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Puppy Health |
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Care of Puppies from Whelp to One Year Old |
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Newborn Puppies |
Health Links:
The French Bulldogs Spine - Generative and Compressive Structural Disorders
New! Recipes for feeding your French bulldog puppies
“Do Not Give Up, the Beginning is Always the
Hardest,” says the fortune from the fortune cookie as I sit having a rushed
meal at Pei Wei in St. Petersburg Florida with my best friend Olga, as I obsess
over the many different maladies or catastrophes that may befall my litter of
one French bulldog puppy, in her first few weeks of life.
Is it because I weighed her too soon?
I cannot remember if my French bulldog puppy is supposed to lose weight
in the first few days because she has extra birth weight, and is only getting
colostrums (a yellowish fluid rich in antibodies that a mother’s breast
produces after giving birth and before the production of true milk that provides
puppies with immunity to infections).
Is it because my French bulldog puppy was a litter
of one and there is something drastically wrong with her?
Is it because of the fact that French bulldog
puppies are inherently fragile in the first weeks of life?
This fortune accurately describes what happens when
a new litter of French bulldog puppies are born, especially if there has been
sometime between litters.
It is good to be diligent,
to be aware of the many things that you need to look for in French bulldog
puppies, but it is not good to be neurotic, hence the calming words that came to
me by chance from the fortune cookie.
______________________________________________________________________
French bulldog puppies are one of the areas that I
can go on and on forever.
I have extensive experience in the areas of
whelping and raising them English Bulldog puppies in New York, but my experience
of whelping and raising French bulldog puppies in St. Petersburg, Tampa
(Sarasota) are of Florida, is fairly new.
I find that the French bulldog litters are easier
to whelp and raise than their English counterparts primarily due to the fact
that the mother can remain with the French bulldog puppies throughout the
process, and that they can be whelped in high rise puppy pens together, rather
than in the floor top whelping pen that I used with the English bulldog litter.
When I say that the mother can remain with them,
that is if the mother likes the puppies, and if she knows how to step around
them and not trample them accidentally.
I have been lucky with my two French bulldog mamma
dogs thus far. Josephine has been a
natural, taking to her first litter as if she had done it hundreds of times
before. Caring for the French
bulldog puppies in the best way she could, with lots of love, caring, caution
and diligent attention. Juliette,
the consummate diva, once over her own drama and realizing that she was the
co-star and not the star of this particular performance, took to her one French
bulldog puppy as if this were her life’s calling. Josephine’s second litter
arrived less than two weeks after Juliette’s first litter, they had adjoining
French bulldog puppy pen whelping crates and my bedroom was transformed into a
French bulldog neonatal ward.
For those individuals and breeders who believe
there is no human intervention in the whelping of French Bulldog puppies during
whelping or neotnatal period (of generally five weeks), you are wrong, you need
to help.
I tend to get involved prior to the birth of the
French bulldog puppies. When I first have the French bulldog mamma dogs to be
inseminated, I immediately start a regiment of pre-natal supplementation using
human grade, organic pre natal vitamins, and folic acid, each day.
When it is confirmed that they are pregnant, I begin to feed the French
bulldog mammas to be puppy food and about two weeks prior to the due date, I
supplement their diet with about two tablespoons of goat yogurt mixed in with
their food each feeding.
It would be a breeder’s nightmare to lose a
French bulldog puppy, as many can be prevented with the intervention of a gentle
human.
In on of my most recent litters, I will give you
two examples of how human intervention may have helped my two separate litters
come to thrive.
·
In the case of Juliette’s
litter of one French bulldog puppy, who I will keep and have already named
Babette, I was frantic over the birth weight drop of a few tenths of an ounce a
day and spoke with my mentor, a breeder with thirty years experience and told
her of my concern. She suggested
that I give the French bulldog puppy a bit of probiotic in case the stomach and
intestines might not have developed enough to adequately digest milk.
I went to the health food store, and I might add I live my own life
through alternative medicine using massage, chiropractic, acupuncture, a regimen
of fasting twice a year, exercise, juicing and supplements to my own life, and
purchase acidophilus in liquid pure refrigerated, live culture form.
I gave the French bulldog puppy one ml from a syringe, after warming it
up under warm water or holding it in my hand for a few minutes, morning and
evening for two days, and found that my French bulldog puppy’s appetite
quickly increased, and weight gain ensued.
·
The second example is the
“stuck tail” that I discovered on day two of my French bulldog puppy’s
road to growth. During the night,
her tail became stuck down over her poop hole and she was unable to relieve
herself. I had to take her into the
bathroom and run warm water over her tail to moisten it, so that it could be
released. This was a fun experience,
as my French bulldog puppy began to engage in some swimming motions and I
realized that the instinct factor is pretty amazing when a two day old French
bulldog puppy would immediately break into a swim upon the sensation of water.
After releasing the tail, each day I took a swab and put a bit of first
cold pressed organic olive oil under her tail.
This was a good lubricant and a non toxic substance for the French
bulldog mamma dog to ingest during routine cleaning of her French bulldog puppy
after each feeding. Juliette seemed
to like the taste and all the better for the cleaning chore!
Josephine’s first litter encountered two unique
issues:
·
A male French bulldog puppy
would often have gas and was curling up and crying a bit after meals.
I gave the puppy a drop of infant liquid milicon each day for about three
weeks, and this caused the gas to go away.
·
An issue that I did not
have in New York, but which occurred in the height of the flea season here in
the Gulfport, Tampa, St. Petersburg area of Florida is that my puppies got
fleas, yes, breeder’s nightmare to see a flea on a precious little one.
However, fleas like puppies, and French bulldog mamma dogs need to take
walks, so sometimes this is inevitable. This
coupled with the fact that advantage cannot be used in whelping French bulldogs
and frontline has to be used in its stead (and I do not find this product to be
as effective), sometimes there is a flea issue.
I used diatomaceous earth, an organic insecticide used in organic
gardens. I powdered the puppies with
the substance, spread it around their crates, washed their towels in borax, and
then the fleas were gone in three days, never to return.
Other breeders have told me not to intercede and to
have the attitude of “survival of the fittest” but in the two cases I just
mentioned, these would have been really foolish reasons to lose a French bulldog
puppy. Good judgment in the amount
of intervention is paramount when whelping the French bulldog puppy.
Keep in mind that there are as many different ways
of raising puppies, as there are breeders, much of puppy rearing is intuitive
and automatic and with each and every litter comes the added experience of
knowing when things are right and when they are not.
Supplies for whelping and
weaning
Lots of towels in dark colors (big ones and smaller
lightweight hand towels), a small animal temperature regulated heating pad, heat
lamps, a baby scale, syringes, pad of paper and pencil (for keeping track of
birth times and weights), scissors (dull and sharp), surgical gloves, alcohol,
iodine (or Beta dine), acidophilus, liquid pediatric vitamins, liquid infant
milicon, goat milk yogurt for mamma dogs, and hand sanitizer.
French bulldog puppies are born C-Section, so it is
important to take the mamma dog’s temperature a few days before the procedure
to note any rises or falls, or to be sure to get her to the veterinarian a day
or so before the first due date.
When picking up the puppies be sure to have a box,
I use a plastic one with holes in the side for aeration and a top that can be
closed for warmth, towels and a microwavable heat disc to keep the puppies warm
on the way home from the vet. I
bring a crate for the mamma dog with a towel inside, as she will bleed for
sometime after birth of the puppies, and the towel will protect your vehicle.
Heat
I
use the clamping ones purchased at any hardware store, and this allows them to
be adjusted and moved about the pen to ensure the heat is where the French
bulldog puppies are. French bulldog
puppies are unable to regulate their temperature so it is important for at least
the first two weeks to be sure the temperature is around 90-102 degrees
Fahrenheit. The small animal heating
pads keep the surface a constant 102 so the heat lamps are useful in coverage
for French bulldog puppies who stray from the pad area.
Baby Monitor
I
have a standard newborn nursery video baby monitor with remote so that I can
have the camera focused in the area of the pen where the puppies tend to
congregate so that I can see them on screen if I am working in my office, which
is next to my bedroom. I am not
comfortable only hearing them, seeing and hearing in the early stages is
important.
Elevation for Water Bowl
The
water bowl for the French bulldog mamma dog is best affixed to the side of the
pen where it is above the heads or reach of the French bulldog puppies.
In the early days, when the French bulldog mamma dog is recovering from
her C-Section I place a water bowl on the floor of the crate, but I put it on
another bowl, turned upside down to give it height.
If you look at the photos by clicking the link, litter 09/19/2008, you
will see photographs of Babette asleep in her French bulldog mamma dog’s food
bowl, which she scaled and fell into. If
that were water instead of food, instead of cute photographs, it would have been
a catastrophe if not caught in the moment as the French bulldog puppy could have
drowned.
Tube and Bottle Feeding
Equipment
I
am an “in case” type person and always hope for healthy puppies French
bulldog puppies and French bulldog mammas with plenty of milk but am ready in
case one or both of these hopes fails.
I
keep newbie nipples and feeding bottles available.
If the mother does not have enough milk, I can warm up some goat milk
(one can to one gallon of water) one part fresh goat milk to four parts water,
mixed with 2 egg yolks and a whole dropper of pediatric vitamin drops and feed
this to the French bulldog puppy.
French
bulldog puppies will eat until they are done.
If
tube feeding is necessary, equipment is available for small animals, but
measurement of the French bulldog puppy is paramount in success as it is
essential for the survival of the French bulldog puppy that the milk or formula
get to the stomach and not in the windpipe and hence the lungs which would cause
the French bulldog puppy to aspirate.
If
tube feeding, measure from the lips of the French bulldog puppy with the head
tilted back while lying on the stomach, to the sternum and mark it on the tube.
After inserting the tube be sure it goes to the point of the mark, or you
may be in the windpipe instead of the esophagus of the French bulldog puppy.
The
amount to be fed by tube is as follows:
2cc
newborn, every two to three hours for the first two days
3cc,
every three hours, days three and four
4cc,
every three to five hours, days five and six
Signs
of Healthy French Bulldog Puppies
Look
and feel vibrant, vigorous and strong
Twitch while sleeping (activated sleep)
Nurse with great energy
Tongues are pink and warm
Skin returns quickly to normal when it is pinched
Bellies feel full, but not bloated
Signs
of Unhealthy French Bulldog Puppies
Look
and feel limp and flaccid
Stop twitching in their sleep
Rattle when breathing
Cease nursing, show weak attempts at nursing or cry while nursing
Tongue is not pink colored and is cool to the touch (sometimes looks ruffled)
Cry most of the time
Double up in cramps
Skin stays creased when pinched
Diarrhea and/or vomiting
Hydration
French bulldog puppies can be checked by
pinching the skin on the back of the neck or on the top of the back. If
hydration is OK, the pinched skin will bounce right back into place. If the
pinched skin stays creased, the puppy is dehydrated and needs fluid replacement.
Also a dehydrated pup's coat will sometimes have a ruffled look or scruffy
appearance. Another way to tell if a puppy is dehydrated is by the color of the
urine. Using a cotton ball on the genital area, if the urine is dark and scant,
it means the puppy is dehydrated and there is electrolyte depletion. Normal
urine will flow freely and be light yellow in color.
Nursing
Initially, in the first few days it is
important to monitor the nursing process. It
is important to see that each of the French bulldog puppies is finding a teat
with milk and nursing, by locking onto the teat and sucking.
I look at the mouths of the French bulldog puppies from the side to be
sure I see milk in the mouths. Initially,
I weigh each French bulldog puppy before and after eating to see if there is a
weight change, thereby indicating that they did, in fact, have milk.
I also look at each French bulldog puppy as they nurse to observe if
their stomachs appear to enlarge and fill with milk.
Sometimes some French bulldog puppies initially have difficulty finding
and latching onto a teat. It is
necessary to assist these French bulldog puppies, sometimes holding them in
place so they can drink enough to gain enough strength to do it on their own.
Once they get the hang of locating a teat and latching on, there is no
turning back.
Weaning
French Bulldog puppies is similar to most
other breeds. As French bulldog
puppies begin to get teeth, it is not easy for the mother to nurse, and this is
time for the puppies to begin eating on their own.
I keep the French bulldog mamma dog’s food bowl in the pen with the
puppies. As the puppies develop and
begin toddling around, they begin to become interested with the bowl and the
scent of the food, they may even sample some.
This is ideal. If they do
not, around the 4th to 5th week, as soon as teeth are
noticeable, French bulldog puppies can be put around the puppy ring and
encouraged to eat puppy food. At
first, they may need something with more of a scent than the food alone to
encourage eating. I have used goat
yogurt and or strained meat baby food to get them started.
Once they are started they keep going.
Once eating, I am sure to keep plenty of
water available for them to drink at a level they can reach and if they need
some encouragement, I put my fingers in the water, or use a syringe to help them
become interested.
I keep the French bulldog mamma dog separate
from the French bulldog puppies during this time, as they will still want to
nurse, and she will continue producing milk if there is a need.
It is supply and demand. It
is best to keep them in separate rooms, if possible, during this time.
The French bulldog mother should begin to
stop producing milk, and it is important to feel her occasionally to be sure
none of the teats are hot or hard. If
they are this means that the milk is impacted, and warm compressed must be
applied, and some hand milking to alleviate the blockage.
French
Bulldog Whelping Pen Set Up
Rubber or foam on grating of bottom of pen to
provide padding, covered with a towel. Between
the towel and the padding, over a thin towel to avoid the foam or rubber from
overheating, I place the heating pad.
Two heat lamps with 30 watt bulbs that have
clamps so they can be moved easily.
Elevated water bowl
Food bowl
I change the towel at least twice a day,
especially in the first few days when the mother is bleeding and as the French
bulldog puppies get past two weeks when they produce more waste.
It is important to keep the area clean and
dry.
Weighing
I take the weight of each of the French
bulldog puppies twice daily, morning and night.
I keep a chart to determine if the French bulldog puppies are gaining
weight in proportion to each other. This
is good to monitor health as well as to provide to a new owner who may be
interested in all the nuances of the early stage of their French bulldog puppy.
Health
Requirements
In the
A French bulldog puppy must be over eight (8)
weeks of age
A French bulldog puppy must have a health
exam within twenty one (21) days of sale
A French bulldog puppy must have no signs of
infection or contagious diseases
A French bulldog puppy must have no evidence
of internal or external parasites (fleas and ticks excluded)
A French bulldog puppy must be vaccinated
against distemper, hepatitis, Leptospirosis, parainfluenza, parvovirus and
bordatell
A French bulldog puppy must have had a fecal
test and dworming
A French bulldog puppy, over three months of
age, must have a rabies vaccination
A French bulldog puppy, over six months of
age must have a heartworm test
Vaccination
Schedule
A French bulldog puppy will have their first
set of vaccines between 6-8 weeks
A French bulldog puppy will have their second
set of vaccines four weeks after the first set
A French bulldog puppy will have their third
set of vaccines four weeks after the second set
A French bulldog puppy will have their rabies
vaccine at twelve weeks of age
Spa
Treatment
A spa treatment is in order for each human
who partakes in this endeavor, because in the field of French bulldog puppy
breeding, the breaks in between litters, however lonely, are short and soon to
be followed with more puppies!