Puppy with elongated palate
Submitted by Karen on October 24, 2011 - 10:09amI just bought a bulldog puppy she is 3 months old. I got her from suppose to be a good breeder. She seemed fine when I picked her up but after the 2 hr. drive home her breathing was not good. I called the breeder the next morning and discribed the giggling and breathing problem the puppy had her response was it was fine when it left. Since then I have been at the vets almost every day for 2 weekes. The vet thinks it is an upper respitory problem and because the symptoms come and go that she may have an elongated palate. If she is under any stress or exercise the condition returns and she can hardly breath for a few days. The breeder still says the dog was fine when it left. What shall I do. I have spent over $1,000 in one week and more tests have to be done still. I need some advice.
Karen
First I would
find another vet that has is very familiar with bulldogs and get another opinion. Make sure the puppy has not aspirated and that there is no fluid in the puppies lungs.
What tests have been done that have cost $1,000. That is ridiculous! Sounds like your vet is experimenting. Take a videos of the labored breathing.
At 4 months this is very very young for palette problems to show up. I would have a trach xray done to eliminate a narrow trach. Does the breeder do any health testing on their dogs? At the minimum they should be doing heart, patella (CHIC) and eye cert.
Vets that are familiar with palette problems can usually determine the problem without putting the puppy under. But the only real way to check a palette is to have them out. Sometimes if the puppy is panting with mouth open the vet can actually see down the throat (or not). If there is no opening to be seen down the throat then there is likely a palette problem.
I wouldn't think it would be a palate issue at this age
Does she have any other symptoms? Usually a dog with an elongated palate will throw up white foam. Also, my girl's tongue would turn blue while she was sleeping. I agree with Deb and it sounds like you need a new Vet.
first things first...find a vet who treats bully breeds
thats your first step.....second step a chest x ray....bulls apirate with anything new....you cant tell a elongated plate without going under and the vet having a look...if i had spent a grand in one week with no answers....their is a problem with your vet....i have henery he would get ecxited and pass out...thats henery he gets to over excited it took three months for him to calm down so as not to choke himself off...(he was a rescue) plus he was about 10 lbs over weight....
so find a bully vet and go from their....
sorry your pup is having problems
I want to echo the others suggestions about finding a Bulldog experienced Vet. A Vet used to seeing Bullies can tell you about the condition of the soft palate in just a few seconds. The best way to tell is with the dog under anesthesia, but an experienced Vet can get an idea without knocking them out.
If your dog has a respiratory issue, a long soft palate will exacerbate the issue further. I would suggest, if it is needed, you get your dog's palate trimmed (again by a Vet very experienced in palate trims) as soon as the pup is well and old enough to do surgery as a long palate will bring on more troubles as she grows.
And a thought about your pup 'being ok' when you picked her up, but not now - Years ago I bought a pup from a pet shop (before I knew better) that seemed fine when I took him home and within 24 hours was sick and continued to get sicker, he got so sick, he almost died. What I found was he had Kennel Cough that the pet store was treating but didn't tell me about. Without his meds for a few days, his symptoms returned. So my 1st thought is; maybe the breeder knew there was a problem, medicated the dog and didn't inform you? Another thought is, there may be something in your car's ventilation system that triggered her symptoms? Mold can grow in the tubes and a sensitive person, or dog, can have a reaction.
Respiratory issue
I forgot to mention that after a week she also got a cherry eye,which we had operated on. When the vet took the tube out it was full of white foam and he was very worried about her the way she was breathing. The condition comes and goes, when she is excited or under any stress is when the conditon returns. It take a few days for it to calm down. I have spoken to the breeder and sent all the paperwork to her vet. The two vets are going to be talking today. How do you find a vet that knows bulldogs. They all say they do when you call.
Bulldog Vet
There is a listing by state on this website of Vets that have been recommended by Bulldog owners. Another way is to ask a Clinic what % of their clients have Bulldogs. If it is under 5%, then they don't see that many.
Saturday I was at a Clinic in Columbus, OH from 10:50 am until 2:30 pm with a Bullie girl having pups. While I was there another Bullie girl was having a Surgical AI and 2 other Bulldogs were there for other minor things. There may have been more that I didn't see because I was in the recovery area and not the lobby. This Clinic has a large Bulldog clientele and knows Bulldogs well.
What size trach tube
did they use when they did her cherry eye surgery? Has this all started since that surgery or has she always had trouble? If she was having breathing problems prior to the surgery did you mention it too the vet prior to the cherry eye surgery? They should have checked her palette when they did that surgery. Did they not check her palette or just not mention it?
Respiratory issue
The day we brought her home she has had trouble breething. She is OK in the morning but if she runs or gets excited there is a lot of fluid sound and she and can't breath. The vets knew this before they did the surgery on her. The breeder has a health guarantee but does not want to give our money back or take the dog back.. We can not take her on walks or let her play with our other bully. Breathing at night is hard for her too. I live in Canada and it is very hard to find a vet that looks after bulldogs.
Referrals
from other bulldog owners, breeders, bulldog clubs in your area are probably the best way to find a good vet that has experience with lots of bulldogs. If you find one that is activly doing c-sections, implants, AI, then they are likely experienced enough to do all the other stuff. I would ask any vet that does surgeries on a bullie how many times they have done surgeries on bullies and have they lost any on the table. And I agree with Robin on what % of their clientele is bulldogs.
Also what do they use for induction and anesthesia during surgeries.
Where in Canada?
It really sounds like an elongated palate, but narrow trach could also be a problem. I would ask your vet that did the cherry eye surgery if he used a normal sized tube when he incubated her. My vet writes the tube size down, but I know others that don't. If she has done this from when you got her then it is a serious case and I would get her to a knowledgeable vet soon. She can be helped and palate surgeries unfortunately are quite common.
Where in Canada are you? I have a number of friends/breeders from different parts of Canada so maybe we can find someone close that can refer you to a good vet.
Respiratory issue
I am in Bradford, Ontario between, Newmarket and Barrie.
I too live in Ontario...
and it is really difficult to find a vet who is really knowledgeable about bullies. My suggestion would be to go to the Veterinary Hospital at Guelph University. They of all people should be able to help as they educate vets.
Breeder Cindy Madill
I believe is in Ontario. I'll do some asking on FB for you.
Staples Animal Hospital in
Staples Animal Hospital in London, ON, is where I go, he see's lots of bulldogs, almost every day there are bulldogs when i go.