Email from Namibia on Bulldog Eating Problem

Photo: English bulldog puppies -- Strawberry Pie's January 2009 litter.

-------------------------------------------
I received an Email from Namibia, Africa:

Dear PuppyGal


Please help me!! I bought my bitch 2 years ago from somebody who was not a breeder. (I later found out they fed the puppies mealy meal) When she came home I fed her Science diet and she did well until she got diarrhea. My vet suggested I feed her rice and fat-less chicken to build up her strength. Well since then she has been refusing to eat dry food. She is still eating rice and chicken or sometimes I mix it with cooked meat (which she likes a lot) like you suggest on your blog. The problem is she just had puppies, she's very thin and it seems the foods not satisfying her. The other problem is that her stools are always very loose and sometimes even slimy plus she's got a lot of gas! This doesn't seem healthy to me. I have tried introducing back the dry food by mixing it with the other food and soaking it but she is extremely stubborn about this. When she smells it she refuses to eat anything! Please do you have any suggestions for me. I will be very grateful!

Lientjie

I replied:

Hi Lientjie!
First: make sure she has fresh water at all times.
-- With new mothers I try a cup of milk or baby formula. I let mine drink three cups a day-- one cup every meal time.
-- I always feed my puppies Purina Puppy Chow up to the age of two or three years.
When they are not eating, I will soak the Puppy Chow with equal parts of water (like a cup of Puppy Chow with a cup of warm water)
Make sure that you don't let her eat any left over food (food that's been out for three hours can go bad)
If she won't eat either dry or soaked Puppy Chow, try mixing in a tablespoon of chopped garlic (from Wal*Mart)
If that doesn't work, try skinned, boiled chicken breast mixed into Purina Puppy Chow or greasy hamburger.
I've got one stubborn bullie (Baby Noel) that I feed dry Purina Puppy Chow with bacon grease and little pieces of bacon.

If your new mother is running a temperature (above 103) take her to the vet. She may have complications from the birthing.

Some bulldogs are allergic to lamb and rice. Almost all bulldogs do not get enough calories from Science Diet so I've been avoiding all Science Diet. Likewise, most cheap dog food causes gas and diarrhea so avoid them.

Let me know if any of these work or not.

Bob