Gotta love this little English Bulldog Gal, from blogger I am Your Canadian Boyfriend

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Hi Jan,

We have not spoke in a while I hope all is well with you and you bully.  I have a concern that I wonder if you could help me with. I noticed this morning a swelling or puffiness in my bully’s ear. I called my Vet but he won’t be in until tomorrow. When I described what I saw to the nurse she said she is pretty sure it is a hematoma and that he would need surgery.

I am very scared of surgery because I know how risky it is with Bulldogs. I have been reading all kinds of things on the internet, one thing I read was that old fashioned Vets don’t rush into surgery they suggest boiling water and adding sea salt and bathing the ear every hour, or using witch hazel.  Do you know anything about this and can you give me any advise on what I should do I am very frightened.

Thanks,  Your Bully Friend, JoAnn

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Hi JoAnn,

It sounds like it’s an aural hematoma which will probably need to be drained if it doesn’t go away using the methods you know about.  It can be caused by either an insect bite, ear mites, an ear infection, or from being irritated by scratching and/or injuring the small blood vessels in the ear flap.

I think you need to have it looked at to find out what it is and proceed from there.

It would not be a surgery that should require being under anesthesia very long.  There is always a risk but if your vet is familiar with bulldogs and knows which type of anesthesia to use and the smaller breathing tubes, and if your dog is in good health, it should go fine.

You should ask him about the cures you’ve heard of.

Here’s some information on aural hematomas from The American College if Veterinarian Surgeons

Overview

An aural hematoma is a collection of blood within the cartilage plate of the ear and the skin and usually arises as a self-inflicted injury from scratching and head shaking.

Causes

Underlying causes include all conditions that result in otitis externa (infection of the external ear canal). Hematoma formation has also been associated with increased capillary fragility (e.g., as seen with Cushing’s disease).

Incidence and Prevalence

Aural hematoma is the most common result of physical injury to the pinna (the “flap” of the ear). The condition is common in dogs with chronic otitis externa, and less common in cats.

Signs and Symptoms

Swelling associated with aural hematoma is most apparent on the concave inner surface of the pinna. (Figure 1) The swelling is soft and warm in the early stages. With chronicity, fibrosis and contraction will thicken and deform the ear, resulting in a cauliflower contracture.

Risk Factors

Sources of irritation to the ear have been implicated in the development of aural hematoma. These include inflammation, parasites, allergies, and foreign bodies. Most patients usually have an associated otitis externa. Recurrence of the condition is common if the underlying condition is not resolved.

Treatment Options

Treatment options included needle aspiration and bandages, tube drainage systems and incisional drainage.  Apposition between the tissues should be restored and maintained with bandages, with fibrin sealants, with the aid of sutures, or with tissue welding using laser.  The goals of surgery are to remove the hematoma, prevent recurrence, and retain the natural appearance of the ears.

Let me know what you decide.

your bulldog pal,

Jan

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When I was a child we had lots of pets.  My mom loved cats and I even go to see kittens born!  We also had a couple dogs.  Alas, none were bulldogs - my love affair with English Bulldogs started when I was an adult! None of us suffered from allergies and now science may have discovered why!

I read this post from Dr Marty Becker, from his new book The Healing Power of Pets

New evidence suggests that exposure to pets early in life might actually help the body build defenses against allergies and asthma, thereby protecting children from developing reactions, rather than triggering them.

“Kids exposed to animals seemed to be better off,” said Christine Johnson, Ph.D., a senior research epidemiologist with the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. Christine Johnson’s study… tracked 833 children over seven years and found that exposure to two or more cats and dogs at one year of age made children less susceptible to other allergy-inducing substances by the time they turned seven, and that the exposure even improved some boys’ lung functions.

Other research since then has supported these findings, but it’s not just allergens; it’s germs, too. It’s part of what’s known as the “hygeine hypothesis,” the idea that as standards of household cleanliness have been raised, children are being exposed to fewer and fewer germs and allergens, and their immune systems are not as robust as they would be if raised with dust, dirt, farm animals and, of course, “snakes and snails and puppy dog tails.”

One important note: It’s very important that you start early. If you have pets from birth or as toddlers, great. If you wait until you’re a teenager to get a pet to reduce allergies or asthma, not only does it not work, it may make these conditions worse.

Find out about Marty’s book at this link The Healing Power of Pets

And be sure to let your small children cuddle with your bulldog - it’s good for both of them!

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Hi Jan,

regarding the bully nose, I noticed that it gets very dry
so i started to put vaseline on it and now it seems as
though his nose is shedding itself and black parts of
his nose are peeling, do you have any suggestions??

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In case we don’t have enough to worry about with our Bulldogs
and their allergic reactions to things in the environment . . .

There is virtually no government oversight in
the manufacture of pet toys.  In fact there are no safety
requirements like there are in children’s toys.  No government
standards for hazardous chemicals.  Consequently there can be
high levels of lead and other harmful chemicals in your
dog beds and toys.

An organization called Healthy Stuff has just released a list
of dog beds and toys with ratings as to how much lead or other
hazardous materials are used in the manufacture.

It’s an eye-opener!

Especially toxic are half of the tennis balls tested!  And lots of dog
beds - that’s a lot of exposure for the hours your bulldog sleeps.
I suppose I should be somewhat relieved to find that Kong toys
are on the “low” list, but why should they have any toxins.

Take a look - it’s in alphabetical order by manufacturer:
http://www.healthystuff.org/departments/pets/product.least.php

If you are really concerned you can write the government or
the manufacturer of your favorite products.  If they get
enough mail they do listen.

I’m glad there are folks concerned enough to test these products
and let us know.

On a lighter note, Archie and I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Our bulldogs give us so much to be thankful for!

your bulldog pal,
Jan

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Hi Jan!

I just recently found your blog and thought you could help me.
My boy Tank has a red ball at the end of his pe*nis that is  about the size
of a small grape. It doesn’t seem to be bothering him at all and it’s not
affecting urination that I can tell. It’s been there for a while and doesn’t
seem to be getting better. We live in the arctic and won’t have access to
a vet till we go on vacation in November. Tank is otherwise very healthy.
Additional details- He’s 19 months old and he’s fixed. Should I be worried?

Thanks, Tank’s Mom Morena

Hi Morena,

It sounds like Tank may have what’s called a prolapsed urethra, which
is fairly common in bulldogs.  Sometimes this results in bleeding if
a small blood vessel breaks.  Since he’s stable you are probably ok
for now but you should see a specialist vet (urologist) as soon as
possible for a proper diagnosis.

Here’s an article on the subject:
http://www.dvmnews.com/dvm/Diagnotes/How-would-you-manage-a-prolapsed-urethra-in-an-Eng/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/372887

Vets used to amputate the end of the penis to fix this problem but there
is a new and very easy, non-invasive procedure now that does not mutilate
the dog, but tacks the urethra back into the penis.  It’s called a Urethropexy,
and it only takes about 15 minutes to perform:
http://www.jaaha.org/cgi/content/abstract/38/4/381

I hope this helps.  Please let me know how it goes.

Your Bulldog Pal,
Jan

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When I finish my schooling I am planning on traveling long-term by sailboat (cruising) to various parts of the world, starting with the Caribbean. At first my immediate thought was, “A bulldog should be better suited to a 42 foot sailboat than any other breed, seeing as how they are mild-mannered dogs who just lie around most of the time. Until I bought your book I didn’t really grasp just how serious heat stroke is in bulldogs. I knew they were more prone to overheating, but I had no idea they could develop heat stroke in 80 degree weather. That’s what really shocked me. We have air conditioning in the sailboat, but only when we are plugged into a marina. When out sailing the air can’t run off batteries of even wind or solar power. So we are pretty much limited to fans in warm weather while under way. This is the only thing that poses a real problem in my getting an english bulldog. I don’t believe exercise would be a problem because we would spend more time in marinas than sailing, so going for walks wouldn’t be an issue. The thing is when we are sailing from one location to the next, would my bulldog overheat in the warmer hours of the day? This is killing me! I am in love with sailing, and I am in love with english bulldogs. I just can’t bring myself to choose one or the other. I just wish there was some way the two could go together and keep my bulldog comfortable as well. This is why I was curious about miniature bulldogs. But I am really only interested in the english bulldog. I have seen various products that aid in keeping your dog cool in warm weather such as cooling pads that the dog lies on, cooling bandanas, cooling vests, etc. Do you think it is possible to keep a bulldog cool on a sailboat with no A/C, but lots of cool shade in the cockpit and of course in the cabin if we avoid temperatures over 90 degrees while keeping fans on the bulldog during warmer hours of the day, along with lots of cool freshwater for him to drink, possibly a cooling pad for him to lie on, maybe even a kiddie pool in the cockpit for him to lie in? What I’m saying is I am willing to do anything to make it possible to keep an english bulldog comfortable on a sailboat. Keep in mind it would only be warm in the afternoon hours while making a short 1-2 day crossing from one location to the next. The majority of the time we would be in a marina running the A/C. I would worship this dog, and would never leave him in a situation that may harm him. And if it is absolutely impossible to keep a bulldog cool and comfortable with no A/C for a couple of days at a time, then I would do the responsible thing and not get a bulldog, even though it would break my heart.

What is your view on my situation? Any advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

–Lori

Hi Lori

In your situation I think you could manage a bulldog.
I’d be especially careful in choosing one with minimal
breathing problems - this requires careful research of breeders.

Then if you keep your bulldog in the shade with a breeze and possibly
a cooling vest or wet t-shirt, he should be ok.  Stuffy heat or
ourdoors over 80 just laying around is very dangerous.
A cooling pad would also be a good idea.

And you could also invest in a life jacket for your bulldog.  They
do not really swim well because of the large head and chest.
But they do love the water, so a life line attached to a harness
would also be a good idea.
I live in Denver and when it gets over 80 degrees inside my home,
I notice that my Archie starts to lay around and sometimes just
pants.  I turn on the air conditioning for him when it gets this warm.
He’ll gravitate to the cool tiles and hardwood floor in the heat, and
avoids his fleece bed.

Sometimes I take my Archie outside when it’s 90-something and
I’m hosing down the deck.  I host him down too, but I don’t let
him run around for more than 10 minutes.  And I keep a very
close eye on him.

You can tell when they start to overheat.  They start panting
really hard with tongue extended way out.  Or they vomit.
This are both signs to take action immediately in cooling
them off.

A bulldog can overheat in the winter if they get too excited
and run around the house with other dogs.  I’ve had this
happen with Archie at Thanksgiving.  But I can tell because
he starts to pant.  They don’t know they can’t keep up with
the other dogs!

I have heard of many bulldog deaths where some ignorant
owner has their dog chasing them while they mow the lawn.
The dog collapses and dies before they can get them to the
vet.  But this is because they did not know about the over-
heating.

Anyway if you are knowledgeable about the symptoms and
if you just observe you will learn pretty quickly what your bulldog’s
limits are.

So I think you’ll be fine sailing the seas!  It would make a good
news story!

Let me know when you get one.

your bulldog pal,

Jan

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Nightline produced a controversial piece on the
breed standard practices promoted by the AKC,
following the controversy over breeding that started
in the UK.

Of course they feature the Bulldog as a prime example
of inbred genetically caused health issues.

You can see the video here:
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7064046

I have mixed feelings about this because I love my
bulldogs and the Bulldog breed, but I have had a very
compromised bulldog and I also hear so many
sad stories from people who have sickly bulldogs.

It’s unfortunate that our breed has to be one of the
targets for criticism but I’m afraid it’s also well documented
how many health problems they have.

So go watch the video and hug your bulldog!

your bulldog pal,
Jan

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Hi Jan,

I have a question is it possible to have a bulldog with a water pond inthe back yard??? or is it to ricky to have the bulldog in a house that has a water pond???

–Laura

Hey Laura,

You can have a pond if it’s not deep enough that your bulldog
cannot stand up.  Bulldogs cannot swim and if the water is too
deep, if he fell in you would risk losing him.

You can put a barrier around it to keep him from falling in, just
as one would do with a swimming pool.  Or be sure that you
are out there with him but that has some risk as well if he gets
outside when you’re not looking, gets intrigued by something
in the water, and decides to go in after it.

Best to keep it shallow or inaccessible.

your bulldog pal,
Jan

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