Constipation and Megacolon in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs can be painfull, cause major discomfort and lead to serious illness.

Constipation and Megacolon in Bulldogs PRESENTATION:

A constipated English bulldog and French bulldog will typically present with dry, hard, small volume, fecal material.

The longer your bulldog constipation lasts the harder and dryer it becomes and the more difficult it is to pass.

Prolong unattended bulldog constipation could lead to a full colonic impaction, obstipation, and bulldog megacolon which is an abnormal dilation of the large intestine.

signs of constipation in bulldogs

Some of the common manifestations of those conditions include:

• CONSTIPATED BULLDOG STRAIN & SMASEM: straining to defecate
• CONSTIPATED BULLDOG PAINFUL DEFECTION: between defection and during the defection
• FECAL: Small dry fecal balls
• CONSTIPATED BULLDOG PARADOXICAL BULLDOG DIARRHEA: due to constipation only the liquid poop is able to pass
• DISTENDED PAINFUL BULLDOG ABDOMEN: distended hard painful abdomen
• CONSTIPATED BULLDOG ILLNESS: depressed, lethargic, anorexic, vomiting bulldog.

CONSTIPATED FRENCH BULLDOG & MEGACOLON

English Bulldog and French bulldog megacolon is a medical hypomotility condition and a severe dilatation of the colon, most commonly due to poorly managed chronic constipation.

Your bulldog colon health and normal fecal evacuation depend on proper colonic motility & mixing.

Constipation and Megacolon in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs CAUSE:

BULLDOG LIFESTYLE & DIET

• OBESITY
• INACTIVITYDEHYDRATION: insufficient hydration
• STRESS & ANXIETY
• DIETARY: low-quality diet, low fiber diet, indiscretion eating
• BATHROOM ACCESSIBILITY: such as long hours in a cage
• LOW FIBER: Low fiber diet

CONSTIPATED BULLDOG MEDICAL PROBLEMS

• DRUGS SIDE EFFECT: adverse effects caused by prescription drugs
• INTRALUMINAL OBSTRUCTION: is an obstruction within the colon such as foreign material mixed with the poop, intraluminal cancer, etc
• EXTRALUMINAL OBSTRUCTION is obstruction due to compression from outside the colon such as a large prostate (prostatomegaly) and abnormal pelvic inlet (narrowing).
• NEUROMUSCULAR & HORMONAL: like bulldog hypothyroidism, French bulldog IVD,  Bulldog Spina Bifida
• BULLDOG INTESTINAL PARASITE: hookworms, roundworms, giardia, etc.

Constipation & Megacolon in French Bulldogs DIAGNOSIS:

1. HISTORY: constipation history, recent trauma (pelvic fracture), diet type, drugs, etc
2. PHYSICAL MANUAL & DIGITAL PALPATION: palpating for a mass, distended packed hard painful abdomen.
3. RADIOGRAPHS
4. OTHER IMAGING:
   1. ULTRASOUND
   2. CT
   3. BARIUM CONTRAST
5. COLONOSCOPY W/ BIOPSY
6. FECAL LAB TEST
7. BLOOD WORK with Thyroid levels

Constipated French and English Bulldog  TREATMENT

BULLDOG HEALTHY LIFESTYLE 

1. ACTIVITY: healthy lifestyle, daily walks, and playtime
2. STREE FREE & CALM: provide sufficient activity, playtime, and a relaxed environment
3. WEIGHT LOST: any weight lost by an overweight pet could help those medical conditions
4. ADEQUATE HYDRATION: make sure your bulldog gets plenty of water, you can mix extra with the food, add a broth ice cube to the water container, add canned food to the dry, etc

CONSTIPATED BULLDOG DIET & SUPPLEMENTS:

BULLDOG BLEND QUALITY DIET:

Canned food and mixing the food with water can help with hydration.

To imporve your bulldog hydtrtion make a “bulldog smoothy” with a blender

CONSTIPATED BULLDOG SUPPLEMENTS:

1. DECREASE STRESS: If you have an anxious bulldog, you can add supplements like Dr. Kraemer V4B Bully Calm & StressLess Chews
2. INCREASE FIBER: Add natural botanical fiber supplements like Dr. Kraemer’s V4B Bully Gentle Move Formula
3. PROBIOTICS & DIGESTIVE ENZYMES: For a balance GI microbiome, like Dr. Kraemer’s V4B Bully Pre & Probiotic Chews

CONSTIPATED BULLDOG MEDICAL & SURGICAL 

1. ENEMA
2. STOOL SOFTENERS (Lactulose)
3. LAXATIVES
4. PROMOTILITY / PROKINETIC RX (cisapride)
5. DEWORMER
6. DIGITAL RECTAL EVACUATION: digital evacuation via the rectum with sufficient lubricants and often mild sedation
7. SURGICAL: via laparotomy massaging the fecal balls out
8. SURGICAL COLECTOMY: Subtotal colectomy by removing the dilatative colonic segments

Constipation and Megacolon in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs TIPS & WARNINGS:

BULLDOG CONSTIPATION TIPS:

Bulldog Constipation Tip #1 MONITOR: Monitor your bulldog and French bulldog defecation and poop consistency

Bulldog Megacolon Tip #2 RX: Discontinue any medications that may cause constipation.

CONSTIPATED BULLDOG WARNINGS:

Warning #1 BULLDOG FEEDING: Avoid excessive eating and dietary indiscretion

Warning #2 BULLDOG LAXATIVES: laxatives should be discouraged unless necessary to avoid constipation.

Warning #3 BULLDOG COLECTOMY: Subtotal colectomy a risky and last resort surgical procedure, is a risky last resort option. Its expensive and the outcome are rarely optimal.

Bulldogs who had colectomy will need lifelong home care and monitoring

Warning #4 BULLDOG MEGACOLON: bulldog and French bulldog chronic constipation can lead to bulldog megacolon due to:

• DAMAGED WALL: Permanently damaged colonic wall
• DAMAGED LUMEN: Damaged colonic lumen due to chronic distention and trauma.
• DAMAGED NERVE: Damaged nerves due to chronic colonic distention and trauma.

“An Ounce of PREVENTION is Worth a Pound of CURE”

*This guide was compiled courtesy of Dr. Kraemer, a “must-read” manual for any current or future bully owners

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