I am glad that the Gold Bond is working for you. I would continue to use it until the folds and all are cleared up. It certainly wont hurt him. Bulldogs with heavy folds are notorious for skin issues in those folds and it is a daily job to maintain them, especially in the warmer weather. I would just add that to your routine.
You can also do some of the Desitin on that acne on the chin. It is a little messy but wont hurt them. Just where ever they lay there head my have a white spot.

I am glad that the Gold Bond is working for you. I would continue to use it until the folds and all are cleared up. It certainly wont hurt him. Bulldogs with heavy folds are notorious for skin issues in those folds and it is a daily job to maintain them, especially in the warmer weather. I would just add that to your routine.
You can also do some of the Desitin on that acne on the chin. It is a little messy but wont hurt them. Just where ever they lay there head my have a white spot.

I have tried working from the inside out...

Do you give Bully yogurt each day to keep the good bacteria in his system? It's very good for their immune system. Also, a fish-oil capsule twice a day is good for a Bullie's skin and immune system. I use the WalMart brand...they are in the people's vitamin section of the store. Vitamin E is good, as well. If Bully's feet are "yeasty" you can use vinegar and water in a spray bottle...

I think I may have mentioned before...the next time you have him at the vet, ask your vet if some of Bully's problems could be thyroid related. If so, have the vet run a thyroid panel. Many bullies are on thyroid meds including mine.

My Bullie came from Russia and her immune system has always been compromised but she is doing much better with the yogurt, fish oil and thyroid meds.

Cannot wait to hear more of your "Bully" stories!

Donna ~ Punkie Brewster's Mom

I have tried working from the inside out...

Do you give Bully yogurt each day to keep the good bacteria in his system? It's very good for their immune system. Also, a fish-oil capsule twice a day is good for a Bullie's skin and immune system. I use the WalMart brand...they are in the people's vitamin section of the store. Vitamin E is good, as well. If Bully's feet are "yeasty" you can use vinegar and water in a spray bottle...

I think I may have mentioned before...the next time you have him at the vet, ask your vet if some of Bully's problems could be thyroid related. If so, have the vet run a thyroid panel. Many bullies are on thyroid meds including mine.

My Bullie came from Russia and her immune system has always been compromised but she is doing much better with the yogurt, fish oil and thyroid meds.

Cannot wait to hear more of your "Bully" stories!

Donna ~ Punkie Brewster's Mom

Thanks for your response. I've always used stainless steel bowls, since I knew beforehand that plastic can cause bacterial infections. The vet says this is juvenile acne.

I tried the Gold Bond today, and believe it or not, he now seems to be much better. There's still a little redness, but his folds are completely dry and look clean. I'll try it again tomorrow and then will return to the normal routine. Maybe it's a good idea to keep using the powder in the warm weather. In any case, I don't think he's ever had anything that resolved so quickly and effectively before.

I wish I had come upon this site before I bought Bully. It would have saved me a lot of trouble, but I'm glad to have found it now.

Thanks again.

Thanks for your response. I've always used stainless steel bowls, since I knew beforehand that plastic can cause bacterial infections. The vet says this is juvenile acne.

I tried the Gold Bond today, and believe it or not, he now seems to be much better. There's still a little redness, but his folds are completely dry and look clean. I'll try it again tomorrow and then will return to the normal routine. Maybe it's a good idea to keep using the powder in the warm weather. In any case, I don't think he's ever had anything that resolved so quickly and effectively before.

I wish I had come upon this site before I bought Bully. It would have saved me a lot of trouble, but I'm glad to have found it now.

Thanks again.

It sounds like you take excellent care of your bully. That is some routine you have.
I mentioned in an earlier email that I only use Malaseb. You say you use both. Perhaps the 2 are not mixing well together. I know with the malaseb shampoo you should let it set on the coat for 10 minutes before you rinse it. Bulldogs can be prone to skin allergies and interdigital cysts. And 2 years old is prime time. This time of year when everything is in bloom and the pollens are starting to come out can make it hard to keep allergies under control.
You can try Epsom Salts soaks on those cysts, just make sure the dog does not lick after its foot comes out of the soak, but that can help dry up those cysts. There is really no one thing that will work on every single dog, it is all trial and error.
I did want to mention about the acne....are you using plastic water and feed bowls? If so, I would suggest to change to stainless steel. I had a bully with this issue and it was from the plastic bowls. My bulldog vet told me to switch and we did and never had the problem again.
I think the Gold Bond Powder will help the skin folds. It is medicated. But you want to be sure that those folds are dry before applying it. And I also think the Desitin Ointment or something like that would also help.

It sounds like you take excellent care of your bully. That is some routine you have.
I mentioned in an earlier email that I only use Malaseb. You say you use both. Perhaps the 2 are not mixing well together. I know with the malaseb shampoo you should let it set on the coat for 10 minutes before you rinse it. Bulldogs can be prone to skin allergies and interdigital cysts. And 2 years old is prime time. This time of year when everything is in bloom and the pollens are starting to come out can make it hard to keep allergies under control.
You can try Epsom Salts soaks on those cysts, just make sure the dog does not lick after its foot comes out of the soak, but that can help dry up those cysts. There is really no one thing that will work on every single dog, it is all trial and error.
I did want to mention about the acne....are you using plastic water and feed bowls? If so, I would suggest to change to stainless steel. I had a bully with this issue and it was from the plastic bowls. My bulldog vet told me to switch and we did and never had the problem again.
I think the Gold Bond Powder will help the skin folds. It is medicated. But you want to be sure that those folds are dry before applying it. And I also think the Desitin Ointment or something like that would also help.

Thanks to everyone who responded, both here and in private. Most of you recommended Gold Bond powder, so I'm heading out today to buy some and see what that does.

I want to tell more of Bully's story, but I'll do that in a separate message. I would also appreciate it if someone could point me to the place on this site where there are instructions for attaching pictures. I've looked for it in vain.

I want to go over here my morning hygiene routine with Bully to see if any of you have comments. I do these things because a vet somewhere has told me to do them but they differ slightly from some of the things you've told me. I learned in the beginning to live with this kind of disagreement, and I'm willing to try new things at this point--since some of what I'm doing is clearly no longer effective.

I take Bully out to go to the bathroom as soon as he wakes up. Almost always, he does #1 and #2. Then he has breakfast. After breakfast, I take him to one of three large parks, where he usually does #2 again. Some mornings he walks exceptionally well; others he doesn't really feel like it--and I don't push. If I sense that he's getting bored with one place, I take him to another the following day to vary his routine.

After we get home from the walk, I do the following--every day, without fail:

1. I put him up on the island in the kitchen. I find that if I try to groom him on the floor, he wants to play and won't stay still. On the island, he lets me do what I need to do and fights only the final part of the routine.

2. I brush him all over with a soft bristle brush for 4 or 5 minutes. He likes this and even shifts his position to allow me to brush where I want to. (He has always had a beautiful coat, no matter what food I've had him on.)

3. Using either a Pamper's unscented hypoallergenic baby wipe or a wet paper towel, I wipe his butt to make sure it's clean from his morning walks.

4. Using a Pamper's wipe (a veterinary dermatologist at Penn told me to use these), I wipe between his toes and between the padded areas on the bottoms of his paws. At the time she told me to do this, I had no problem with interdigital cysts; they started only last fall or winter. Now that he has those, I also wipe between the toes with the malaceb wipes.

5. Using a Pamper's wipe (again, on the instructions of the dermatologist), I wipe between his folds, including the indentations above his nose. I repeat this process with a malaceb. I don't dry the folds after using the malaceb wipes. My local vet told me that I should let the malaceb dry on its own. The dermatologist said to use malaceb between the toes and on the folds only if there were signs of irritation, but I've always used it with the folds--about which I'm fanatical. You can imagine my shock when he started to have trouble with his folds--about three weeks ago. The first incident was minor and disappeared pretty quickly with the treatment I'll describe below. This second incident is more serious, I think, and is lingering longer. What both incidents have in common is that I let him go into a stream at the park on warm days and didn't think to dry his folds afterward. This is all I can think of, unless the irritation and the interdigital cysts are signs of emerging skin allergies. My local vet says that dogs around Bully's age (he'll be two next month) can develop skin allergies out of the clear blue. (He's never had hot spots or anything like that.)

6. Since I've been having trouble with the folds, here's what I've been doing. First, I wet a paper towel with water and malaceb shampoo and wipe between the folds. Then, I use a wet paper towel to rinse the folds. Then, I dry the folds with a dry paper towel. Then, I use the Pamper's wipe and then the malaceb wipe as usual. I've also taken to wiping him with a Pamper's wipe at least once more during the day--usually in the evening. (I've been trying to clear up the irritation.)

7. After taking care of the folds and paws, I use a paper towel wet with rubbing alcohol to wipe his chin. He has always had problems with juvenile acne. (When he gets a pimple, he rubs his chin on my white carpets until the pimple bleeds.) At first, on the advice of the local vet, I was using Stridex pads with aloe for sensitive skin. This had no effect at all. The local vet told me that some people had luck using Listerine. I resisted this for a long time, thinking it would sting; but when I finally tried it, it didn't bother Bully at all. Since I objected to the smell and Listerine is mostly alcohol anyway, I switched to rubbing alcohol. Mostly, this works. He gets very few pimples nowadays; and when he does, they tend to be small and disappear quickly.

8. After his chin, I turn to the ears. He HATES having anything squirted in his ears, and I usually accommodate this by using a different method. I try to squirt at least once a week, but it really depends on whether I have a friend over who can hold him down--since he won't let me squirt unless he's restrained. For squirting, I use a product from the vet called Epi-Otic. When he has an ear infection, I use a concoction that the local vet made up himself and swears by, but which I hate, because it stains everything it touches. (It's a mixture of alcohol, borax, and gentian violet). Usually, however, I simply wet a paper towel with either alcohol or Epi-Otic and rub the inside of the ears, going down as far as I can to remove wax. Usually, his ears are pretty clean and there's only a few small particles of debris. If there's more than this, it's a sign that there's an infection. I rarely use q-tips, since I have a fear of damaging the ear.

About every six weeks, Bully goes to the groomer's, where he's bathed with malaceb shampoo and blown dry. She also cuts his nails and cleans his ears. I never cut his nails myself and never intend to.

Does any of this sound wrong? if not, why am I getting cysts and irritated folds? I don't think I could take better care of this dog than I do, but it seems not to be making and difference.

Thanks.

Michael

Thanks to everyone who responded, both here and in private. Most of you recommended Gold Bond powder, so I'm heading out today to buy some and see what that does.

I want to tell more of Bully's story, but I'll do that in a separate message. I would also appreciate it if someone could point me to the place on this site where there are instructions for attaching pictures. I've looked for it in vain.

I want to go over here my morning hygiene routine with Bully to see if any of you have comments. I do these things because a vet somewhere has told me to do them but they differ slightly from some of the things you've told me. I learned in the beginning to live with this kind of disagreement, and I'm willing to try new things at this point--since some of what I'm doing is clearly no longer effective.

I take Bully out to go to the bathroom as soon as he wakes up. Almost always, he does #1 and #2. Then he has breakfast. After breakfast, I take him to one of three large parks, where he usually does #2 again. Some mornings he walks exceptionally well; others he doesn't really feel like it--and I don't push. If I sense that he's getting bored with one place, I take him to another the following day to vary his routine.

After we get home from the walk, I do the following--every day, without fail:

1. I put him up on the island in the kitchen. I find that if I try to groom him on the floor, he wants to play and won't stay still. On the island, he lets me do what I need to do and fights only the final part of the routine.

2. I brush him all over with a soft bristle brush for 4 or 5 minutes. He likes this and even shifts his position to allow me to brush where I want to. (He has always had a beautiful coat, no matter what food I've had him on.)

3. Using either a Pamper's unscented hypoallergenic baby wipe or a wet paper towel, I wipe his butt to make sure it's clean from his morning walks.

4. Using a Pamper's wipe (a veterinary dermatologist at Penn told me to use these), I wipe between his toes and between the padded areas on the bottoms of his paws. At the time she told me to do this, I had no problem with interdigital cysts; they started only last fall or winter. Now that he has those, I also wipe between the toes with the malaceb wipes.

5. Using a Pamper's wipe (again, on the instructions of the dermatologist), I wipe between his folds, including the indentations above his nose. I repeat this process with a malaceb. I don't dry the folds after using the malaceb wipes. My local vet told me that I should let the malaceb dry on its own. The dermatologist said to use malaceb between the toes and on the folds only if there were signs of irritation, but I've always used it with the folds--about which I'm fanatical. You can imagine my shock when he started to have trouble with his folds--about three weeks ago. The first incident was minor and disappeared pretty quickly with the treatment I'll describe below. This second incident is more serious, I think, and is lingering longer. What both incidents have in common is that I let him go into a stream at the park on warm days and didn't think to dry his folds afterward. This is all I can think of, unless the irritation and the interdigital cysts are signs of emerging skin allergies. My local vet says that dogs around Bully's age (he'll be two next month) can develop skin allergies out of the clear blue. (He's never had hot spots or anything like that.)

6. Since I've been having trouble with the folds, here's what I've been doing. First, I wet a paper towel with water and malaceb shampoo and wipe between the folds. Then, I use a wet paper towel to rinse the folds. Then, I dry the folds with a dry paper towel. Then, I use the Pamper's wipe and then the malaceb wipe as usual. I've also taken to wiping him with a Pamper's wipe at least once more during the day--usually in the evening. (I've been trying to clear up the irritation.)

7. After taking care of the folds and paws, I use a paper towel wet with rubbing alcohol to wipe his chin. He has always had problems with juvenile acne. (When he gets a pimple, he rubs his chin on my white carpets until the pimple bleeds.) At first, on the advice of the local vet, I was using Stridex pads with aloe for sensitive skin. This had no effect at all. The local vet told me that some people had luck using Listerine. I resisted this for a long time, thinking it would sting; but when I finally tried it, it didn't bother Bully at all. Since I objected to the smell and Listerine is mostly alcohol anyway, I switched to rubbing alcohol. Mostly, this works. He gets very few pimples nowadays; and when he does, they tend to be small and disappear quickly.

8. After his chin, I turn to the ears. He HATES having anything squirted in his ears, and I usually accommodate this by using a different method. I try to squirt at least once a week, but it really depends on whether I have a friend over who can hold him down--since he won't let me squirt unless he's restrained. For squirting, I use a product from the vet called Epi-Otic. When he has an ear infection, I use a concoction that the local vet made up himself and swears by, but which I hate, because it stains everything it touches. (It's a mixture of alcohol, borax, and gentian violet). Usually, however, I simply wet a paper towel with either alcohol or Epi-Otic and rub the inside of the ears, going down as far as I can to remove wax. Usually, his ears are pretty clean and there's only a few small particles of debris. If there's more than this, it's a sign that there's an infection. I rarely use q-tips, since I have a fear of damaging the ear.

About every six weeks, Bully goes to the groomer's, where he's bathed with malaceb shampoo and blown dry. She also cuts his nails and cleans his ears. I never cut his nails myself and never intend to.

Does any of this sound wrong? if not, why am I getting cysts and irritated folds? I don't think I could take better care of this dog than I do, but it seems not to be making and difference.

Thanks.

Michael

I really am gratified to read that you appreciate all of WB's wonderful bulldog antics and ability to enjoy life altho it has been medically challenging for him and you! Sadly your story is one that we read again, with dismay, from new bulldog owners who naively purchase from a broker, whether foreign or domestic. You will be more careful next time. As for WB's health issues, I think you have gone through most of what will crop up in the first 1-2yrs of bulldog ownership and those long-term problems such as allergies will be more difficult, symptoms will fluxuate with the seasons, and to some extent, your dog won't respond exactly like another. Still, I too would recommend cleansing with the Malaseb only, drying the folds (and toes if needed) and then dusting with Gold Bond Medicated Powder. Some dogs are very sensitive to medicinal smells and the powder may bother him a bit until he becomes accustomed to it, and try to just get it in the folds with no extra on his face to minimize this annoyance. I've tried cleaning with antibacterial soap/water, rinsing and drying, and then wiping a strip of diaper ointment in an irritated (very sore!)facial fold but I had to use Aveeno brand diaper ointment because its "unscented" and my bully would rub his face even more raw trying to get anything else off! A few hints re cleaning: 1)wash off all prev meds before applying a new layer daily or EOD or whatever your routine. 2)most vets will tell you that ears shouldn't be cleaned daily...2-3 times a week is quite enough as they need time to dry out and collect a bit of natural oils else they too get red/dry/cracked. 3)when cleaning toes, be sure to check undersides of paws and "pull out" loose hairs/gunk with your fingers after softening the paw first with a 5-10min soak in Epsom Salts solution (1/2 cup salts to 1 gallon warm water). 4)have you been brushing his coat at all? Find a soft brush and try to do that a few times a week...besides loosing dust, aiding circulation, dispursing oils and giving enjoyment to your dog, you will be able to spot any early start of problems like hot spots, and get treatment started quickly.

Have you tried using the 'search' function at the top of the page on this website? You can usually recall previous conversations on a particular subject by just typing in one or two key words...it works! Hugs to Wolly Bully.

I really am gratified to read that you appreciate all of WB's wonderful bulldog antics and ability to enjoy life altho it has been medically challenging for him and you! Sadly your story is one that we read again, with dismay, from new bulldog owners who naively purchase from a broker, whether foreign or domestic. You will be more careful next time. As for WB's health issues, I think you have gone through most of what will crop up in the first 1-2yrs of bulldog ownership and those long-term problems such as allergies will be more difficult, symptoms will fluxuate with the seasons, and to some extent, your dog won't respond exactly like another. Still, I too would recommend cleansing with the Malaseb only, drying the folds (and toes if needed) and then dusting with Gold Bond Medicated Powder. Some dogs are very sensitive to medicinal smells and the powder may bother him a bit until he becomes accustomed to it, and try to just get it in the folds with no extra on his face to minimize this annoyance. I've tried cleaning with antibacterial soap/water, rinsing and drying, and then wiping a strip of diaper ointment in an irritated (very sore!)facial fold but I had to use Aveeno brand diaper ointment because its "unscented" and my bully would rub his face even more raw trying to get anything else off! A few hints re cleaning: 1)wash off all prev meds before applying a new layer daily or EOD or whatever your routine. 2)most vets will tell you that ears shouldn't be cleaned daily...2-3 times a week is quite enough as they need time to dry out and collect a bit of natural oils else they too get red/dry/cracked. 3)when cleaning toes, be sure to check undersides of paws and "pull out" loose hairs/gunk with your fingers after softening the paw first with a 5-10min soak in Epsom Salts solution (1/2 cup salts to 1 gallon warm water). 4)have you been brushing his coat at all? Find a soft brush and try to do that a few times a week...besides loosing dust, aiding circulation, dispursing oils and giving enjoyment to your dog, you will be able to spot any early start of problems like hot spots, and get treatment started quickly.

Have you tried using the 'search' function at the top of the page on this website? You can usually recall previous conversations on a particular subject by just typing in one or two key words...it works! Hugs to Wolly Bully.

Michael, I could have written this post...just insert Punkie's name in place of Wooly Bully's...my story almost exactly...Punkie hasn't had cherry eye but she goes in next Tuesday morning for double entropion surgery. I, too purchased my baby from a broker and have spent tons of money keeping her healthy and I would do it all over again. I love Punkie with all my heart and soul.

The broker I purchased Punkie from has lawsuits pending against her...including one filed by the State of Texas Attorney General for deceptive trade practices. He also filed an injunction stopping her from selling any more puppies.

I just switched Punkie to Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream...she's been on it for two weeks and doing great. I also have a Boxer who was biting and licking her paws (non-stop...driving me crazy) she has stopped completely. Dog food with beet pulp will cause red tear stains. I decided that the best way to go is GRAIN FREE...

One of the most helpful things that I have done for my baby is make sure she has yogurt and 2 fish oil caps each day. Her immune system was very poor until I started this. The yogurt and fish oil will help combat the demodex. Another great product is Forti-Flora. Each time Punkie has been on antibiotics (which has been a lot!!! including right now) I get a box of Forti-Flora from my vet and mix a pack in with her yogurt each day while she is taking antibiotics...it gives the immune system a boost and keeps the good bacteria thriving in her system.

One more thing...have you had WB's thyroid checked? Punkie B takes two thyroid pills per day which helps with her metabolism and immune system problems...which helps with the demodex, as well.

By the way, after cleaning WB's folds make sure they are good and dry and apply some Gold Bond powder with a brush or squirt bottle...make sure not to get it in his eyes.

Good luck...
Donna

Michael, I could have written this post...just insert Punkie's name in place of Wooly Bully's...my story almost exactly...Punkie hasn't had cherry eye but she goes in next Tuesday morning for double entropion surgery. I, too purchased my baby from a broker and have spent tons of money keeping her healthy and I would do it all over again. I love Punkie with all my heart and soul.

The broker I purchased Punkie from has lawsuits pending against her...including one filed by the State of Texas Attorney General for deceptive trade practices. He also filed an injunction stopping her from selling any more puppies.

I just switched Punkie to Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream...she's been on it for two weeks and doing great. I also have a Boxer who was biting and licking her paws (non-stop...driving me crazy) she has stopped completely. Dog food with beet pulp will cause red tear stains. I decided that the best way to go is GRAIN FREE...

One of the most helpful things that I have done for my baby is make sure she has yogurt and 2 fish oil caps each day. Her immune system was very poor until I started this. The yogurt and fish oil will help combat the demodex. Another great product is Forti-Flora. Each time Punkie has been on antibiotics (which has been a lot!!! including right now) I get a box of Forti-Flora from my vet and mix a pack in with her yogurt each day while she is taking antibiotics...it gives the immune system a boost and keeps the good bacteria thriving in her system.

One more thing...have you had WB's thyroid checked? Punkie B takes two thyroid pills per day which helps with her metabolism and immune system problems...which helps with the demodex, as well.

By the way, after cleaning WB's folds make sure they are good and dry and apply some Gold Bond powder with a brush or squirt bottle...make sure not to get it in his eyes.

Good luck...
Donna

discharge have an odor to it? If so, he may a little yeast infection going on, and sometimes an over the counter anti-fungal medicine will help clear this up. Such as Monistat after you have cleaned/dried the folds really well. And like Judy said, I've had great luck with Gold Bond Medicated powder in my boy's face folds.

discharge have an odor to it? If so, he may a little yeast infection going on, and sometimes an over the counter anti-fungal medicine will help clear this up. Such as Monistat after you have cleaned/dried the folds really well. And like Judy said, I've had great luck with Gold Bond Medicated powder in my boy's face folds.

Michael, yes having skin fold issues is also a sign of allergies. I probably would not use the pampers wipes, but just the malaseb pledgets. Have you tried Gold Bond Powder after you dry the area? Also I have used Desitin ointment in the past on my guys and that seems to help too.
It sounds like the areas are very irritated and so I would not rub too hard.

Michael, yes having skin fold issues is also a sign of allergies. I probably would not use the pampers wipes, but just the malaseb pledgets. Have you tried Gold Bond Powder after you dry the area? Also I have used Desitin ointment in the past on my guys and that seems to help too.
It sounds like the areas are very irritated and so I would not rub too hard.

When Dozer's folds got really bad, out vet had me clean them with hibiclense (sp?) soap, pat them dry, and then apply a little antibiotic ointment. We did this for a few days and once the redness and puffiness went away, we changed back to cleaning with a mild soap and a thin layer of diaper rash ointment.

When Dozer's folds got really bad, out vet had me clean them with hibiclense (sp?) soap, pat them dry, and then apply a little antibiotic ointment. We did this for a few days and once the redness and puffiness went away, we changed back to cleaning with a mild soap and a thin layer of diaper rash ointment.

as a rule of thumb if its moist keep it dry...if dry keep it moist.....use gold bond powder in the folds rather than a moist wipe this should help....

as a rule of thumb if its moist keep it dry...if dry keep it moist.....use gold bond powder in the folds rather than a moist wipe this should help....