ENGLISH BULLDOG HEALTH INFORMATION
Entropion
An abnormal rolling in of the eyelid see corneal ulcers. stitch skin so lashes don't rub.
Eversion of nictitating membrane:
(Cherry Eye) A condition where the
third eyelid is protruding.
Cataract
A change in structure of the lens of
the eye leading to cloudiness and usually
to blindness.
Keratitis sicca/ Keratoconjunctivitis sicca
A condition where one or both eyes do not
produce a normal amount or type of tears.
"Dry Eye". Can lead to corneal ulcers and
cherry eyes if untreated.
Persistent pupillary membrane
A developmental abnormality where the
membrane forming the iris does not form
properly.
Skin Acne
Same thing as in humans, affects the
muzzle and lip areas.
Demodicosis
A kind of skin disease (mange) caused
by microscopic Demodex canis mites
living within the skin layers and producing
an immunodeficiency syndrome.
Fold dermatitis
An inflammation of skin folds especially
in dogs with loose skin. Bulldogs are
especially susceptible in the face and
tail areas.
Folliculitis
An infection of the hair follicles.
Muzzle pyoderma
An infectious skin disease on the
muzzle of an animal.
Pododermatitis
A skin infection of the paws.
Elbow dysplasia
An abnormal development of the
elbow joint.
Elbow Subluxation
A condition where the elbow joint is
loose and out of alignment.
Fragmented coronoid
Process osteochondrosis of the elbow
joint.
Mouth and Jaw Abnormal
Dentition
Abnormal placement, number and
development of teeth.
Cleft lip
A condition where the two halves
of the upper lip do not join together.
Cleft palate and cleft lip are often
seen together.
Cleft palate
A condition where the roof of the
mouth is not closed and the inside
of the nose opens into the mouth.
Elongated soft palate
The soft palate is abnormally long
and causes breathing disorders.
Skeletal System Parosteitis
Inflammation of tissue around a bone.
Short skull
A skull that is abnormally short for
the breed in question.
Short tail
A tail that is abnormally short for the
breed in question. Read more about this.
Hip dysplasia
A developmental malformation or
subluxation of the hip joints. Causes
movement to be painful in its most
severe form.
Spina bifida
A developmental abnormality where some
vertebra are malformed thereby exposing
the spinal cord.
Hemivertebra
A particular kind of malformation of the
vertebra where only half of the structure
is formed. Very short-coupled dogs with
little or no tail or neck may have this diagnosis.
No Known Treatment Dog with severe form of
this condition can be paralysed if a jarring back
injury occurs. Care re: exercise, activity
needs to be taken.
Reproductive Vaginal Hyperplasia:
An overgrowth of tissues of the vagina (polyps)
Dystocia:
Complications of the birth process
(difficult birth) 95% of births are c-sections.
Respiratory Stenotic Nares:
Narrow nasal opening, characteristic of
BU-AS Can be clipped to widen.
Hypoplasia of Trachea:
A trachea that fails to develop fully.
Ciculatory Arteriovenous fistula:
An abnormal connection that forms
between arteries and veins.
Von Willebrand's disease:
A type of bleeding disorder caused by
defective blood platelet function.
Mitral valve defects:
A group of abnormalities of the mitral
valve of the heart.
Pulmonic stenosis:
A condition where one of the valves
of the heart does not open properly.
Pyloric Stenosis
A condition where the opening leading
from the stomach does not function properly.
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Miscellaneous Hypothyroidism
A common endocrine disease where the body
produces an abnormally low amount of thyroid hormones. An autoimmune destruction of the
thyroid gland. Can be managed by injections.
Hydrocephalus
A condition where there is an abnormal
accumulation of fluid in the ventricles of
the brain.
Oligodendroglioma
A cancer arising from a type of cell found
in the brain and spinal cord.
Brachycephalic Upper-Airway
Syndrome
A grouping of conditions leading to decreased
tolerance to exercise/excitement/high temps;
difficulty breathing; susceptibility to collapse.
Chronic Airway Obstruction (C.A.O.):
is very common in all short-faced (Brach cephalic) breeds e.g. Bulldog, French Bulldog, Pug and occasionally seen in other breeds.
Bulldog Wrinkles
The Bulldog's face is covered with wrinkles.
This is a trademark that requires daily care to
keep him comfortable and healthy. Mild soap
will work for cleaning out between the wrinkles.
Get a damp wash cloth with soap and clean
well around and under the wrinkles making
sure not to get any in his eyes? You should
dry the area well and apply gold bond
(or similar) powder to the area. If it is
irritated you may want to consider using
Desitin cream. It may be required for you
to clean the wrinkles up to 2x daily if needed
depending on how dirty or irritated they may be.
Cleaning the Tail Area
It is very much a part of bulldog hygiene.
When cleaning the tail area or tail pocket
make sure to use a soft cloth and get in
there real good to clean it, you should get
out lots of hairs and keep this area clean
and powdered as well. A bulldog’s tail may
be tightly screwed against his back side
and can be a real problem if not taken care
of and cleaned daily. A severely infected
tail is painful and may need to be removed
in some cases, so it is important to keep
this area cleaned well.
Tear Stains
There are a few products on the market
that are made for cleaning tear stains.
You can use these products, but take
care in using it near his eyes. You can
also check with your vet for additional
suggestions. You should also keep the
area around your dogs eyes wiped off
and cleaned, to keep any debris from
getting into his eyes and irritating them.
Dry Nose
If his nose is dry a light coat of Vaseline
will help soften it and protect it from cracking.
The Key to a good Bulldog Health
The best advice is to know your Bulldog. Know
if he isn't eating, if he isn't playing, or if he
doesn't seem quite right. There are some
minor ailments you can treat at home.
Remember that if a home remedy doesn't
cure the problem in less than two days;
take the dog to the veterinarian. Also
remember that there are medical conditions
which cannot wait. When in doubt, take
him to your vet. Better to be safe than sorry.
In order for dogs to live happy, productive,
and long lives their owners need to be aware
of the everyday health requirements as well
as be on the look out for any sudden physical
changes. The keys to Bulldog health are moderate exercise, good ventilation, and cool temperatures. Grooming is minimal, but the skin wrinkles on the
head and around the tail must be kept clean
to avoid bacterial or fungal infections. Nutrition
plays an important part in the development of a
puppy into adulthood. Care must be taken to be
sure that your Bulldogs are fed proper nutrition
to meet their developmental needs at the various stages of their lives. Nutrition encompasses the
proper diet combined with vitamins, minerals,
and other nutrients that will help dogs fulfill
their life span.
Bulldogs are generally a healthy breed, with
much dependant upon the breeder from
whom they came. A good start will usually
give you years of fun and love. A Bulldog
should see a vet for shots and checkups regularly.
You should also consider spaying or neutering
your pet since there are health advantages
to that as well.
Breeding Bulldogs
Breeding is not a good choice for the average
family pet. Breeding is very difficult and expensive
with the bulldog. It's best left to those who have devoted a lifetime to the breed and know what to
do and how to do it. Breeding will not improve the health or happiness of a dog and in some cases breeding is fatal. Caesarian deliveries are needed.
Life Expectancy
The average life for a Bulldog is around 10 or so although there are many who live years beyond
that.
Bulldogs And Water
A Bulldog needs to be an indoor dog. Bulldogs
can't swim well at all and extreme caution
should be taken when a Bulldog is around
water to avoid drowning. Although they should
be kept out of deep pools, a few inches of
water in a kid’s pool outside is a welcome
site to most Bulldogs.
Bulldogs and Exercise
The Bulldog appreciates a daily outing but
cannot tolerate hot, humid weather. He
should not be expected to jog or walk
great distances, or to jump from any height.
Bulldogs should not romp with the kids during
the heat of a warm spring or summer day.
When temperatures reach the 80s, the dogs
should have an air-conditioned area. In addition,
if the dog pants too violently or for a prolonged
period, the membranes in the throat can dry
out and swell, leading to escalating breathing difficulties.
Summary
The Bulldog is a quiet pet, loyal to his family
and protective when necessary, but happy
to curl up on the sofa, eat two or three
square meals a day, and have his belly
rubbed occasionally. He can be a clown and
can be stubborn to train, but he is good-natured
and willing to be guided to good behavior if he
thinks it's his own idea.
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