Bulldog Health

As a general rule today's bulldog is pretty healthy, some do have breathing difficulties due to the shape of their head (i.e. Brach cephalic - short nosed) and occasionally they may develop structural faults due to their shallow joints, for this reason you need to keep an eye on young pups (under 9 months) so as they don't damage their green bones.  The shape of his head does make it difficult for some to cope with hot weather, but providing you are sensible, provide the best food and supplements, and appreciate that the this breed is totally unique, problems will be few and far between.

Maintenance?

For the same reasons that you wouldn't buy a long haired breed and never brush it, don't by a bulldog and never expect to have to wash his face.  The bulldog will require daily attention to his face and maybe under his tail too.  Wipe his face over daily, ensuring that you wipe out the wrinkles (especially the one that goes over his nose) with a damp cloth or baby wipes, make sure you dry thoroughly and if any soreness is present wipe a little Desitin into the folds. A dab of Vaseline on his nose will keep it soft and prevent it from drying out and becoming flaky. Make sure that the ears are clean and that his eyes are bright and clear, tear stains can be combated with a daily wipe over with Optrex Eye Lotion and cotton wool, not only is this safe for his eyes but Optrex contains Boric Acid that will lessen the stain.  His coat should be brushed on a weekly basis which will also give you the opportunity to check for any skin soreness and fleas - and during the summer for ticks!

All this may sound like hard work, but  for the time and energy he will request from you, in return he will love you unconditionally and be loyal to you and your family no matter what. Owning a Bulldog is something that should never be taken lightly, they are a high maintenance breed, so before purchasing that cute little puppy read as much about the breed as you can and it's also a good idea to attend a breed show where you will be able to watch the bulldogs in the ring and have the opportunity to talk to breeders and other bulldog owners.

Itchy Skin: Probably an allergy, possibly the food you are feeding - If this cannot be controlled by diet then you may need to see your vet,

Cherry Eye: Where the gland under the third eyelid protrudes and looks rather like a cherry in the corner of the eye. Your vet will need to remove the gland (some prefer to tuck). Occasionally removal of the gland causes dry eye.

Entropian: Where the eyelashes have turned inwards and are rubbing against the eye, again surgery may be required. Don’t confuse this with stray eyelashes that are just growing astray, these can be plucked with tweezers (you may prefer your vet to do this). Entropian needs surgery - if left the in-turned lashes will scratch the cornea and the result will be a severely damaged eye, at worst blindness or loss of eye

Head Shakes: Rather like a fit, but effecting just the head, which will involuntary shake from side to side, sometimes violently enough to cause their lips to flap about. We have always found them to be linked to stress which may cause the blood sugar level to drop enough to trigger the head shake. Giving some glucose or runny honey to bring the blood sugar level back up should help although distraction often stops the shaking. If you are unable to link the attack to a specific stressful incident then your bulldog may be suffering in some way and it is advisable that you get your vet to check him over. Note, many vets are unfamiliar with this breed specific condition and some breeders attribute them to a lack of calcium as they are common in the pregnant or nursing bitch. However please do not give calcium under normal circumstances as this could effect the bone formation of your puppy,

Development Problems: Because of the bulldog’s rapid growth it is very important that you keep play and exercise properly managed in the first 9 months, early joint damage could be permanent and may lead to osteoarthritis, irregular growth in the bones could lead to joint deformities. Hip/elbow displaysia is genetic but can be encouraged via environmental factors (i.e.: slippery floors, jumping etc). Fairly often puppy limping will disappear at maturity and is usually due to the rapid growth spurts or an incorrect diet.

Elongated Soft Palate and other airway disorders: Every bulldog has an elongated soft palate, this is because of the shape of their heads (i.e.: Brach cephalic - short nosed). In most cases this causes nothing more than snoring, but in severe cases will cause your bulldog difficulty in breathing. Heat and exercise will cause loud, gurgly breathing, (commonly known as "roaring") and your bulldog may appear to be "lazy".  The severity can range from loud breathing when excited, during/after exercise to total exercise intolerance, regurgitation of food to permanent breathing difficulties. The condition can be corrected with surgery and you need to be sure that the vet you chose to carry out this surgery totally understand Brach cephalic breeds.

Tear Stains: If your dog has a white face you may find that over time the tears from his eyes cause his face to stain red. This may be attributed to the red coloring in the food he’s eating but this is not always the case, some bulldogs produce red tears and some don’t, those with white faces will have these stains more than dark colored faces. A daily wipe with "Optrex" eye wash will help, Optrex contains boric acid and witch-hazel which will break up the stain and will not effect the dogs eyes as the solution specifically for use in the eyes.

Sore Wrinkles: Looking after a bulldog involves daily care of the face and the deep folds. Wash their faces on a daily basis with either a soft cloth and water or unscented baby wipes. Be sure to dry the face properly and then apply Desiten to the folds, extra care is needed to the nose roll which in some bulldogs can be very deep.

Tail Problems: A true bulldog tail is a dream to look after, ideally he should have a nice straight spiked tail, moderate in length, that can be easily lifted away from the body - however, screw tails in bulldogs are not uncommon and this and/or an inverted tail (where the tail is growing back into the body) can cause your bulldog a few problems.  You should endeavor to keep tight tails clean and DRY, but if this proves to be a problem you should consult your vet

Temperature: Your dogs temperature should be between 100 and 101

Vets

Please try to find a vet that understands the bulldog, this breed is a hard breed to anaesthetize so be sure that the vet you have chosen is aware of this fact at least, try to only have your bulldog put under when absolutely necessary. Bulldogs also have very shallow joint sockets and a vet that is unfamiliar with the breed may not only miss-diagnose joint problems but may also see you as a way to make more money. Almost every Bulldog will have a slightly elongated soft palate which is why they snore, this is because of the shape of their heads and because the entire throat is being stuffed into a space that is too small in comparison to other breeds, in sever cases it will restrict your bulldogs ability to breathe and will need surgery (see above) , but if your dog is comfortable then it’s best to leave it be, so be aware - if your vet informs you that he needs to resection the soft palate this may not be the case at all. Bulldogs with severe soft palate problems will overheat easily, find it very difficult to cope with any form of exercise and may regurgitate their food. If there are other bulldog owners in your area ask them who they go to and at least ask your vet what his bulldog experience is.