Jul 16, 2017
3
0
Country
Usa
Bulldog(s) Names
Princess, Sweetie Pie, and Addie
Hi, everyone,

I'm new here and so glad to be in the company of people who know and love English bulldogs. I've loved them always and am the happy owner of three rescued English bulldogs. I do my best for them but I'm at a loss on what to do for one of them, Princess. She is 5 and I've had her three years. She has all of her shots, eats grain-free Avoderm for weight control (she weighed 82 pounds when I got her and is down to 74), is very attached to me and vice verse and has a strong but adorable personality. When I adopted her, the vet there thought she was spayed due to a scar. She was not, it turned out; she had had a hernia repaired. We realized this when she had a mammary tumor, rare in spayed dogs, I know. I took her to my vet the morning after I saw it, and she had surgery to remove it. The biopsy came back with clean margins. She never seemed to go into heat but the mammary tumor made us wonder even more. The vet opened her up and she had not been spayed and had a tumor in her uterus! It was biopsied but since the tumor was inside the removed uterus, the margins weren't determined. That was about nine months ago.

She also had a cherry eye fixed and about two years ago wasn't acting like herself for no reason I could discern. Blood work and urine tests showed some infection so she was treated for that; they took X-rays and nothing was seen. She got better and returned to her bossy, happy self.

A week ago, she was outside with me in the yard just hanging out. We live in the country and she was rolling around as usual. She ate a little grass but not much and it's not treated. It wasn't that hot out and we stayed out just a little while so she returned to the AC. The next morning, she seemed lethargic and just not herself. She ate and drank but just was too quiet. Here and there she coughed and gagged a little and had a small amount of yellowish phlegm. She stopped that but still was not herself. She seemed to be panting more even though she was in the AC. I was freaking out worrying and about bloat although she doesn't eat fast thanks to her slow feed bowls and she wasn't gulping water. Her stomach was soft and no signs of that. I took her to the vet Monday and she had a tiny elevated temperature but her heart and lungs sounded good, she was moving more, he could feel anything in her stomach, etc. He took blood and sent it out for the normal panel. He put her on Amoxicillin just in case. The blood was fine but she still acted strangely and she started being less lethargic but panting heavily especially at night. Then she seemed to have trouble getting up on the wood floors and didn't get on the sofa like she always did. I started wondering if she'd gone blind or deaf because she wasn't responding like usual. She always stretched her legs out when she slept or woke but it seemed like she might be having sleep seizures. Those went away if they even were seizures--they did not look like seizures I've seen in dogs but something is not right. I thought maybe she'd hurt her hips or back somehow so I called the vet and he prescribed Tramadol and said we'd do X-rays if it continued. She wasn't eating a lot but was drinking water so I gave her canned food. She didn't seem to want to bend down in her slow-feed bowls so I held the bowl up for her. She ate it and has eaten more since, and she has pooped that is normal, not hard or diarrhea, although it's not as much as usual. She drinks water fine. She's urinating fine. Her gums are pink. But she's pacing and panting hard, especially at night until she fell asleep. She is usually very vocal--barks to say the cats want in or out, barks to go out, barks when I'm on the phone at times, whines and whimpers to be petted, etc., but none of that since she first started this. Once she's asleep, her breathing seems normal. She's going back to the vet at 7 AM Monday for X-rays of her hips, back, neck, stomach, etc., surgery if anything is seen, and whatever else is needed.

I just have no idea what is wrong with her or what I can do for her. I would so appreciate any advice you guys have. My other two rescued bulldogs are older than she is and eat the same things, etc. They both are fine although I think we're all worried about Princess.

I'm sorry this is so long. I thought I should tell you all I could.

Thank you again.
 

Lalaloopsie

New member
Apr 18, 2016
1,628
34
Cape Town, SA
Country
Belarus
Bulldog(s) Names
Tank
Very difficult to presume what's wrong at the moment. Could she be bitten by ticks? To me feels like something is wrong in her brain, infection or tumour. Sorry for your baby.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,596
3,690
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Cubby (Frenchie) Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
welcome to EBN... it is very apparent you KNOW and love your babies, great details .

She is definitely in pain, pacing and panting is a sign of that.... my question was going to be about xrays so I'm hoping you get better information from them on Monday.

Twice our Banks seemed off and as you stated everything came back normal and clean except her xrays... first time her spine/vertebrae issues were identified and the second time she ate a stone that was tearing up her stomach

Please keep us posted... sending lots of prayers and positive thoughts to you and Princess


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cefe13

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2013
3,714
205
Country
Sweden
Bulldog(s) Names
Castor (2013-2021 RIP)
Welcome to the forum! I'm sorry that I cannot offer any advice but I hope your little Princess will soon feel better!
 

1Chumly

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2015
2,915
701
Houston, TX
Country
From England
Bulldog(s) Names
Buster 2013-2023 Monty 6/2010 - 1/2020 Chumly 2002-2014
It is so difficult to pinpoint anything, unfortunately. You say her heart and lungs sound good but has Congestive Heart Failure been ruled out? I thought Chumly had a couple of seizures but it turned out to be fainting, caused by CHF which at that point we had no idea he had. He panted a lot but no pacing. He also didn't cough which is another symptom.

Please let us know what happens on Monday and l hope it is something minor.
 

helsonwheels

Well-known member
Jan 10, 2016
13,081
2,399
Alberta
Country
Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Nyala, Jake (R.I.P. Duke)
Welcome!!! Good job on rescuing 3 bullies! You are very attentive towards your dogs and concern so no need to apologize for long post. Right now where you stand you'll need to see what the X rays shows. You mentioned she wouldn't eat till you raised the bowl and she ate her food. All dogs will eat from the floor...for her to eat cause it's higher up, she might have some sort of joint, bone issue or front issue pulling. It is so hard to say as it can be anything. Very hard to determine anything happening inside a body. Much easier when it's outside as its more visible. We can say all sorts here but boils down you need to see on Monday's xray. Please keep us posted!
 

Manydogs

Well-known member
Community Veteran
May 2, 2013
13,637
2,026
Tennessee
Country
U.S.A.
Bulldog(s) Names
Maudee,MarthaKatie,Lizzie,Bro.Mini
Welcome to EBN! I understand how concerned you must be for your baby. The fact that she ate when you held her bowl, would lead me to think that she had hurt her neck or back-but you say she is drinking water,which would be the same position as eating,so that could be ruled out. She is definitely having some pain somewhere, and surely all the tests/xrays will show the problem. Until then,prayers for you and your Princess, and please let us know the results of her tests.:pray:
 

B770QE

New member
Feb 7, 2016
71
2
California
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Gus
:smileywelcome: So sad to hear Princess is having a problem, but sounds like you're doing everything right to help her. My best guess is she's hurt her neck or back.
Many years ago we had a dog behaving much like your description of Princess. It turned out she had hurt her back, but it was simple to care for. Eating at floor level aggravated it & caused her a lot of pain. Raising her food & water bowls so she ate level made a huge improvement and she was no longer allowed to jump onto or down from furniture or vehicle. After those simple changes she was back to normal.
Let us know what the X-ray results are. Praying it's nothing major & she's back to her wonderful self soon!
 

Sir Bentley

New member
Jan 27, 2017
59
4
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Sir Bentley
Great detail in your post. I have no experience with Princess's issues but I will put her on the prayer list. Great job with your caring for rescued bullies. You always get back the love you give. You have a big heart. May you and Princess be blessed.


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ddnene

EBN's SWEETHEART aka our little GOOB
Staff member
Jun 19, 2013
14,554
1,249
Nashville, Tennessee
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Willow (2015) Walter (2014-22) Winston (2012-13) Wellie (2012-13) Bella (2007-13)
I'm so sorry you are dealing w/this... I would have x-rays and blood work done. I had this happen to us once w/Walter and he ended up having a major anal gland infection... sometimes it's really hard to pinpoint what is going on.

Please keep us posted...
 

Reggies Parents

New member
Dec 30, 2016
193
5
Bristol, UK
Country
United Kingdom
Bulldog(s) Names
Reggie
Poor Princess - please update us on her condition when you can.

Reggie always acts really strange, and pants even in cool weather when he is in pain. First it was a nasty campylobacter infection, this time we think it may be a bad worm infestation. We haven't been able to worm him for a while due to him having a couple of operations, skin infection etc. so he has been on a lot of meds.

I would say the next step, if the xrays don't give you answers, would be a stool sample - and get it tested for everything. Our vet missed the campylobacter the first time around because we didn't specifically ask for the bacterial test, so they just did parasite.

Hoping for good news!
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,596
3,690
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Cubby (Frenchie) Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Hi, everyone,

I'm new here and so glad to be in the company of people who know and love English bulldogs. I've loved them always and am the happy owner of three rescued English bulldogs. I do my best for them but I'm at a loss on what to do for one of them, Princess. She is 5 and I've had her three years. She has all of her shots, eats grain-free Avoderm for weight control (she weighed 82 pounds when I got her and is down to 74), is very attached to me and vice verse and has a strong but adorable personality. When I adopted her, the vet there thought she was spayed due to a scar. She was not, it turned out; she had had a hernia repaired. We realized this when she had a mammary tumor, rare in spayed dogs, I know. I took her to my vet the morning after I saw it, and she had surgery to remove it. The biopsy came back with clean margins. She never seemed to go into heat but the mammary tumor made us wonder even more. The vet opened her up and she had not been spayed and had a tumor in her uterus! It was biopsied but since the tumor was inside the removed uterus, the margins weren't determined. That was about nine months ago.

She also had a cherry eye fixed and about two years ago wasn't acting like herself for no reason I could discern. Blood work and urine tests showed some infection so she was treated for that; they took X-rays and nothing was seen. She got better and returned to her bossy, happy self.

A week ago, she was outside with me in the yard just hanging out. We live in the country and she was rolling around as usual. She ate a little grass but not much and it's not treated. It wasn't that hot out and we stayed out just a little while so she returned to the AC. The next morning, she seemed lethargic and just not herself. She ate and drank but just was too quiet. Here and there she coughed and gagged a little and had a small amount of yellowish phlegm. She stopped that but still was not herself. She seemed to be panting more even though she was in the AC. I was freaking out worrying and about bloat although she doesn't eat fast thanks to her slow feed bowls and she wasn't gulping water. Her stomach was soft and no signs of that. I took her to the vet Monday and she had a tiny elevated temperature but her heart and lungs sounded good, she was moving more, he could feel anything in her stomach, etc. He took blood and sent it out for the normal panel. He put her on Amoxicillin just in case. The blood was fine but she still acted strangely and she started being less lethargic but panting heavily especially at night. Then she seemed to have trouble getting up on the wood floors and didn't get on the sofa like she always did. I started wondering if she'd gone blind or deaf because she wasn't responding like usual. She always stretched her legs out when she slept or woke but it seemed like she might be having sleep seizures. Those went away if they even were seizures--they did not look like seizures I've seen in dogs but something is not right. I thought maybe she'd hurt her hips or back somehow so I called the vet and he prescribed Tramadol and said we'd do X-rays if it continued. She wasn't eating a lot but was drinking water so I gave her canned food. She didn't seem to want to bend down in her slow-feed bowls so I held the bowl up for her. She ate it and has eaten more since, and she has pooped that is normal, not hard or diarrhea, although it's not as much as usual. She drinks water fine. She's urinating fine. Her gums are pink. But she's pacing and panting hard, especially at night until she fell asleep. She is usually very vocal--barks to say the cats want in or out, barks to go out, barks when I'm on the phone at times, whines and whimpers to be petted, etc., but none of that since she first started this. Once she's asleep, her breathing seems normal. She's going back to the vet at 7 AM Monday for X-rays of her hips, back, neck, stomach, etc., surgery if anything is seen, and whatever else is needed.

I just have no idea what is wrong with her or what I can do for her. I would so appreciate any advice you guys have. My other two rescued bulldogs are older than she is and eat the same things, etc. They both are fine although I think we're all worried about Princess.

I'm sorry this is so long. I thought I should tell you all I could.

Thank you again.

Any update?


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oscarmayer

Have Bulldog Will Travel
Staff member
Jan 20, 2016
4,438
1,696
VA
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Lala, Chesty, Winky, Waggles, Moose, and rescue MoJo
Congestive Heart Failure is a possible cause of the panting and restlessness.
 
OP
L
Jul 16, 2017
3
0
Country
Usa
Bulldog(s) Names
Princess, Sweetie Pie, and Addie
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #14
Thank you so much for your reply. I appreciate it so much. I thought that seemed like a real possibility and told my vet. We were treating her for that just in case. She got worse on Sunday night and I slept on the kitchen floor with her since that's where she wanted to be. She was having such trouble breathing and it broke my heart. She went to the vet today for X-rays and exams, and the vet called to tell me he could see arthritis in her neck and spine and some mass by her lung. He sent the X-rays to a radiologist and I took her home. She was on morphine for the X-rays and was asleep but seemed comfortable. The vet called me at 5 and said the radiologist had called and she definitely had a large tumor by her lung and the only question was primary or secondary but likely secondary. The vet was calling the oncologists in the morning but when Princess woke up, she was having more trouble breathing and wouldn't even eat her favorite, pizza. :( The cat and I laid there with her and I researched about the cancer. It was not good and worst was the information on pain. She was struggling and I couldn't stand it just because I didn't want her gone. :( I texted my vet and met him at his office. Princess was so calm all the way there, like she knew. My kids called and told her they loved her and I stayed with her the whole time. I've been crying ever since and am just devastated. I know you understand, and I wanted to thank you and go get something for my migraine and go to sleep if I can. We all are sad here and thank you so much.
 
OP
L
Jul 16, 2017
3
0
Country
Usa
Bulldog(s) Names
Princess, Sweetie Pie, and Addie
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #15
Oh, you are so kind! I cannot thank you enough! I always want to do my best for my bulldogs and I'm so glad to be here with you guys! I wrote above about today, and it was the worst. To me, it happened so fast but my vet said it's been coming and we just didn't know it. My heart is broken, and I know you understand. :) Thank you. I have more replies to make but please forgive me, everyone, as I'm feeling very sick to my stomach. I'll write more later and thank you all so much.
 

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