Information Provided By The American Kennel Club
The French Bulldog has the appearance of an active, intelligent, muscular dog of heavy bone, smooth coat, compactly built, and of medium or small structure. Expression alert, curious, and interested. Any alteration other than removal of dewclaws is considered mutilation and is a disqualification.
All points are well distributed and bear good relation one to the other; no feature being in such prominence from either excess or lack of quality that the animal appears poorly proportioned. In comparing specimens of different sex, due allowance is to be made in favor of bitches, which do not bear the characteristics of the breed to the same marked degree as do the dogs.
Weight not to exceed 28 pounds; over 28 pounds is a disqualification. Distance from withers to ground in good relation to distance from withers to onset of tail, so that animal appears compact, well balanced and in good proportion. Substance to be muscular, heavy bone.
The French Bulldog has the appearance of an active, intelligent, muscular dog of heavy bone, smooth coat, compactly built, and of medium or small structure. Expression alert, curious, and interested. Any alteration other than removal of dewclaws is considered mutilation and is a disqualification. Proportion and Symmetry - All points are well distributed and bear good relation one to the other; no feature being in such prominence from either excess or lack of quality that the animal appears poorly proportioned.
Head large and square. Eyes dark in color, wide apart, set low down in the skull, as far from the ears as possible, round in form, of moderate size, neither sunken nor bulging. In lighter colored dogs, lighter colored eyes are acceptable. No haw and no white of the eye showing when looking forward. Ears Known as the bat ear, broad at the base, elongated, with round top, set high on the head but not too close together, and carried erect with the orifice to the front. The leather of the ear fine and soft. Other than bat ears is a disqualification. The top of the skull flat between the ears; the forehead is not flat but slightly rounded.
The neck is thick and well arched with loose skin at the throat. The back is a roach back with a slight fall close behind the shoulders; strong and short, broad at the shoulders and narrowing at the loins. The body is short and well rounded. The chest is broad, deep, and full; well ribbed with the belly tucked up. The tail is either straight or screwed (but not curly), short, hung low, thick root and fine tip; carried low in repose.
Forelegs are short, stout, straight, muscular and set wide apart. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet are moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails.
Hind legs are strong and muscular, longer than the forelegs, so as to elevate the loins above the shoulders. Hocks well let down. Feet are moderate in size, compact and firmly set. Toes compact, well split up, with high knuckles and short stubby nails; hind feet slightly longer than forefeet.
Coat is moderately fine, brilliant, short and smooth. Skin is soft and loose, especially at the head and shoulders, forming wrinkles.
GENETIC HEALTH TESTING
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Read About Genetic Health Testing
SUGGESTED ANESTHESIA PROTOCOL FOR FRENCH BULLDOGS
Author: Lori Hunt, DVM
Requirement:
No food for 12 hours before surgery. This is crucial. If the dog eats the morning of surgery, cancel the surgery for that day. Vomiting and aspiration can have devastating effects in a Frenchie. In an emergency, it’s possible your dog may have eaten. PLEASE tell your vet this info, as often it may affect how they recover your frenchie.
Recommendations:
-Do a clotting time, full blood chemistry work-up and complete blood count before anesthesia.
-Be sure an intravenous catheter will be placed prior to surgery.
-Ideally, all dogs will be administered IV fluids during surgery.
-Chest x-rays prior to surgery are always recommended by me for brachycephalic dogs, especially if the dog has had chronic breathing problems.
Optimum choices:
Use propofol induction anesthesia, intubate (place a breathing tube in the trachea) and maintain on gas anesthesia (isoflurane or sevoflurane).
Satisfactory Options
-Ketamine combined with diazepam (Valium)
-Butorphanol (mild sedative for short procedures such as an x-ray) This is also called Torbugesic or Torbutrol
-Dexdomitor (reversible anesthesia/sedative and an excellent choice for pre-anesthetic in place of Ace)
-Hydromorphone
Do Not Give Frenchies:
-Acepromazine (sedative)
-Pentobarbital (injectable anesthesia)
-Xylazine (sedative)
-Halothane (gas anesthesia)
-Thiopental
-Telazol
-AlfaxanMy personal protocol:
(These would be in addition to the optimum anesthetic protocol listed above and are recommended for longer procedures)
-Famotidine (Pepcid) or ranitidine (Zantac) injection (helps cut down on nausea and post-op vomiting, decreases risk of aspiration)
-Dexamethasone can reduce post-op swelling and make recovery faster in cases where the dog's throat is irritated from the ET tube, when the dog's palate is very long, or following palate surgery. A single injection can be given in these cases
-Cerenia (an antiemetic to help prevent post-operative vomiting)
Intubation vs. Masking/Coning Down
EVERY brachycephalic dog that goes under anesthesia should have an endotracheal tube (ET) placed in his or her trachea. Always! The airway must be protected at all times. The endotracheal tube should be left in until the dog is awake. Use intravenous propofol (or one of the other satisfactory drugs listed above) to induce anesthesia (which puts them under) and allows sufficient time to place the ET tube. From then on, anesthesia is maintained with sevoflurane or isoflurane.
Brachycephalic breeds, such as Frenchie, should NEVER be masked down with anesthesia. Masking down is when a mask is placed on an awake or mildly sedated dog’s muzzle. The mask is held in place by restraining the dog. The inhalant, which has a bad smell, is given at high levels. As the dog breaths more and more, he/she gets sleepy. The problem with masking down Frenchies is that they can become very anxious, fight the mask and not breath well. Most Frenchies have problems breathing in the first place, this just makes it worse, which results in lower oxygen levels. Ideally, injectable sedatives are used and an endotracheal tube placed which is then attached to an anesthetic machine. This gives them the optimum oxygen supply.
Respectfully,
Lori Hunt, DVM
www.centerwestanimalhospital.
www.freewebs.com/
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