet first gave her injections and benadryl
100 mg. 3 times a day. Now another steroid and hydroxizine 25 2x a day.
She is getting WORSE. I don’t know what else it is.

Amy

—–answer——

Hi Amy,

Your english bulldog is being treated as if she had an allergic reaction to
something in her environment.  If she does not have an allergy, steroids
and anti-histamines will have no effect on her gagging.

At a year and a half she’s just reaching maturity. She could have a congenital
problem with her elongated palate. Does her tongue and the inside of her mouth
start to turn blue? If so, she may be a candidate for palate surgery. This type
of surgery is not to be taken lightly but sometimes is the only way to cure this
condition. It’s called bracycephalic syndrome and the dog literally chokes on
her own palate and throat.
Here’s an overview of what is involved in this:
http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/HealthConditions/SmallAnimalTopics/BrachycephalicSyndrome/

Or she may be experiencing problems with her esophagus. There are two
conditions that plague bulldogs: megasopagus and esophogeal motility
disorder. You can read more about them on my Q&A blog:
https://bulldoghealth.wordpress.com/2008/01/11/bulldog-megasphagus-and-esophageal-motility-disorder/

I hope this helps. Please write with any more questions.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

Allergic Reaction with Welts in English Bulldog

Hi,
Our English Bulldog is named Rusty and tonight he (all of a sudden) seemed to be swelling with welts. On top of his head, legs, mouth. He was perfectly fine and we noticed his mouth was turning a little red then the welts. He’s acting pretty fine, panting quite a lot. This happened two weeks ago, too. We took him to the vet and they didn’t have a clue. Gave him something for the swelling and an antibiotic. We stopped giving him the meds a few days later b/c he seemed fine. Weird.
Thanks.
Paula

——answer———

Hi Paula,

This sounds to me like your English Bulldog is having a sudden
allergic reaction. The red mouth and then the welts sounds like
he got stung by a bee, or got into something – dogs always
explore with their mouths – and then developed hives. The panting is also
consistent with an allergic reaction which can cause breathing difficulties.

If not an insect bite, is there something else in his environment that he
could be allergic to? Even carpet cleaner can cause allergic reactions
in bulldogs.

He could even be alergic to something in his food. Did the welts appear
after he ate? A dog can be fine with food for a while and then develop
the allergic reaction.

If Rusty is getting into something (whether an insect or an allergen) and
he has this reaction, be aware that the more exposure to the toxin, the
more severe his symptoms will become. The classic example of this
is a human who develops an allergic reaction to bee stings until they
become life threatening.

Do you have any idea what he could be exposed to?

You can give him a childrens dose of Benedryl dye free (pink box) to
help mild symptoms. If breathing becomes very difficult or symptoms
worsen you need to get him to a vet immediately.

Does he chew his paws? This is another sign of allergies.

Here’s a link to a good article on dog allergies:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=75

I hope this helps. Please keep me posted on his progress.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

——-response——-

Hi Jan,
Thanks for your email.  We’ve taken Rusty to the Vet twice now.  We took him this morning.  Two weeks ago to the day we took him, too.  The vet said what you did only she thought it was a spider bite.  We live in Michigan and right now there are no bugs anywhere b/c it’s freezing up here.  There is snow everywhere which he eats alot of.  This morning she thought maybe an allergy to something.  We got benedryl the first time this happened and the vet also gave Rusty and antibiotic and prednisone in case he needed it.
Actually, the carpet and furniture in our home are new.  We got them about 3 weeks ago and this has been going on with Rusty for 2 weeks now.  We have leather furniture and new carpeting.  Of course Rusty thinks he’s a lap dog so he’s on the furniture, too.  I’m wondering if what they treat leather furniture with might be the issue?  We haven’t treated anything so it would have to be what is already on it.  My other thought is maybe dairy?  What do you think?
Thanks so much.
Paula

———-answer——–

ah ha,

I bet it’s the new things, possibly the carpet because they treat it with anti-stain coatings,
and I’m sure they treat leather with something potentially allergenic as well.

One thing that occurs to me is that since Rusty walks on the carpet, if he then
licks his paws, he could be getting the offending carpet sealer in his mouth and
then have the allergic reaction.

You could get the carpet cleaned and when they do, don’t allow them to use
any strong chemicals to clean and don’t let them re-treat it for pet stains or
pet odors.

As for the leather couch, you could put a cover over the leather where he lays on it.

Some of those things like flame retardants and such do some ‘off gassing’ when they
are new and they will diminish in time.

I realize it’s cold, but you could try airing out your house on a warm day to let
the odors escape.

But I suspect it’s something that gets on his paws that he licks off and whamo!

I wouldn’t suspect dairy at this juncture although it can aggravate and cause allergies.

The fact that the allergic reaction happened when you got the new carpet really
leads me to believe it’s related to that.

Does this sound like a possibility?

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

Aspiration Pneumonia and Skin Infection in Bulldog Puppy

Dear Jan,

We have a 4 month old Bull.  When we got her, the breeder gave her a Bortedella shot the day we picked her up.  4 days later she contracted pneumonia.  We treated her successfully with antibiotics and a vaporizer.  A week ago, on a follow up visit. Our vet suggested that she get an intra-nasal dose as we were taking her to conformation classes  and would be exposed other show dogs.  4 days later,  she began to  experience lethargy, elevated temp, and lose interest in eating and or drinking.  immediately I returned to the vet and he gave her antibiotics and in 24 hours she was back to normal.We also are worried as she has gotten pimples and redness on her head and eyes that looks like a skin infection.  Any thoughts???

Sincerely,
Bob and Kathie

—–answer—–

Hi Bob and Kathie,

Poor gal.  It sounds like she’s getting aspiration pneumonia from the nasal dosing,
so I’d be careful about doing that again.

As for the pimples on her face, she may have a staph infection.  You can try to
treat it with Neosporin or another anti-biotic cream.  But it could be a parasite
or a fungus which would be treated differently.

Because of her young age, I would take her to a skin specialist who would do
skin scrapings and determine what it is so it can be treated properly.

Pups don’t have fully developed immune systems and when weakened by disease
(pneumonia in this case) they can get other opportunistic infections.  That’s what
happened to my Vivy.

I hope this helps.  Let me know how she’s doing.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

Food Allergy or Seasonal Flank Alopecia?

Thank you Jan –

I live in South Florida and have a 1 year old (birthday 2/15) male bulldog, Winston (70lbs) who on one previous occasion (July) had spotting (looked like someone sprinkled oil on his back and left spots) along the ridge of his back.   It lasted a few weeks and wasn’t anything drastic.

Dark spots (minimal hair loss) located about rump wrinkles….

Winston did not have any discomfort (no scratching) nor did he show any signs of knowing about what we saw.    Late January, his spotting (hair loss) re-occured in full force (I brush him and the driveway looks like a hair storm hit…)  along his shoulders, back, rump and hind quarters.

I have been reading up about the seasonal flank alopecia and think that he may have that (he is inside all day long while I am at work until darkfall).  I take him on regular (long) walks every night and several times a day on the weekends (morning, afternoon & night).

He is a HEALTHY eater… too fast, but never leaves a morsal….  Hahahaha

But I wonder about his diet and if that may have instigated a skin condition (or allergic reaction).

I have had him on Royal Canin – Large Breed Puppy formula since he was 4months old.   However, in January, I began to switch (mixing) him to Royal Canin – Bulldog formula. Coincidently, the hair loss began at this time. Now that we are in mid February he continues to lose major amounts of hair and I don’t know what to do.

I’ve been reading on your website and others about the possibility of diet being the cause of bulldog skin conditions….

But, I also see that you list Royal Canin as a preferred brand???  I’m confused…. we are still using the same brand, just moved to bulldog specific formula.  Can this be the problem?

Do you think that the hair loss was triggered by the change of foods…. or SFA?

Any suggestions? HELP

Thank you in advance for you help.

Michelle & Winston

——answer——–

Hi Michele & Winston,

Sorry for any confusion.  There are always conflicting opinions when it comes
to  english bulldogs and the connection between diet and skin.

On my site I list Royal Canin as the most popular brand according to a survey
of my bulldog owners.

That said, I don’t feed it to my Archie because he seems to be allergic to
chicken, the primary protein source in it.

And since your Winston’s hair loss started with your switch to RC B24, I
would definitely be suspicious of a food allergy.

What I currently feed my bulldog Archie is either Canidae or California Naturals
lamb meal and rice formulas.  I have found lamb to be much easier for bulldogs
with allergies.

This is not a set deal.  Some dogs are allergic to different things.  But the
most allergy producing proteins according to my vet skin specialist are
beef, soy, and chicken in that order.

Try switching him to one of these two foods, slowly, over a week or two, and
see what happens.  You should see results within two weeks, as I did with my
Archie.  It’s pretty basic food so he may not be crazy over eating it.  If he
won’t eat it add a little canned Wellness Lamb and Rice formula.

If it doesn’t work you may need to try Duck and Sweet Potato or Venison
and Sweet Potato formulas and see how he reacts to them.

It’s a matter of trial and error with food allergies.

About Seasonal Flank Alopecia, it doesn’t look like that’s what’s bothering
Winston because SFA shows up on the shoulders or sides of the bulldog,
whereas food allergies tend to show up on the top and along the back.

It is also more common in the northern states where there is less daylight
during the winters, like Minnesota.  But it can appear anywhere.

You can read about SFA and see some photos here:
http://www.vivyland.com/articles/sfa.html

It is always good to let your bulldog get some sun, it is a great natural (and
inexpensive!) anti-bacterial.  Just 20 minutes a day is good.

I hope this helps.  Please keep me posted on his progress.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

Entropion in English Bulldog

what do you know about entropion i ordered your book and would like your input about entropion while i wait to receive your book is it common is it from a bad breeder or is it just another common no fault problem with the breed?

——answer——

Hi Mary,

I think it’s just one of those common to the breed things.  The bulldog has many
eye problems because of the nose being bred back into the face.  It just doesn’t
leave a lot of extra room even for glands, hence the cherry eye.

With entropion, when the nose was pushed back, not only did it widen the face
and stretch the eyes, it also added extra skin that can hang over the eye, hence the
tendency  for the eyelid to curl inward and the eyelashes irritate the cornea of the eye.
It must be corrected with minor surgery or the bulldog may go blind.

Here’s a link to a diary of the entropion surgery:
http://bulldogsworld1.homestead.com/entropion.html

So I’d say that unless it is really severe, in which case the dog should not be
bred, it is not the breeder’s fault, it’s just one of those things.

I’m sending you a link to the downloads page so you can get started reading
the material while you wait for your book.

Thanks for ordering and feel free to write anytime.

Your Bulldog Pal
Jan

My Husband Has a Cold . . .

My husband is sick with a bad cold and cough can a dog get sick from a human?????

—-answer—–

Fear not, you dog cannot catch a cold from your husband.  It’s
a good thing because many a husband would be sent to the basement
if that was the case!

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

How Can I Tell if My Bulldog is Overweight?

Hi Jan, I have another question for you. Tyke is a very fussy eater, but I am concerned that he will gain weight and I would like to keep him healthy. I feed him twice a day a mix of Paul Newmans dry organic food with either chicken or chopped meat mixed in. My question is how many calories should a Bulldog eat a day. He has two good walks a day but I don’t want him to become over weight. He is up to 60 lbs right now my vet says he should be between 50 and 55lbs. how do feel about this?  Thanks you, Your Bully Pal JoAnn

——-answer——–

Hi JoAnn,

That’s a good question!  I have found that most people overfeed their bulldogs
because they think they should look chubby.

I have that one photo of Tyke and he doesn’t look overweight to me (hard to
tell with that Bear’s shirt – lol).  If he still looks like that, I’d say you’re feeding
him the right amount.

A healthy dog needs to have a waist and you should be able to feel his ribs.
It takes a little practice to feel a bulldog’s ribs but you get a sense for it by
moving the skin around his ribs.  You should be able to feel them but not
really see them because he has so much skin.

To see a bulldog’s waist, you look down on him from above and you can
see a narrowing behind the rib cage before his hind quarters.  Contrary to
what a lot of people think, a bulldog should not have what I refer to as a
buddha belly – a chubby protrusion from his stomach.

Tyke is a big guy.  A normal male will be 50-55 pounds.  If his parents
were large, then 60 pounds may be genetically normal for him.

If he has a waist and you can (kinda) feel his ribs, he’s probably a fine
weight.  Some bulldogs get to be upwards of 70 pounds.

As for caloric intake, I’ve never really measured it that way.  I usually go
by the amount of foood recommended on the package.  So if you add the
extra protein you should reduce the amount of dry food.

You can tell pretty quickly if your bulldog is gaining weight.  It only takes
a couple of weeks for them to start packing on the pounds.  I used to
have this dog sitter for Vivy when I would leave town.  And when I came
home after a week or so I could tell the sitter had been giving her tons
of treats (because she’s so cute she said).  So it shows up really fast.

So my method of weight maintenance is primarily visual.  If Archie starts
to gain weight, I cut back a little.  He gets more exercise during different
seasons and I adjust for that.  Again primarily by looking at him.

Exercise is really important for any dog.  And two walks a day is great!
That will help his heart and keep his weight down.  Also remember muscle
weighs more than fat.

I take Archie out for two walks a day for about 20-30 minutes each.  And
we have a little training each time as well.  Sit, stay, heel, etc. to keep
him from pulling me from one point of interest to the next.

Dogs love the stimulation of walks and adding a little training really helps
stimulate their minds as well.

I hope this helps, it’s more of a trial and error process than a set formula.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

Food Allergies or Demodectic Mange?

Hi Jan,

I have a 3 year old English Bulldog. I take him to the vet about every week for his allergy shot. The vet says he has food allergies but no matter what food we try it does not seem to work. He is currently on Royal Canine. Do you have any suggestions for me, on what to feed him. He also has cysts appearing all over his body, shedding real bad and hair loss. Is this normal

Tracey

——–answer——-

Hi Tracey,

No that is not normal.  But it is common in bulldogs.  He may have demodex,
otherwise known as mange.  It is caused by a proliferation of mites that
live in the hair follicles of dogs.

The only way to know for sure is to have your vet do a skin scraping.
It is treated with a drug called Ivermectin.  Some vets recommend a
dip but I think this is very harsh and toxic for your bulldog.
You can also treat him with goodwinol topical cream.

But this could also be a symptom of food allergies.  So if your
vet has done a skin scraping and ruled out demodex or other
parasites, I would definitely suspect food as the culprit.

My belief is that these types of skin conditions are aggravated
by food allergies and can be treated effectively by simply
changing the diet in most cases (including mine!).

Centuries of inbreeding the bulldog line has led to some genetic
weakness that can cause a compromised immune
system which can leave them vulnerable to opportunistic diseases such
as demodectic mites that would not invade a healthy dog.

That said, there are many other things that can cause a depressed
immune system, such as stress, fighting an infection, and environmental
allergens.  And food allergies.

What sort of shots is your vet giving your bulldog?  I am not a fan
of prednisone shots because they only treat the symptoms and not
the underlying cause.  And they can contribute to weakening the
immune system.

I would suggest you switch your bulldog to a single protein source food
such as California Naturals or Canidae Lamb Meal and Rice.  The lamb
seems to be easily digested and the only other ingredient is rice.

Lots of people feed their bulldogs Royal Canin, but it’s primary ingredient
is chicken.  Chicken is one of the primary food allergens in dogs (along
with beef, soy, and fish) so I would definitely switch him off of that.

Take a week or two to switch the food, starting with just a small part of the
lamb and rice, then up the proportion slowly until it is all the new food.

I hope this helps.  Let me know if I can help you any further.

Your Bulldog Pal,

Jan

Ringworm in Bulldog

How do you treat ringworm in bulldogs?

——answer—-

Hi Sandra,

Ringworm is a fungus, not a worm, and is characterized by crusty sores
that make a circular pattern. It lives in hair follicles and the skin.
It can cause the hair to fall out around the affected areas of your bulldog.

Often it is spread by contact with cats, who seem prone to carry this fungus.
It can also be carried by rodents and even found in the soil in some areas.

The only sure way to know your dog has ringworm and not some other
parasite or fungus is to have your vet do a skin scraping and grow a
culture from it.

It can be treated with topical creams like miconazole (Tinactin) or clotrimazole
(Lotrimin) that you can purchase without a prescription. If it’s really
bad, it may need oral antifungals or a different medication prescribed
by your vet.

Be aware that it is contagious and can spread from your dog to you or
members if your family. It is not highly contagious, but be careful not
to touch the affected areas of your dog.

If your bulldog does have ringworm you and your family members
should wash your hands after contact with your dog.

This fungus thrives in dark areas like the hair of your dog. So when
your dog sheds it can leave the fungus around your house. It would
be a good idea to vacuum daily and change the vacuum bag every day.

You can also clean counters with a 1:10 dilution of bleach and water.
Sunlight is also a good killer of this fungus, so put dog beds and
even your dog out in the sunlight.

Here’s a detailed description and history of ringworm:
http://www.drgreene.org/body.cfm?id=21&action=detail&ref=756

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan
————-follow up question——–

My vet suggested a medicated dip for six weeks to treat this  fungus. Is that good for a bulldog?

Also, I can’t find Pinnacle dog food in the upstate of SC. Can I purchase it on line?

———-answer——

Hi Sandra,

Does he have a particularly bad case with sores all over his body?
If so, the dip may be the best way to go.  It is made of lime and
sulpher.  It will keep the fungus from shedding into your environment.

I’d prefer topical treatment if it’s a mild case.  You could try

* Clotrimazole (Lotrimin, Mycelex)
* Miconazole (Micatin)
* Terbinafine (Lamisil)

any of which can be purchased over the counter.

There are also oral treatments if he has it all over his body.

Oddly enough ringworm usually goes away on it’s own after about 4
months.  And some dogs fight it off better than others, depending
on the strength of their immune systems.

I always try to treat with the least amount of ‘invasion’ to my dog,
so I’d try the topical first.

My bulldog Vivy got ringworm when she was a puppy.  She had little sores
all over her body and was treated with the oral medication Fulvicin.
Vivy had been ill and we were concerned that she might not be able to
overcome it without meds. The puppy that brought it into the
house got over it on his own.  None of us got it.

So it’s a tricky question as to what to do.   It depends on what you
are comfortable with.

Here’s another site with information on ringworm:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_ringworm.html

As for the Pinnacle, it’s made by Breeder’s Choice and is available
online.  You can shop online or search for a retailer on their site:
http://www.breeders-choice.com/

Good luck and let me know what you decide to do and how it
works out.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

Aggression & Dominance of Female Over Male Bulldog

Hi there,

I was recently on your website reading all your knowledge on our adorable friends.

I have two British bulldogs one male and the other female, they are both only a day apart in age and are 10 months old.

I brought them from different breeders so they are not blood related, in the idea of breeding them one day.

All up until a month ago i have come into some problems that have concerned me extremely.

My Female has become very aggressive towards the male, she dominates him over food, toys and human affection. They are calm all up until i walk in the backyard to play with them she becomes very aggressive and attacks him. The male is very placid and does not want to fight with her but she does not stop.

I have tried stopping her with spraying her with water but she likes the water and thinks its a game, I have since separated them at feeding times and this i feel has caused more aggression with her.

Up until 2 days ago i never smacked her but she was attacking him so much i smacked her with a shoe and this has now caused her to be upset with me, she will no longer come to me for a play and he will not come near me for the fact that she will attack him.

I love my puppies and would hate to see one of them go, i have contacted my local vet and there answer was to get rid of one of them. I do not want to get rid of one as i love them both but on the other hand is it cruel to leave him feeling scared in his own enviroment??

With my male he is very loveable but he has an aggressive streak towards children which iam quiet scared of, i would never leave an animal with a child un attended, but it concerns me as he has been brought up with young children.

Kind regards for reading me problems

Ellen

———–

Hi Ellen,

I’m not an expert on training, but I suspect your problems are stemming from
the fact that there is no clear leader in the “pack”

You need to take control of your dogs so they look to you as the alpha dog.
Your female is stepping in because she thinks you are not doing the alpha
job.  Then the male looks to dominate other threats to the pack (the children).

Female dogs are usually more dominant than male dogs.  They want to
take control and male dogs tend to be more submissive and easy going.

Since both of your dogs are still puppies, they are just learning how to
behave, and they take their cues from you.

It is very important that you become the leader.  You cannot do this by
behavior that she thinks is a game (the squirt water) or punishment (hitting
her with the shoe).  She is very confused because she thinks she’s doing
her job.  When she gets punished for what she perceives as ‘good’ behavior
she will naturally avoid you.  She’s now afraid to come to you.

There was a very good episode of the Dog Whisperer about bulldogs with
the same behavior pattern.  I can’t remember the name of it, but it was on
my local cable.

My advice is you get a very good trainer immediately.  When I had an
aggression problem with Vivy I hired Barkbusters.  They are expensive,
but did a wonderful job in one day!  There are many competent trainers
out there, so you could contact your local bulldog group.  I think your
vet’s suggestion is just plain ignorant.

Part of the training process is to teach you how to be the leader.  In my
case, since Vivy was ten, it took a lot of leash training.

Do not delay because you will have an escalating problem that will become
more difficult the longer you wait.

I hope this helps.  Let me know how they’re doing.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

My English Bulldog Puppy Whines

hey jan

i have a 6 month old english bulldog and he whines only in the morning and when he get compfortable i was thinking it was just an attention thing, any ideas?

Matt

——-

Hi Matt,

That’s hard to tell from your description.

English Bulldogs are very ‘expressive’ and often make odd sounds.  If the whine is urgent
sounding or distressed, I’d be concerned.  If it’s more pleading or enticing, like he
wants you to come over, it’s probably attention-getting.

Since he’s just a puppy, he is forming his habits and finding out what will get him
the attention he craves.  And you don’t want to encourage negative behaviors.

If the whining stops when you give him attention, then I’d suppose that’s the case.
If he whines when you touch him in a specific area like his stomach or leg, then
I might think he had some sort of injury or problem and I’d suggest you have him
looked at by your vet.

Jan

Are Acorns Toxic for my bulldogs?

Hi Jan,
got another question for you.

We have read all about how walnuts and pecans can be fatal to our bulldogs.
We have acorns in the back yard and it is very hard to stop them from eating
them or at least chewing on them and the sticks.

They were outside, on leashes yesterday , but they always pick crap up,
well…to make a long story short, they were whiners last night and then this AM,
he had gotten sick in his cage, and then while I was gone for 1 hour to the dr. ,
she threw her breakfast up. …can it be the crap they are eating like the acorns?
Makes no sense.

Thanks for keeping in touch.
Laurie

———

Hi Laurie,

Thanks for sending the photos. They are sooooo adorable!!

As for the acorns, I have read that they are toxic although not deadly to dogs.
This includes the buds and acorns. This is most likely why they both got sick.
Puppies do have a tendency to explore the world through their mouths and
test all kinds of things by chewing them.

A dog has a natural reflex to throw up undesirable foods, which is a good thing
because they are historically scavengers and eat all kinds of bad stuff. Chewing
the acorns probably irritated their stomachs.

The most common signs of plant poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea.
If they don’t get better within 24 hours, it would be a good idea to call your vet.
If they get woozy or seem disoriented, get them to your vet asap.

A safe guide to poisonous plants is to assume that any plant that has a
white or milky sap will be poisonous.

So I’d suggest you limit their exposure to the acorns or give them something
they like to chew more when they’re outside until they grow out of the puppy
chewing phase. Or confine them to a part of the yard where they cannot get
the acorns.

Here’s a link to an article on poisonous foods for dogs:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1684&articleid=3283

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

Luxating Patella (Floating Kneecap) in Young Bulldog

guess what i bought some seatone for my bully is name lennox
he is two but we are having trouble with back leg to which
we are told he has arthitis can u believe two my god well
lets hope these work for him he is so fabulous
joanna

——

Hi Joanna,

I haven’t heard of using Seatone as a supplement for arthritis – you might want to try
glucosamine supplements.

This could be what’s called a “luxating patella” or floating kneecap- a common genetic disorder in our bullies.
Unfortunately this type of injury can lead to arthritis even in a young bulldog because the loss of cartiledge
can lead to bone rubbing on bone.

He may need surgery to correct this and help prevent him from becoming lame and/or
suffering more arthritis.

Your can read a little more about it here:
http://www.bulldoghealth.com/bulldog-orthopedics.html

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan