In practice

International breeder inquiry into the reproduction of the English bulldog

Authors
  • E. Wydooghe
  • E. Berghmans
  • T. Rijsselaere
  • A. Van Soom

Abstract

Dystocia may occur in all dog breeds, but the English bulldog is predisposed because of its conformation and specific problems such as anasarca pups. In this study, the frequency of abnormal pups and breeding problems in English bulldogs was investigated by a questionnaire containing information on 39 bitches in total. In 74.4% of these bitches, artificial insemination was performed. At the end of gestation, 25.8% of the bitches suffered from respiratory problems and partial anorexia. The average duration of gestation was 58.7 days counted from the first day of mating. Caesarean section was performed in 94.8% of the cases, with natural delivery in only 5.2% of the bitches. In this study, the average litter size was six pups. Thirteen percent of the pups were stillborn, 8.2% of the pups alive were deformed, with palatoschisis (38.8%) and anasarca (27.7%) being the most commonly observed abnormalities. Ten percent of the pups died before the age of weaning.

How to Cite:

Wydooghe, E., Berghmans, E., Rijsselaere, T. & Van Soom, A., (2013) “International breeder inquiry into the reproduction of the English bulldog”, Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift 82(1), 38-43. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/vdt.v82i1.16726

Downloads:
Download PDF
View PDF

1706 Views

161 Downloads

Published on
27 Feb 2013
Peer Reviewed