Even if your bulldogs haven’t required surgery, you should still avoid breeding them if they struggle to breathe. Do not breed the female during summer months if she has breathing troubles. The hot weather will compound the issue during pregnancy and cause the bitch undue distress.
A calmer female will also make a better mother who is less likely to be snappy or insecure when it comes to her puppies. [2] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
You should also have the veterinarian perform a genetic screening. Even healthy bulldogs can still pass on undesirable genetic traits. Responsible breeding should always seek to weed out traits that can lead to health complications associated with the breed. [5] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source The stud (male bulldog) you choose should also be tested for brucellosis. [6] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
On average, this part of the heat cycle will last around nine days. [9] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
Slide cytology - This is a painless procedure where the vet harvests a sample of cells form the bitch’s vulva, smears them onto a microscope slide, and examines them under the microscope. The sample is obtained simply by rolling a cotton bud over the mucous membrane of the vulva. A certain cell type will be more prevalent just prior to ovulation. Blood testing - The most common test looks at blood levels of the hormone progestogen. Testing starts about five days into the heat and once the blood levels reach 2. 5 ng/ml, the bitch should be mated three days later (by which time the levels should be around 5 ng /ml when ovulation occurs). If necessary, repeat tests are run every two to three days to pick up this rise in hormone levels. [11] X Research source
Ovulation usually occurs within forty-eight hours of the bitch starting estrus. This ideal mating time can last anywhere from five to nine days. [13] X Research source Reproduction in the Dog and Cats. Christiansen. Publisher Bailliere Tindall. [14] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
The correct temperature of the semen is vital, and there is no guarantee. Methods include fresh semen, cooled extended and frozen semen.
Ultrasound - Ultrasound exams can detect pregnancy from around day twenty-three. This involves clipping a little fur from the bitch’s belly and lubricating the area with water soluble gel. The vet places the probe against the belly and can often pick up the jellybean-like fluid swelling in the uterus that is the early pregnancy. Palpation - It is usually possible for a veterinarian to feel distinct lumps in the uterus representing individual embryos between days 28-35 of the pregnancy. Before and after that, it can be hard to identify a pregnant uterus easily. Blood testing - The levels of progesterone in a pregnant bitch will continue to rise instead of subsiding. Starting after twenty-eight days, a veterinarian can predict the difference Progesterone levels can be used to confirm pregnancy at or after day 28 after mating. If between pregnancy and residual levels of progesterone from the heat cycle. Radiography - If other options have proven inconclusive for any reason, then your vet can use an x-ray machine to verify pregnancy starting around day forty-five of the pregnancy.
Introduce the increased food in the form of more frequent, smaller meals rather than simply adding more food at standard mealtimes. [19] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
Also, check in advance that your vet will perform an elective C-section.
Place the box in an environment that is warm, dry, quiet, still, and away from other dogs. It is entirely normal for the female to begin nesting in the lined newspaper as she becomes accustomed to the whelping box. Even if you have planned a C-section with your vet, it is beneficial to allow the female to nest in a whelping box.
The mother may rest after the delivery of each puppy. 20-30 minutes is acceptable. If you know she has lots of puppies and she rests for longer than half an hour, call the vet. Bulldogs have large heads, and it is common for a puppy’s head not to fit through the birth canal and get stuck. The only way to free the puppy is a C-section, which needs actioning urgently. If the bitch takes longer than an hour between pups call the vet. Keep count of both the number of puppies as well as placentas to ensure that the mother delivers everything she needs to during the pregnancy. There should be a placenta for each and every puppy. Keep your vet’s phone number as well as that of your local emergency pet clinic close by during the entire process. [24] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
The membrane has enough oxygen for a few minutes, so you don’t have to act immediately, but pay close attention. If you must do it, tear the sac close to the puppy’s head and peel it until you can easily remove the puppy. [26] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source Fish any mucus or other fluids from the puppy’s mouth and nose, and then rub the puppy with a warm clean towel to stimulate breathing and circulation. [27] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
After the first five days, you can slowly reduce the space to 80°F at day ten and then down to 75°F by the end of the puppies’ fourth week. [31] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
If you’re giving her a high-quality diet, then the necessary amounts should already be present in her current food. Symptoms of eclampsia include nervousness, an unsteady gait, muscle spasms, and whimpering. A vet can easily intervene with the condition as long as you properly notice it and seek care for the mother. [34] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
Do not simply try to use cow’s milk because this makes a very poor substitute, and the puppy will not receive the necessary nutrition from it. [36] X Trustworthy Source American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a purebred dog pedigree registry in the United States. The AKC advocates for the responsible ownership of dogs and promotes purebred dog events, such as the Westminster Dog Show. Go to source
