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Client Resources

WARNING: The images below may be graphic. All photos have been shared for educational purposes only.

Learn how to perform passive range-of-motion exercises for your pet.

Bladder expression techniques in a neurologic pet

Bulldog Awareness

French and English Bulldogs are prone to numerous birth defects and health issues due to their brachycephalic (short-nosed) conformation and selective breeding. These include respiratory problems like brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), hip dysplasia, spinal deformities (hemivertebrae), Skin infections and allergies, and eye issues like cataracts and cherry eye.

Respiratory Issues:

Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS): A group of respiratory problems caused by their short snouts, including narrowed nostrils, a long soft palate, and other anatomical abnormalities. This can lead to snoring, breathing difficulties, exercise intolerance, and heat intolerance.

Stenotic Nares: Narrowed nostrils, which can make it harder to breathe.
Elongated Soft Palate: A long soft palate that can obstruct the airway.
Everted Laryngeal Saccules: The larynx can collapse, further hindering breathing.
Tracheal Collapse: A condition where the trachea (windpipe) collapses, causing coughing and breathing difficulties.

Orthopedic Issues:

1. Hip Dysplasia: A condition where the hip joint is improperly formed, leading to pain, lameness, and arthritis.
2. Luxating Patella: A condition where the kneecap dislocates, causing pain, lameness, and arthritis.
3. Hemivertebrae: A spinal deformity or incomplete vertebra that can put pressure on the spinal cord, leading to weakness, pain, incontinence, and paralysis.

Eye Issues:

1. Cataracts: Clouding of the lens of the eye, which can impair vision.
2. Claucoma: Increased intraocular pressure leading to severe pain, eye necrosis, and blindness.
3. Cherry Eye: A prolapse of the third eyelid gland, causing a red, visible lump in the eye.
4. Conjunctivitis: Inflammation of the conjunctiva (the membrane that lines the inside of the eyelid and the surface of the eyeball).

Other Issues:

1. Dystocia: Difficulty during birth due to the puppy's large head and the mother's small pelvis.
2. Skin Allergies: Bulldogs are prone to skin allergies and skinfold infections.
3. Skin Folds: Excess skin can lead to skinfold dermatitis, especially in the face and tail.
4. Screw Tail: a genetic condition where the tail is kinked due to malformed or fused vertebrae, leading to chronic infections and pain.

Many breeds of dogs today require quality-of-life procedures. In brachiocephalic breeds like this, Nasal reconstruction and soft palate reduction provide significant improvements in quality of life, allowing them to breathe, move, and live well.

Medical Cases

The photos below show a patient who survived a road accident and extensive reconstructive surgery. Even during recovery, he was very happy, calm, and kind. Wags and Whiskers rescued him, covered the surgery, and placed him in his forever home.

The photos below show a patient who survived an idiopathic diaphragmatic hernia. The patient's liver, stomach, intestines, and pancreas were entrapped in the chest cavity through a hole in the diaphragm. The abdominal contents were invading the chest, causing lung collapse, pressure on the heart, septic pleuritis, and constriction of the invading organs. The prognosis for the patient was poor, and she was not expected to survive the surgery. Miraculously, she not only survived the emergency surgery, but is now thriving in her foster home. Wags and Whiskers rescued Bunny, covered her costs, and she is currently waiting on a forever home.

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