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Animals, like people, can come in a large variety of shapes, sizes, temperaments, personalities and can be accompanied by just as many ailments. Not all dogs are created the same and it’s our mission with our new article series, that focuses on specific breeds and their ailments, to provide you with ample information for those who may already own one of the highlighted breeds or, hopefully, assist you in making an informed decision for your next adoption or rescue. A large number of Americans tend to adopt a new family pet before they have done all of the necessary research on them. Do they align with your current lifestyle? Will you be able to provide the necessities of life for your new adoption or are you bringing them into a completely opposite world that they would normally be comfortable with? Every year in the United States approximately 1.5 million sheltered animals are euthanized and a 2013 study by the American Humane Association discovered that 1 in 10 pets who are adopted are returned within 6-months. These are the numbers we hope these articles will help to reduce.
The History of French Bulldogs
Believe it or not, that french bulldog that you are considering actually comes from a more violent background. In-fact, they didn’t even adopt the “french” portion of their names for a quite a long time after they were bred. Just like most breeds of domesticated dogs, the french bulldog is a distant relative of the ancient Greek “Molossians” who lived around 360-25 BC. Over the centuries, the wound up in England, where they were bred down from their bulldog origins to the more “toy sized” versions we know today. When bull-baiting, a barbaric sport from 19th century England, was outlawed in 1835 the bulldog was technically unemployed and breeders looked for a new way to showcase the breed.
This drastic change in employment for the breed later changed their position title from ‘athlete’ to ‘companion’ and the French Bulldog miniature breed was created. They didn’t adopt their “French” prefix until years later when the breed became very popular with the lace workers in the area. With employment and quality of life being substandard in 1800s England after the industrial revolution, the lace workers migrated from Nottingham to Normandy in France. Just like we take our pets when we move from town to town in the modern United States, the lace workers brought their mini-bulldog companions and thus the “French” or “Frenchie” prefix was added to the breed’s name.
French Bulldog Temperament
Even though the French Bulldog’s predecessors came from ultra-violent pasts, they are quite the contrary when it comes to their attitudes and quirks. Just like most smaller dog breeds, french bulldogs tend to be protective of their owners and will voice their protection to other dogs or people that they perceive as “threats”. It’s not all protection and barking though, french bulldogs are actually one of the most lovable breeds you could hope to own. Yes, they are protective, but that’s due to the affection they feel for their owners. It’s rather common to refer to your french bulldog as another shadow when moving from room to room of your home. Due to their clingy and loving nature, they are an exceptionally great family dog that is considered very good with kids.
Speaking of your home, you don’t require a large house or yard to happily house your furry-friend. French bulldogs require very little exercise every day. The average french bulldog doesn’t require more than 15 or 20 minutes of exercise per day to avoid becoming overweight. It’s because of their easy care-taking needs that french bulldogs are the perfect companion for those with a smaller dwelling or less active lifestyles.
Common Health Issues & How CBD Can Help
Because of certain traits that are specific to the french bulldog breed, there are some “unique to them” ailments that future owners should consider before adopting one of these lovable creatures. While the french bulldog isn’t prone to the deadliest of health issues, there are many that can make life significantly more difficult for them. This section of the article will explore the specific health issues with french bulldogs and how CBD oil for dogs can help.
One of the most common health issues to affect the french bulldog is Brachycephalic Syndrome. This is a condition that is specific to any of the “flat faced” dog breeds. Shih Tzus, pugs, bulldogs, chihuahuas and more are affected by this condition. Brachycephalic syndrome is defined as a pathological condition that affects short nosed dogs and cats which can lead to severe respiratory distress. This can often be corrected by surgery, but the majority of the time it is simply something owners must monitor. The symptoms of struggling to breathe, due to this condition, is the reason that frenchies require minimal exercise and are not the biggest fans of hot environments. Dogs manage their body temperature by panting, if your dog has trouble breathing, regulating that body temperature becomes more difficult. While CBD oil cannot fix this problem or heal them, it can calm them to the extent that they don’t put too much stress on their respiratory system and make their lives more comfortable.
Just like most dog breeds, Hip Dysplasia is a common ailment to affect the frenchie. This condition is usually inherited from their parents and is caused when the dog’s femur doesn’t fit into the pelvic socket at the hip joint. Due to this, dogs can experience immense pain and inflammation to their hip joints when strenuous exercise happens. This disorder is usually pinpointed by x-rays and often presents itself with limping or a lameness of the hind legs. While CBD oil for dogs and pets isn’t to be considered a “miracle cure” for many ailments, it has been shown to provide relief to joint and arthritis pain and is popular with pet owners to aid with this particular ailment. Due to CBDs interactions with the endocannabinoid system, it has shown promise in reducing inflammation and, at the same time, pain.
Back problems are another affliction that affects smaller dog breeds like the french bulldog. Hemivertebrae is a disorder that’s caused by a deformation of one or more of the vertebrae of your dog. Whenever there is a malformation in the vertebrae it can produce additional stress on the spinal cord and its many nerve endings, resulting in pain and discomfort. Pain, discomfort, weakness or lameness in the legs, even paralysis, are possible symptoms of this disorder. This disorder can often be confused with another ailment to affect the spine of dogs: Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD). This condition is defined by a disc in the spinal cord rupturing or herniating, causing it to push upwards and irritate the spinal cord. This can affect dogs at any stage in their lives, although it is more common in their older years, and can be rather painful. The symptoms of these back problems can be lessened by the introduction of CBD oil or dog treats into their daily regime.
Cleft palates and elongated soft palates are another common issue to plague the french bulldog. Most issues with this particular breed have to do with respiratory issues and this one is no different. While the cleft palate isn’t life threatening or painful for your dog, it can be corrected at a young age with surgery, but isn’t necessarily required. Elongated soft palates, however, which happen when the soft palate on the roof of the mouth is elongated, can lead to an obstructed airway and make breathing more difficult for the already struggling to breathe pup. While this defect can be uncomfortable for them, it can be easily solved with surgery to remove the excess palate and allow them to regain proper breathing.
Conclusion
No matter what kind of dog you are looking to adopt or introduce into your home and family, they run the risk of possibly coming with a few problems along the way. Lots of pet owners manage to live a long, healthy and happy life with their pets. Needing to take them to the vet for the odd checkup, but never encountering any life threatening issues throughout their lives. This can also work in the reverse. You can never predict how or when a pet will become ill, but it never hurts to be prepared. Just think of it like buying a car, you would never blindly rush into buying a car without first doing some research on it. Just like any endeavour, there are upkeep costs and possible breakdowns down the road, being prepared for those breakdowns makes them easier to manage and solve than just blindly wondering what went wrong. And if you are a responsible pet owner who is looking for a fun loving, goofy, lovable and loyal companion to add to your family of 1 or 10, the french bulldog wouldn’t be a better choice.
