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English Bulldogs have unique dental needs that require attentive care. Understanding their anatomy, recognizing signs of dental problems, and implementing daily dental care routines can help owners maintain their pup’s dental health.
Heart Disease
Pulmonary stenosis is a hereditary congenital heart disease that occurs due to narrowing of the pulmonary valve (the one between the right ventricle and the lungs). It can cause coughing, exercise intolerance, fainting, cyanosis and eventually lead to right-sided heart failure.
The condition is often discovered on a physical exam as it produces a murmur, which can be heard with a stethoscope. This murmur is caused by the turbulence of blood flow through the abnormal valve and increases in loudness as the severity of the disease becomes more severe.
The most common signs of the disease are heavy or labored breathing, weight loss and fainting spells. Dogs with the disease have a guarded prognosis and should not be bred. This is why annual veterinary checkups are important for your bulldog.
Elbow Dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia is a condition that occurs when the elbow joint develops abnormally. This is caused by the mismatch between the growth of your pet’s forelimb bones, known as the radius and ulna. This can lead to abnormal concentration of forces on a particular area of the elbow joint which in turn causes arthritis.
Typical symptoms of elbow dysplasia include lameness of the front legs, stiffness after exercise and reluctance to use the forelimbs. X-rays will show changes to the elbow joint but the most accurate method of diagnosis is a CT scan.
Treatment of elbow dysplasia involves reducing your pet’s exercise, controlling their diet and taking anti-inflammatory painkillers to manage their symptoms. In more advanced cases surgical correction of the elbow is performed. This involves using a specialised stepped bone plate and screws to transfer weight away from the diseased medial (inside) elbow joint to the healthier lateral elbow joint.
Colitis
Colitis refers to inflammation of the colon. It may be triggered by many conditions, including infectious, parasitic, and allergic diseases. Symptoms include a loss of appetite, diarrhea, straining to defecate, and mucus or blood in the stool.
Young Boxers and French Bulldogs are prone to a severe form of inflammatory bowel disease called granulomatous colitis, where a bowel segment becomes thickened or partially blocked due to bacterial invasion of the intestinal wall by macrophages (a type of white blood cell). This condition leads to bloody diarrhea, weight loss, and anemia.
In most cases, antibiotic treatment and a change to a low residue diet will resolve the symptoms of colitis. However, for dogs with autoimmune or other chronic health issues, the prognosis is less encouraging.
Skin Disorders
The same skin folds that make bulldogs so cute can lead to a host of frustrating and harmful dermatological issues. Fortunately, veterinary expertise can help identify and treat these problems.
Wrinkle and fold dermatitis, skin pyoderma, and seborrhea are common problems caused by excess moisture, heat, and bacteria. These irritants can cause pain, itching, and a noticeable odor in areas such as the groin, nipples, and ears. You can know more on bulldogs at Bulldogology.
In most cases, a simple routine of gently cleaning and drying these regions will help keep your bulldog comfortable. For more severe and chronic skin issues, your vet may recommend immune-boosting supplements and topical bully therapeutics. Antibiotics and other medications may also be recommended. Interdigital cysts (swellings between the toes) are also a concern for this breed and often accompanied by pain and inflammation.
Diabetes
Bulldogs can suffer from diabetes, a condition that occurs when the dog’s body doesn’t have enough insulin and starts to break down its own fat and protein reserves to get energy. It can cause the dog to be lethargic, excessively hungry and thirsty, and have high glucose levels in their urine and bloodstream.
English bulldogs are also prone to a condition known as cherry eye, which is when the ligament holding the third eyelid stretches or detaches from the socket. This results in a red, cherry-like bump on the corner of the dog’s eyes.
Responsible breeders test their breeding stock and only breed dogs with healthy hips and elbows to prevent these joint problems from occurring. However, these problems can still develop later in life due to poor genetics and breeding practices.