Help Needed! New member, lots of concerns about my dogs health

disturbedmuffin

New member
Dec 4, 2012
18
1
Bulldog(s) Names
Bowser
Hello to all the bulldog mummies and daddies at englishbulldognews, I wasn't sure on where to post this but here goes nothing. My name is Carla, I joined about a week ago, Iā€™m a bit of a shy person as well as overloaded with work/vet visits and havenā€™t gotten round to making a proper introduction yet, I've mostly been browsing the forums and reading all the posted articles, and I have to say this is an amazing site! You guys really love your doggies and know your stuff. This post is kind of like a merge of new member introduction/concerns about my dogs health.

Well a bit about me, my story is I have a beautiful English Bulldog name Bowser, I got him at 6 months old from a friend who I disappointingly have to say got him assuming having a puppy a piece of cake and then realized they didnā€™t have the time, but lucky me, I ended up adopting him. Now at 9 months he has matured into such a handsome little guy; with me, my bf, and our other boxer Jubba, our family is now complete.

But there are currently two things that are affecting Bowser's health right now, he seems to be suffering from allergies of some sort, and I canā€™t figure out what it could be, I live in Lebanon which is still a developing country, I know in the U.S. you have vets that specialize with certain breeds of dogs and itā€™s all about finding a vet who has a lot of patients that are bulldogs. I wish I could say it was like that here but it isnā€™t, the bulldog breed isnā€™t too popular, and there are many bad practices in this country I have heard some horror stories, itā€™s just terrible. Iā€™ve been told by many people that the vet I am going to is one of the best, but I am feeling frustrated because there has been little improvement in his condition. As well as not having the luxury of being able to choose my vet, there is also little to no choice in dog food, mostly brands like Royal Canin dominate the dog food market.

Right now the vet told me to put him on royal canin (hypoallergenic) which is restructured protein, but we are 18 days into using it, and I have seen little effect on his condition, hes still has itchy paws, gets red easily, liquid shoots out from his nose when he breathes hard, and most recently a pimply rash on his tummy. I know Royal Canin is a real crappy food, but I just want to wait out a full proper month so I can say I fully gave it a chance, and move onto the next.

Ive already read about having allergy tests, and I would do it, I asked my vet but he said they used to do it but said they werenā€™t accurate and expensive so they stopped doing itā€¦ despite what I have heard about the vets in this country, I was thinking of still going to check out some other animal clinics, and maybe there is another good vet somewhere out there, or at least one that can do allergy testing.

From what I know, he was originally on eukanuba when he started to get red at 4 months, there are been a 3% improvement since going on the royal canin hypoallergenic. Maybe in the future I can try a homemade option or even personally ship in a good dog food, but that is going to cost me twice the price in shipping fees, on this site I have read a lot of good things about fromms. So far I havenā€™t found any grain free dog foods in Lebanon.

The other thing that is bothering him is his eye, when he came to me he had a bad eye infection, and after the infection was treated and gone, he ended up getting cherry eye in one eye, and Entropion in the other, and he would continue to rub his eyes, maybe due to allergies? But he had his eyes fixed about 6 days ago, the one with the Entropion healed up perfectly, itā€™s so clear and bright now, but the for the one that had cherry eye doesnā€™t seem to be getting better, the Vet didnā€™t remove the cherry but did the procedure where they stich it back in place.

Itā€™s been 6 almost 7 days so far and it was looking better the last two days but now itā€™s looking more swollen again, how long does it take usually to recover from that procedure? I told the vet and he told me to change the eye drops, but itā€™s not looking any better yet. He also said if it doesnā€™t get better they will have to put him under anesthetic and remove the tear gland. But I really donā€™t want to put him under anesthetic again if I can avoid it. The only improvement I can note of is that there is a lot less discharge coming from that eye compared to the first few days, there is still discharge just a lot less of it, but heā€™s been keeping his eye shut most of today.
I just feel like Iā€™m doing something wrong and feel almost alone at times, itā€™s just so frustrating when u want to make your dog feel better but you canā€™t, I realized I have just written a huge essay and I apologize, I just thought I should lay out all the details. Basically through all that rambling, the two core questions I want to know are:

1) Are the any recommendations on homemade food suitable for allergies? Despite not being able to find out what the allergies are?
2) What is the recovery time after the repositioning the cherry eye (tear gland)? When should I start to worry?

Im sorry if I posted this in the wrong place or anything like that.
 
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JAKEISGREAT

.................
Mar 25, 2011
14,802
1,155
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Jake
First of all..Welcome! That was a wonderful introduction and never worry about putting something in the wrong place here. We will eventually find it anyway. You have a lot to deal with for sure...and not all the tools we do. But I'm sure there are lots of members here to give you guidance.

First of all, if a good food isn't readily available, would you consider raw feeding? I don't know much about it, but many of our members do and would love to help..I am sure. I do know, the allergies don't seem to carry over to the raw feeding. I will get a few people here that will be able to help in other areas. Make yourself at home...glad to have you in the family!

[MENTION=1209]savemejeebus[/MENTION]...[MENTION=1648]Lucy-licious[/MENTION]..[MENTION=3354]RiiSi[/MENTION]...[MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION]
 
L

Lucy-licious

Guest
Oh dear....if he is keeping his eye closed its because its hurting him :hug: Is it possible he scrached his eye. If so that can be painfu and if he caught his eyeballl and cause an ulcer...which can be treated with lots of eyedrops.
Billy has had cherry eye op but not the tacking procedure.....we had his 3rd lid removed instead which has been totally successful and he doesnt have any issues with dry eye so far but that doesnt say he wont at some point.

[MENTION=959]kazzy220[/MENTION] has recent experience with tacking procedure and [MENTION=390]cali~jenn[/MENTION] also has...they both will be able to advise there.

Food wise we have had a lot of problems with Billy and I really feel for you xx
I would suggest home cooked or Raw for you as the price of shipping in regularly and the fear of running out between shipments is too high.

Billy has been on home cooked on and off and a lot of reading suggested a mixture of 1/3rd carb (rice, potato or pasta) a 1/3 protein chicken, beef, lamb etc and a 1/3 vegetables...green veg are good.
Eggs are good as little additions a couple of times a week as is yoghurt (probiotic or natural) cottage cheese, and oily fish such as sardines.
[MENTION=2]desertskybulldogs[/MENTION] has a homecooked recipe I think. whilst [MENTION=4225]Twice[/MENTION] has a lot of knowledge on good foods to feed.
If you think RAW is an option then we have a raw forum here and [MENTION=1209]savemejeebus[/MENTION] and [MENTION=3354]RiiSi[/MENTION] will be of good help.

Things will get better xx

oh and [MENTION=2291]cowsmom[/MENTION] can help with yeast issues and the itchy paws xx
 
OP
disturbedmuffin

disturbedmuffin

New member
Dec 4, 2012
18
1
Bulldog(s) Names
Bowser
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Thank you Jakie for the warm welcome, glad to have found this little bulldog haven! I have considered raw food, I mentioned it to the vet, and he was all like ā€œmost dogs are allergic to proteinsā€ and that it was better if I try the hypo allergenic first, but the more Iā€™ve been reading on here the more it seems that most bulldogs have allergies to wheat, reading the ingredients on Bowsers current food, there are many soy products in it.

On raw food, would he get a reaction if he were to have a meat allergy?

And Lucy , I rly hope his eye isnā€™t nicked, I canā€™t stop worrying about it. Heā€™s been wearing his cone since his operation, and was given oral medication for the next 5 days, there was an improvement on the 4th and 5[SUP]th[/SUP] day but as soon as the pills finished the following day his eye started to look sore again. It could have been a coincidence, it like suddenly looked much more sore in the middle of the afternoon, and is worse today. He also likes to sleep against that eye, maybe pushing on it on purpose.
I have told the vet and he said letā€™s see what happens within these next two days, and then to come for a checkup and then maybe after that, have the gland removed.
 
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bullmama

Owner/Administrator
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Jan 28, 2010
24,756
1,251
Tucson, Arizona
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USA
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The Home of the Desert Sky Pack
Hello and welcome! Sounds like you're having quite a bit of issues right now. To start, I would definitely take your baby back to the vet to have that Eye looked at. Squinting or eyes closed is usually a result of pain, as Lucy-luscious said. If there is a scratch, or an ulcer that needs to get fixed before you can tell if anything has worked with the Cherry Eye.

The most obvious reason raw or home cooking works so well is because you know exactly what is going into their body. The ingredients are limited, so if you see a reaction you know it could be only one of the ingredients that you are using. I use a mixture of mainly ground beef with the fat drained off, 25% beans, 25% vegetables, and 15% rice or pasta. I also add a supplement to make sure that I am meeting all their vitamin needs. I will occasionally add eggs, yogurt, cheeses, depending on what I have in the house that I may need to use up. It is also a great way to use up vegetables that you're not using because almost all vegetables can be added in. Too much cabbage can give gas though! LOL. I never at any onions or garlic though because those can be toxic. Garlic is supposed to be good in low (very low) doses So a light sprinkle of garlic powder works well And it makes it taste very good. In fact it is so good, my husband loves to eat it while it's cooking on the stove!! Lol. When my father in law came to visit, he told me to write down the recipe so he could make it at home for himself!
 

Twice

My Bully Gave Me Wings
Feb 3, 2012
2,686
311
Woodbridge Township, NJ
Bulldog(s) Names
Abby (my Sweetie Head 10.24.11-11.23.12) and Otis
and he was all like ā€œmost dogs are allergic to proteinsā€


huh? lol

[MENTION=1648]Lucy-licious[/MENTION] is right. It sounds like home cooked or raw is the way for you to go. If you choose to go with home cooked rice is a good carb to start with. Eggs are a great protein. Any meat that you have is fine for him but whichever one you start with, stick with it for at least a week so you know if he is allergic to it. If you notice him itching or getting red then switch to a different meat. Once you've cycled through all of the options you can switch it up at will. Almost any vegetable you have in the house is fine. There are a bunch of great recipes here on the forums to get you started.

Is there any kind of discharge from the eye? Or is he just keeping it closed? Will he let you touch it or does he wince away in pain?
 

cali~jenn

..........
Mar 28, 2010
0
419
Southern California
Bulldog(s) Names
Cutty, Miila and Mugsy the pug :)
Welcome to the world of bullies! My gosh you sound a bit overwhelmed. :( you r in the right place or sure so try and not be too anxious although I know that isn't easy. Miila had her eye tacked down and for her the swelling was gone almost immediately. I had been told by the vet that the swelling can even look worse than the cherry eye but in her case there wasn't much of it. She did have it pop back out 2 times while healing but that is all. Knock on wood, but so far it aunt come back and it has been over a year. She did scratch her eye while healing from the surgery. She was blinking a lot, like aging a hard time keeping it open. The vet put those drops in so they can see if there is a scratch and sure enough there was. If there is a scratch it needs to be looked at cuz from what the vet said they can heal fast but also get ugly fast as well. Might want to ave that ruled out now at her than wait, just to be safe.

As for food, I agree on cooking or going raw. Naturally if chicken is a problem there will be a reaction when eaten but this might make it easier to rule out the allergy cause too. I use Fromm so I don't cook or feed raw so I can't offer much advice on that. I think if I was in your situation I would consider home cooking tho.

by the way we love pictures so please don't be shy here. The beauty of ebn is there is no reason to be afraid to ask questions. We all love to try and help. ;)
 
OP
disturbedmuffin

disturbedmuffin

New member
Dec 4, 2012
18
1
Bulldog(s) Names
Bowser
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8

i know that's what i thought, which make me question about the credibility of my vet. Yes there is a discharge from the eye, it is clear/light green mucus, it mostly comes out after his naps throughout the day, when heā€™s sleeping or up and active it stops excreting, itā€™s just when he first opens his eyes that it leaks out obviously, seeing all your replies about his eyes, it appears that in no way is it a normal thing, or healing healthily. I am going to tell the vet to check for ulcers, when he does open it, he blinks very rapidly. I can touch it to administer eye drops that were prescribed to treat infection, he grunts a bit while I do it, and then trys to rub his eye shortly after, the cone is preventing him from rubbing it.

thank you all so much for you replies, i am making note of everything.
 

Vikinggirl

Norwegian Rose
Community Veteran
Oct 8, 2012
9,740
597
Burlington, ON Canada
Country
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Bulldozer and Blossom
Hi, my name is Monica, and I also have a bully puppy that has allergies and had cherry eye in both eyes. First for the food, I agree with all the above suggestions from members who know more about this topic than myself, you gotta lt of good advice from Desertskybulldogs, Twice, and also Cowsmom is a great resource for foods and allergies. I learned a lot from them. My female Blossom has allergies to chicken, corn, grains, and salmon. I switched foods 4 times before trying Fromms Beef, and she is doing great on this food, but since you are limited to the foods available in your area, then agree that the best solution is to go raw or home cooked, and again there are people on this site available for advice. Blossom also had both eyes surgically repaired for cherry eye, one at 7 months when I had her spayed , and then the other one came out at 9 months old, and we had that fixed as well. Both eyes were stitched back in, and we have great results with both. My vet told me that it is normal for the eye to swell while it is healing , so to continue with the eye drops , Blossom still has swelling from time to time, and the eye sometimes gets a little pink, she also has a cream for the eye, it is called FUCITHALMIC VET Eye Gel 5g. It is a eye gel that she gets 1/4 in strip 3 times a day in her eye.
 

Twice

My Bully Gave Me Wings
Feb 3, 2012
2,686
311
Woodbridge Township, NJ
Bulldog(s) Names
Abby (my Sweetie Head 10.24.11-11.23.12) and Otis
thank you all so much for you replies, i am making note of everything.


First item on that list should be "don't freak out" :)

2 weeks ago Otis had the same type of thing going on with his left eye. He couldn't open it, rubbed at it, greenish discharge after waking up. I called the vet on Friday morning but they were booked solid and I didn't think it was an emergency. But the time our appointment on Monday afternoon came around his eye was fine. Nobody knows what happened.

You said this is the eye where the doctor stitched it? Maybe that stitch is bothering him and he is irritating it more. Definitely give the vet a call, but try to relax :)
 

RiiSi

Well-known member
Community Veteran
Sep 30, 2011
5,014
535
SysmƤ
Country
Finland
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Taisto, Kylli, Salli, Angel-Usko and Angel-Voitto
Welcome to EBN!
That really is an amazing statement...dogs are allergic to meat?!?! That makes me wonder about his sanity, lol. RC hypoallergenic hardly has anything in it that you can keep in your hand by itself...
Many times dogs that are allergic to chicken in kibble can tolerate raw chicken well. If you choose to feed raw start with just one protein and give that for atleast two weeks and then introduce another. If you get an reaction, you know it does not suit him. After awhile you should be feeding at least 3 different protein sources with and without bone and organs once a week. Dogs don't really need carbohydrates, but you can give veggies and fruits if you like.
I have no experience on sherry eye, you've got a lot of good advice allready. And pics, pls...we're all grazy about pics...
 

dalmatina38

The Stripe Wearing, Broom Wielding, Voodoo Prieste
Community Veteran
Jul 13, 2012
1,145
66
Sierra Vista Arizona
Bulldog(s) Names
Amber and Ruby
I would recommend homecooked foods for him to see if that helps with the allergies; I have been cooking for my pets for years and when I got our EBD in January that is almost all she eats. I would recommend starting out with beef or lamb if possible. I have not had any problems with any of my fur-babies having allergies to chicken or poultry but many on this site do have fur-babies allergic to chicken. Boil the beef and use vegetables (green beans, peas, carrots, etc) and put it in the meat after it is boiled, put some rice in it or if you prefer shred some potatos (maybe two cups) and put that in there, stir it up and it should be good to go. I usually put an egg in Ambers food every few days for a little added boost and salmon oil drizzled on top of her food. Some folks put beans in their food but I find they give Amber gas (she can run the whole family out of the house on beans) so we stay away from the beans. Also, if regular cuts of meat are extremely expensive look in the canned foods section for types of potted meat. Corn beet hash can be used to make a tasty meal along and spam works in a pinch if you add the rice, vegetables, or potatoes. (I just don't use these too often as they have tons of salt in them but if you add everything else to them it disipates the salt more. You can also boil the spam down just a bit to get the salts out of it after you drain it.) I did try the raw foods but for me they were too messy, it is easier to me to cook Ambers food. Good luck and I hope your baby feels better.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
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Jul 28, 2011
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Gilbertsville, PA
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USA
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Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
WOW.... welcome and hello to you and your baby Bowser!

I am not going to add to all the great advice you have rec'd -- just wanted to say best of luck and welcome. keep us posted on Bowser and I so hope he heals up soon
 
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disturbedmuffin

disturbedmuffin

New member
Dec 4, 2012
18
1
Bulldog(s) Names
Bowser
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #15
Iā€™m sure also being a hypochondriac doesnā€™t really make matters any better, its been a few hours since starting this post and his eye is looking a bit better. not 100% but better, he has an appointment for the vet tomorrow, just to check forany ulcers. i will post pics up soon, i have a few good ones pre surgery, atm heā€™s looking a bit like a pirate. My boxer has really never had any health issues ever, so itā€™s all really a new thing for me.
 
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