Why Does A French Bulldog Need A C-Section?
French Bulldogs almost always need a C-Section, they do not whelp their own babies. I do occasionally hear of some Bullies that free whelp but this is not the norm. French Bulldogs are well known for that large round head and for their thin 'waspy" loin area, this makes getting a puppy's head through the birth canal very difficult. I often tell people it is like pushing a baseball through a funnel. Most (not all) Bullies that free whelp are of European bloodlines and tend to have longer, taller bodies than our American bred dogs. The whelping of the puppies never actually occurs here as we do not allow our dogs to attempt a free whelp, there are many reasons for this.
- Females that attempt to free whelp will stress out and their puppies will stress while trying to be free whelped, this high stress situation causes more puppy fatalities than if you just opened up the female and took the puppies, usually even if the female is able to get the first one or two babies pushed out she will more than likely not be able to get them all out and in that case a c-section is needed anyway.
- Free whelping stresses the uterus more which causes stretching and weakness, a weakened uterus is less likely to return to normal right away and can cause more problems in the future. A stretched uterus has more lesions and thin areas that can actually tear open with the pressure of a large litter, a torn uterus is a scary thing and can cause death of the female very quickly! We do everything we can to eliminate this scenario.
- We KNOW all the puppies are out! There is no wondering if there is one more puppy in there, I often hear the stories of "we thought she was done" and then 2 days later.......the female passes a dead puppy and/or develops a very volatile infection. This infection can be deadly to the female, it can also cause so much damage that the female may need to have her uterus completely removed due to the infection, this is a good way to shorten the career of an excellent female.
When To C-Section A French Bulldog?
Since we do progesterone testing we know when our females ovulate, we breed according to ovulation and when the eggs are ready to be fertilized. This practice tells us when our females will whelp, usually in a 2 day time frame. Our experience has been that Frenchies tend to start labor 60 days post first breeding. Because we do our own progesterone testing we will also do a reverse test to see if her progesterone level has gone down low enough to do an elective C-section. The onset of labor is usually noticed by a drop in rectal temperature. Starting on day 57 we regularly take the female's temperature several times a day anticipating the familiar drop, the drop in temperature is not always present but we find that it is a very reliable indicator of imminent labor followed up by the reverse progesterone test.
The C-Section
Health Risks and Recovery Post-C-Section As with any surgery, C-sections carry inherent risks, including infections, blood loss, and complications with anesthesia. French Bulldogs, due to their brachycephalic structure, can experience heightened risks during anesthesia, as their respiratory systems are more susceptible to complications. For this reason, it is essential that C-sections are performed by experienced veterinarians who are familiar with the breed’s specific needs.
Our C-sections are done by our favorite vet who also happens to be our nephew. Our vet does a tremendous job for us and he is very aware of keeping the incidence of scar tissue to a minimum. He takes great care to make small incisions in the appropriate places, he generally only makes one incision and tries to manipulate all the puppies through that one hole, remember, scar tissue is the enemy of the uterine horns. He also incorporates a certain stitch for closing the uterus so as to alleviate any excessive scarring. Some vets feel that filling the body cavity with a sodium solution before closing helps to reduce adhesions, my vet does this as well, whatever my vet does works well for us as our girls have excellent uterine integrity and the uterus is inspected during each c-section, if the uterus does not look in excellent condition we will NOT breed her anymore.
The recovery period following a C-section is also challenging for the mother. Postoperative pain, limited mobility, and fatigue can affect her ability to care for her puppies. Breeders and owners often need to provide additional care and supervision to ensure both the mother and her puppies are safe and comfortable during recovery.
In some cases, puppies may require manual feeding if the mother is unable to nurse properly due to postoperative discomfort or weakness. The physical and emotional demands of C-sections on French Bulldog mothers can be intense, requiring breeders to be vigilant and prepared for the extra support needed during this period.
How Many Litters?
About the most you can hope for from a Bully female is 4 litters, some only give 2-3 and once in a great while a female can produce 5, this has only occurred a few times for us, we just don't ask our dogs for anymore than they are able to give in a healthy manner. If a female produces a litter with a birth defect we will breed her to a different male on the next breeding, if she still produces the same defect she is spayed and placed in an adoptive forever home.
Our C-sections are done by our favorite vet who also happens to be our nephew. Our vet does a tremendous job for us and he is very aware of keeping the incidence of scar tissue to a minimum. He takes great care to make small incisions in the appropriate places, he generally only makes one incision and tries to manipulate all the puppies through that one hole, remember, scar tissue is the enemy of the uterine horns. He also incorporates a certain stitch for closing the uterus so as to alleviate any excessive scarring. Some vets feel that filling the body cavity with a sodium solution before closing helps to reduce adhesions, my vet does this as well, whatever my vet does works well for us as our girls have excellent uterine integrity and the uterus is inspected during each c-section, if the uterus does not look in excellent condition we will NOT breed her anymore.
The recovery period following a C-section is also challenging for the mother. Postoperative pain, limited mobility, and fatigue can affect her ability to care for her puppies. Breeders and owners often need to provide additional care and supervision to ensure both the mother and her puppies are safe and comfortable during recovery.
In some cases, puppies may require manual feeding if the mother is unable to nurse properly due to postoperative discomfort or weakness. The physical and emotional demands of C-sections on French Bulldog mothers can be intense, requiring breeders to be vigilant and prepared for the extra support needed during this period.
How Many Litters?
About the most you can hope for from a Bully female is 4 litters, some only give 2-3 and once in a great while a female can produce 5, this has only occurred a few times for us, we just don't ask our dogs for anymore than they are able to give in a healthy manner. If a female produces a litter with a birth defect we will breed her to a different male on the next breeding, if she still produces the same defect she is spayed and placed in an adoptive forever home.