Ask the French Bulldog Experts

admin July 24th, 2008

Well, we’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again - nine times out of ten, if you give your French Bulldog puppy’s ears enough time, they will come up.

Here’s some proof - follow up to this posting from a few months back.

I do not know if you will remember but a few weeks ago I asked a question re our frenchies ears. You kindly answered and said that they will come up in time - well they did!

Thanks again - Photo of Jack and his ears attached.

Pat writes -

Congratulations!!! a cute dog… and lovely ears… glad all is well

Editor’s note: No, no, no. Jack’s ears are definately defective. Umm, yeah. He’s broken, so you might as well just… umm… send him to me. Yeah! Send me that adorable little darling broken eared little defective.

Tags: ears, fixing ears, floppy ears, French Bull Dog, French Bulldog, Frenchie, Frenchie ears

• French Bulldog Breeding
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lorihuntdvm July 23rd, 2008

have a 10 1/2 week old french bulldog.  He has a reverse scissor bite but I noticed that his top teeth are digging into the back side of his bottom gums.  Have you seen this before?  I have talked to two different vets.  One said to pull the teeth and that there was a 50% chance that the adult teeth would grow in normal (don’t really understand how pulling the teeth would affect the adult teeth). The other said that since there is no inflammation and that it doesn’t seem to be bothering him then we don’t need to pull them and just hope that the gums/jaw will adjust as he grows to accommodate the top teeth.

What do you think?  Have others had this issue and what have they done?

Dr. Lori writes -

Pulling baby teeth to make room for the adult teeth is known as preventative orthodontics, and can be a very good idea in some cases.  I would have to see him to tell you which way to go.  If he is not going to be shown, and instead will be neutered, I would wait and watch.  He is still quiet young and his bite will do a lot of changing in the next couple of months.

I would say if you still see the issue at 4 or 5 months, to consider pulling them so the adult teeth have a chance to come in in the appropriate positions and not do the same thing as the baby teeth.  You could do this at the same time as his neuter.

Dr. Lori Hunt, DVM

Editor’s note: We recently dealt with a similar issue here

Tags: bite, French Bull Dog, French Bulldog, French Bulldog Veterinary, Frenchie, orthodontics, teeth, veterinarian

• French Bulldog Veterinary , teeth and bite
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gollygear July 22nd, 2008

Hi Hope,

I have a 9 month old Frenchie, who to say the least is really pushing my limits. She is only left alone for 3-4hr periods at the max. We crate trained her for the first 5months and when I thought she was house broke we let he roam the house. She typically did very well but recently she has been pooping and peeing throughout the house in certain favorite spots of hers. She is also going crazy in the house when we are gone by somehow opening cabinets, drawers, doors, etc to get stuff out, rip them up, pee, and basically be a little terror.

What suggestions do you have? How can I eliminate this poor behavior and stop the defecation within the house?

Thank you!

Hope writes -

Welcome to the wonderful world of adolescent Frenchies!  If there’s a way to get into trouble, they’ll find it. And, in reality, that’s a good thing - you want a dog who’s curious, engaged, and looking for fun.

Like every other adolescent, human or animal, your pup needs some boundaries set for her. The only way to do that when you’re not home is to keep her in her crate.

You already mentioned that she was very successful in her crate. My question to you is - why did you stop using it? Crates are not a temporary housebreaking aid, although that is one of the first uses. It’s also your dog’s “room,” the one place in the house that belongs to her, where she can go to be safe and secure.

Dogs are den animals by nature. Most dogs love being in small spaces, secure and cozy. I know of one dog, a Boston Terrier, who never got into trouble unless he was denied access to his crate. Then he tore up the house.

You need to restore your pup’s special place to her - as soon as possible. I also know of a recent case in which people thought they were doing a kindness to their rescue dog by leaving it uncrated when they were away. He ate a tube of ointment and died.

It’s a harsh lesson - please learn from others’ experience. Your little girl is too precious to risk.

Hope

Tags: dog training, French Bulldog, Frenchie, house breaking, house training, puppy

• French Bulldog Training , house breaking
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admin July 21st, 2008

I posted two weeks ago about my puppy, Stella, getting so bloated after eating.

It’s two weeks later, and while the bloating is still
there, it is also combined with projectile diarrhea - which basically
looks like yellow split pea soup.  I have had numerous trips to the
vet, we have tried flagyl, amfarol, and now she is on Panacur.

However, no tests have shown anything in her stool.  On our breeders
suggestion, we also have her eating rice, chicken, yogurt.  We are
also giving her some FortiFlora and Nutrical.  Her stools have been
very soft since day 1 (we’ve had her for 4 weeks), but now on this new
diet (it’s been 2 full days), her diarrhea is the worst I’ve ever seen
it.  Her attitude and spirit is still wonderful.  No lethargy, loss of
appetite, or strange behavior.  She doesn’t have any accidents in the
house or in her crate overnight, but when she goes outside, it’s like
an explosion.

She is also constantly scooting her but on the ground
b/c I can only assume it’s irritated.  Any insight?  Our vet has been
great, but only through consulting other vets (he’s never worked with
a Frenchie before).  I just am so upset because I’m afraid I have a
sick puppy and nothing seems to help her.

Advice?

Dr. Lori writes -

It sounds like you are doing all you can, one suggestion I have is to pick one food and stick with it, preferably a bland dry food, as canned foods tend to loosen stool.  It could be all the switching of the food is making it worse.  I am not sure what “tests” have been done on her stool, but if you haven’t done a culture, I would suggest that.  I would definitely keep up with the probiotic.

Although I know the diarrhea is disturbing, from your description she sounds healthy and in good spirits, just loose stools.  Do keep us posted and good luck with her.

Lori Hunt, DVM

We just received this follow up from Stella’s mom -

Hello!!!

She’s sooooo much better.  After a round of Panacur and some Tylosin, she is totally fine.  That was such a scare.

Tags: bloating, digestion, French Bulldog food, Frenchie puppy, puppy with upset stomach, Vet, veterinarian

• Dog Food , digestion
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admin July 21st, 2008

My puppy is going to be six month this weekend.  I was planning on getting him neutered around this age but he only has one testical.

Can you give me some information on the situation and when is the best time to get him neutered?  I get mixed messages on the age to neuter a frenchie.

Dr. Lori Hunt writes -

It is best to get your particular frenchie neutered sooner rather than later, as he is a cryptorchid, meaning that one testicle is not descended.  That undescended testicle can cause cancer at a much more rapid rate than a testicle that is descended.

Thus in your situation, I recommend neutering him ASAP.  The surgery is only slightly more involved in that the “missing” testicle must be located, either in the inguinal canal or in his abdomen and removed, so he may have two incisions instead of one…

Good Luck with your boy!

Lori Hunt, DVM

Tags: altered, cryptorchid, French Bulldog, neuter, neutering, undescended testicle

• French Bulldog Veterinary , Uncategorized , spay neuter alter
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