BULLDOG HEALTH & VET INFO

Know Your Bulldog!

Know Your Vet!

And be sure your vet knows your bulldog! We can't stress this enough. English Bulldogs are a truly unique breed. Almost any English Bulldog owner can attest to that. But the English Bulldogs uniqueness goes far beyond their signature appeals of an amusing appearance and an indescribably human and highly individual personality. English Bulldogs are essentially a man made breed. They're bred for certain physical traits (like that irresistible sourmug!) Nature shapes the physical characteristics of most animals to fit their function and environment.

English Bulldogs are not built to thrive in any natural environment. So before you welcome an English Bulldog to your family, it is wise to become as knowledgeable as possible about the breed. You must then find a vet who is knowledgeable and experienced with the English Bulldog breed. In the event of a serious health issue (or even a minor issue!) you may very well regret not having a good Bulldog vet who is familiar with your bully and the breed in general. Even if the vet down the street has treated your old hound dog, Jake, for years he may not be familiar with the special needs and the uniqueanatomy of the English Bulldog. This does not mean that English Bulldogs simply can't be healthy. It just means that they will rely on you to keep them healthy and to care for them. So it is up to you to do the extra work of educating yourself and finding an educated and experienced vet for your Bulldog.

For example, sadly, many English Bulldogs have been lost in simple, non-emergency procedures that require anesthesia. English Bulldogs have smaller airways than most breeds. Anesthesia causes all the muscles to relax putting the airways in danger of collapsing. Over the years we have also seen & heard of many English Bulldogs losing their lives or nearly losing their lives due to being misdiagnosed by a vet that their loving owners trusted. We personally helped save at lest 4 healthy Bulldogs that were all going to be put down (for all different reasons) by their heart-broken owners who were following their vet's suggestion. All were maimed because of circumstantial events (in all four cases the vets diagnosed them stating that they had congenital defects, were suffering and must be put down immediately) I stopped their owners, helped them do some research on the condition the vet had diagnosed looked at some x-rays, and come to find out the diagnoses scarcely even matched the Bulldogs conditions at all, especial when considering current events! I talked them through how to correctly care for and treat their Bulldog child to make them better. All four of them are perfectly happy and healthy to this day and have since been examined by licensed veterinarians and found to be in perfect health.

These are just a couple examples of the many reasons you should educate yourself so that you understand your unique Bully! And why finding the right vet is extremely important! It is also a reason that the breeding of English Bulldogs should only be undertaken by the most knowledgeable, experienced and committed families. Over 90% of English Bulldog puppies are born via Cesarean section-a very stressful, risky and costly experience!

We do not intend the information above to make you suspicious of veterinarians or to underestimate their value to animal lovers in general. But we have seen enough to know that vets are human like you and I and they can, and often do, make mistakes. This is understandable, especially when you consider how your vets schooling compares with your family (human) doctors schooling. You family doctor deals with the health and well being of you and your human family. What a task indeed! To be able to do this your family doctor goes to school for about 8 years plus undergoes an additional 3-8 years of internship, residency and so on depending on the chosen field! Human health and anatomy, of course, is extremely complex (and way over my head!). But humans all have basically the same build. On top of that, your family doctor has the advantage of dealing with patients who can actually speak and describe the problems they are experiencing. They can also verbally convey how any prescribed medication or treatment is making them feel.

Your veterinarian also goes to school for about 8 years but requires no lengthy internship or residency. (It should be noted that they have to pass a demanding National Veterinary Medical Board exam - similiar to the bar exam in law.)Unlike your doctor who's schooling was longer overall and who's area of study was more concentrated, your vet learns to care for the health and well being of animals! Just think of how many species of animals there are! And many species have many different breeds. There are hundreds of dog breeds each with slightly different skeletal and muscle builds. Add to this the fact that the English Bulldog is one of the most outstandingly different of the dog breeds. Their skeletal and muscle build is very different. Their respiratory system has different needs and requirements to stay healthy and to function properly. In addition, your beloved English Bulldog (no matter how human he/she may seem) cannot verbally explain any problems they may be having. So you can see the daunting task your vet is up against.

What About Vet Bills?

As noted above English Bulldogs have special needs mostly due to their characteristic physical traits. They are short nosed (brachycephalic), have smaller airways and are 'roach-backed' to name a few. Their skeletal structure is also different. Add to this the proliferation of bad breedings and puppy mills and you have a perfect recipe for a bad reputation for English Bulldogs. Bad breeders and puppy-millers take an already delicate breeding process and abuse it for the purpose of making money. These people are not very concerned with health, temperament or conformation and so are able to turn out huge numbers of 'bad' English Bulldog puppies. There are so many of these kinds of Bulldogs out there it's no wonder English Bulldogs have a reputation for being 'unhealthy'. That reputation is not lost on veterinarians. Veterinarians are, by and large, honest sincere people who truly love animals. But many will take advantage of this 'bad reputation'. Many people think that if they have an English Bulldog then ridiculous vet bills are just a given. Some Vets take advantage of this false notion and are quick to recommend the most costly treatment for Bulldogs with the most minor health issues! Cherry Eye surgery is a perfect example of this. Cherry eye is a largely cosmetic problem with very little real health risk. But it's just plain ugly when it's on the face of your gorgeous English Bulldog! And because it's so obvious and noticeable, many Bulldog owners are highly alarmed by it's mere presence. It just looks to some as though it has to be a serious problem. Bully owners sometimes fear their pet could even go blind as a result! And so it is that many a worried Bulldog owner rushes to the vet with a "do whatever it takes" attitude. Some vets take this as "I'll spend whatever you say". This allows the vet to play 'name your own price'. I know of vets who have charged $100-$150 for cherry eye surgery with wonderful results and some have charged up to $1500 with results no better (worse in a few cases) than the less expensive vet! Just one more reason we stress the need to know your own Bulldog and know your vet!

The best insurance you have to ensure your English Bulldog's future health & happiness is to:

#1 Make sure you pick a healthy, well bred English Bulldog puppy, from a Bulldog expert that will want to educate you and be happy to answer any questions you may have about the English Bulldog breed.

#2 Pick a Bulldog puppy you are positive has been health examined by a veterinarian BEFORE you ever bring him or her home.

#3 Do the research, educate yourself so you understand your unique Bully! Once you really understand how your Bulldog's unique anatomy works and how it is different, how to care for your English Bulldog puppy correctly will start to come much more automatic & naturally. Then you will naturally be more instinctive for any situation that may put your Bulldog/child at any health risk (including dealings with your vet).

#4 Find a good, knowledgeable, experienced Bulldog Vet. You can get helpful information and recommendations as to picking the right vet in your area from your local Bulldog Club or by talking with experienced English Bulldog breeders or owners.