Care Tips & Tricks

Allergies:

• Rash Apply Destin diaper rash ointment daily till rash is gone.
• Hair loss and itchiness Gold Bond Medicated Powder (apply with a blush brush)
• Oral Benadryl

Dryness of Nose and Paws: Apply Bag Balm, Vaseline or Vitamin E oil twice daily. Several companies make products specially for dogs noses.

Wrinkles: Clean with soapy water mixture of warm water mixed with a medicated dog shampoo. Wipe dry and dust with Gold Bond if needed to help with moisture. If red and raw looking medicate with Desitin diaper rash ointment.

Hot Spots: Clean with Listerine (the original kind). If it’s a large hot spot, shave the area and then medicate. This allows the skin to breath and air out. After is starts healing, you may dust with Gold Bond powder. Spay with a athletic foot type spray, this dries it out, kills fungus and cools the itching.

Chin Zits: Clean with medicated dog shampoo or Listerine (the original kind) daily till gone, may dust with Gold Bond powder to help with moisture. Benzoperoxide cream can be applied once a day for several days in a row to help clean this up. Switch to stainless steel or ceramic feeding/water bowls. Plastic bowls hold germs in the frayed plastic edges that lead to chin infections.

Interdigital Cysts: Stay away from the mega doses of long term antibiotics if possible. They don’t usually help much with these cysts. Warm Epsom salt water soaks twice a day helps. The cyst needs to be totally submerged under the water. Soak the affected foot for at least 10 minutes in the warm salt water then pat dry. Afterwards apply Preparation H or other hemorrhoid cream twice daily until swelling is totally gone. New ideas and suggestions are common on the Internet almost on a monthly basis. Surgery is not recommended in most cases as the infections only come back.

Tear Stains: Tear stains are caused from excessive tearing. In this case,the damp face hair is a breeding ground for bacterial and yeast growth that can come from unfiltered water or dog food; thus the reddish brown discoloring. You may have to try different dog foods till you find one just right for you. You want to make sure the food you go with for your Bulldog has no coloring added which will only add to the staining. Water should be in a stainless steel bowl to prevent bacteria harboring in porous materials such as plastic. I use baby wipes daily to wipe the eye folds and nose fold, especially if the nose fold is really deep. If the wipes don’t appear to be taking care of it or if they start smelling then use medicate dog shampoo which takes care of any yeast and bacteria.

Chew Toys: Nylabones or fresh bones from the meat market or raw food diet distributor. NEVER feed rawhides or pig ears. Bulldogs tend to swallow things without chewing. Rawhides don’t digest; they get trapped in the stomach, twist and need to be removed surgically if not passed.  Never use rope toys either.  As with rawhides, the strings can get stuck in the stomach and it can be fatal.

Gas Problems: Flatulence/Gas is not indicative of a serious medical problem. Intestinal gas usually means that your pet has simply eaten something they cannot digest properly. The problem often tends to be excess carbohydrates, which contain sugar and starch that ferment in the intestine. Remember, dogs are lactose-intolerant. Feeding dairy products can result in gas. The culprit: Dog Food or any people food you may be giving. Check the ingredients listed on the label. Opt for a food with no wheat, corn and soy. All of these are laden with gas-producing carbs. If changing foods, gradually do so. Start with 1/4 part of the new food and 3/4 old, then each day gradually increase the percentage of new and decrease the percentage of old until you have completely switched. Remember Any sudden change in diet can bring on gas and diarrhea. Also, if flatulence is coupled with diarrhea or vomiting, consult your veterinarian, ASAP.

From: Southern California Bulldog Rescue