Personally I would never fly my Bulldog in the cargo area of an airplane.  My
cousin was a pilot who first alerted me to the high number of dog deaths that
were never released to the public.

For the reasons why a Bulldog is so susceptible to death, read this FAQS page
from the American Veterinarian Medical Association:
http://www.avma.org/animal_health/short-nosed_dogs_air_travel_faq.asp

Here’s an excerpt:

“brachycephalic breeds are prone to respiratory problems because, although they have shortened noses, they still have to pack all of the same anatomical structures in there that dogs with longer snouts do. Just because their snouts are shorter doesn’t mean they’re missing any parts – they still have to pack nasal passages, sinuses, and a hard palate into that small area. It’s sort of like moving from a house to an apartment and having to put the same amount of furniture in the apartment – it’s all there, but it can be a bit cramped. The situation is worsened if the dog is overweight or obese.”

And one more - I couldn’t have said it better:

“As a result of the tighter space, they are prone to problems such as smaller-than-normal nostrils, a longer-than-normal soft palate, and a narrowed trachea (or windpipe). Because of these abnormalities, they don’t breathe as efficiently as dogs with normal-length snouts and can have difficulty cooling off when they’re playing or exercising, or if they’re stressed or overheated. And when they’re stressed, their airway can actually collapse (either partially or completely) and cut off their airflow.”

You can also watch this related short video:
http://www.avmatv.org/media.cfm?c=761&m=3503&s=68&

It’s just another one of those Bulldog things.  When I travel with Archie, I
drive.  Mostly I just leave him at home where he’s happiest with the same
reliable dog sitter every time I leave.

My name is Erica I have a 81/2month old brindle frenchie lately I’ve noticed around her eyes she seems to be loosing hair and today one of her eyes looks a little puffy. I use puppy wipes to clean her face but have stopped using them just in case I didn’t know if it was from the wipes or maybe her food. We use  purina pro plan just wondering what I could do at home first to prevent going to the vet.

Thanks, Erica

Hi Erica,

From your description & your dog’s age that sounds like an outbreak of demodectic mange or a proliferation of mites.  Mites normally live peacefully on a dog’s skin but can get out of hand and start to multiply.  Since they live in the base of the hair follicle they will cause the hair to fall out.  Around the eyes is one of the places it shows up.

Most cases of mites will resolve themselves on their own with no treatment.  It is difficult to treat by the eyes because most products should not be allowed in eyes.

Diet is important in your dog’s immune system’s ability to fight off invaders like mites.  I would suggest you get a higher quality diet for your Frenchie.  Go to your local specialty dog food store (not a big box store) and get a human grade food made with no corn, no wheat, no soy, no chicken.  Try a lamb and rice formula I recommend in my book such as Prairie or a fish diet like Taste of the Wild.

Good luck - keep me posted.

Your Bulldog Pal,

Jan

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It depends upon the temperament of both dogs.  I’ve found males to be more tolerant of new females coming into their territory than the reverse.  You should let the dogs meet in a neutral territory (don’t just bring her into his house) and see how it goes.

Dogs are very social animals but they also have a pack mentality and sometimes they just don’t like a new dog around their space.  If the dogs meet and bow down to each other playfully that’s a good sign.  If they stand rigid or the hairs on the back of the neck go up then things aren’t going so well.

Also give the dogs lots of positive reinforcement for good behavior.  Don’t be nervous because your dog will pick up on your feelings and that can complicate things.

Here’s an article from the Humane Society on how to introduce pets: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/tips/introducing_new_dog.html

Pavement can get upwards of 120 degrees in the sun. I’ve seen many bulldogs panting so hard their tongue is coming out of their head five or more inches in an attempt to cool off. If a bulldog gets to this degree of overheating death is possible. And it may occur a few hours later so the owner doesn’t “know what happened”. This sad scenario is one I’ve heard of numerous times.

My Bulldog Archie is a very active dog. I walk him two miles in the morning (earlier and earlier as the days warm up, making sure it’s below 60 degrees in the morning) and again in the evening if it’s not too hot. He’s trim and fit. The exercise is a bonding experience for me and him and it also helps work off excess energy.

Not all Bulldogs are like Archie. My Vivy could not have done this. Her breathing was too compromised. Only you can determine if your Bulldog can tolerate walking in the warm weather. Archie has a little longer snout and he’s able to breathe better than many other Brachycephalic dogs.

A lot of a dog’s cooling mechanism is in the snout, not through the skin as in us. The long snout allows air to travel over the tongue and by evaporating saliva cools down a dog. Since the Bulldog breeds have short noses and elongated palates they do not have this capacity to cool off properly. The air is slowed down, the throat swells causing more distress, thickening saliva and “foamy stuff” which further compromises breathing. This can lead to heat stroke and death.

If you have any doubts about overheating don’t take your bulldog out at all. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

If you want to exercise your dog in the heat, here are a few tips. It’s June in California and it can get up to 80 degrees or more so I take him early in the morning when the temperature is around 60 degrees.

I take a bottle of water and wet him down on his back, belly, sides, and rear end, avoiding his face and wrinkles since water will make his folds get infected. An option is what I call the “wet t-shirt” routine. Put your dog in a child’s t-shirt or a cooling blanket from a pet store and soak it in water to keep him or her cool.

I keep a close eye on his breathing. If he’s panting too rapidly I let him take a little rest in the shade.

Speaking of shade, I only walk him in a shady area. Direct sun is way too intense for an English Bulldog in the summer months.

If your dog’s tongue starts to protrude out the mouth really far, in contrast to normal tongue panting, it is a sure sign of overheating. Do not let this happen. If it does you need to cool the dog down immediately with more cold water and don’t let him walk anymore. Carry him to your air conditioned car or home immediately.

Another sure sign of overheating is when a Bulldog drops to the ground. This requires immediate attention and cooling.

Another sign of overheating is vomiting. If your bully is laying in the sun on a hot day (I wonder why they like to do this!) and starts to pant and gets up and throws up, she is in trouble. Take her inside and cool her down. Don’t just let her stay outside without keeping an eye on her when it’s hot because sure enough she’s going to go lay on the patio in the sun.

your bulldog pal,
Jan

Chris

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Hi Chris,

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

—-

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

–

Hi G,

I just wanted to get your opinion on my bulldog Bitzy(Bo Bo).  She’s about 7 months old and has already been through her first heat.

For the last few months(4 or so) we noticed she babies her hind legs quite a bit, mostly when she gets up from sitting, and she doesn’t like for us to touch her hind legs,but mostly down towards the bend of her legs. She doesn’t yelp if we do touch them she just kinda pushes/licks our hand if we do. She also tends to lick and bite at her legs out of the middle of no where as if something has bitten her.

Once she’s up if there something she wants to stay up for like playtime,eating or to go to bed, then she stays up, but if she just gets up to go outside or to wonder around the house then she usually will sit down not much after getting up.

Although she has no problem running around the yard at full speed pickin on my twice her size old english buddy, or chasing the garden hose when it on. For a while we thought she was just being lazy maybe,or maybe overweight, but now as the time has progressed and she’s lost a little baby puppy pounds and we’ve noticed how she sometimes just want to lay and sleep were thinking it’s probably something a bit more serious. if you have any idea in what could be wrong with our bitzy bo bo please let us now asap.

thanxs very much.

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Hi Dawnette,