Pets need extra care and attention so that they can live long. When we talk about English bulldogs, they are sensitive and face more health issues. The reason behind infections and health issues is their genetics and physical structure.
In this article, you will get all the information you are looking for, especially the life span of English Bulldogs and how to increase their life span?
What’s the Average Life of English Bulldogs?
If you are interested in bringing an English bulldog home, then you might be curious about their age.
The average life span of English bulldogs is between 8 and 10 years old, but as mentioned earlier, with proper care and attention, this life span can be increased up to 12 years (which is 20% or more).
Moreover, if they get special care and proper health treatment, they can possibly reach 18 years old. In this article, you will get useful tips that can help your bulldog live a long and healthy life.
Moreover, never ignore their regular vet checkups. In this way, the life span of English bulldogs can be increased.
What Are the Main Reasons for Deaths of English Bulldogs?
A study was conducted to find out the top causes of deaths of English bulldogs. The main reasons for the deaths of 180 English bulldogs are given below:
- 20% of dogs died due to cardiac events.
- 18.3% due to cancer.
- 8.9% due to their old age.
- 4.4% of dogs died due to cerebral vascular.
- 4.4% due to respiratory issues.
- 4.4% due to perioperative.
- 57.6% of the English bulldogs died due to other reasons.
These stats are handy, and you can get an idea of how important the health care of your bulldogs is.
Why English Bulldogs Have Shorter Lifespan Than Other Breeds?
When we look at the lifespan of bulldogs, it is far less than other dog breeds. On average, the lifespan is almost 30% less than other breeds. The reason behind the short lifespan is their health conditions and anatomy. In addition, we will look at other factors that are contributing to shortening the lifespan of bulldogs.
What Are the Characteristics of English Bulldogs?
Can you imagine, characteristics can help to increase the lifespan of bulldogs? Yes, try to understand their characteristics, and it will help your English bulldogs live longer. Bulldogs don’t bark much like other breeds. English bulldogs have:
- Short faces
- Wrinkled fur
- Thick necks
- Broad shoulders
- Low-slung bodies
These dogs are famous for their gentle personality; that’s why pet lovers love to have a bulldog at home.
How to Increase Life Span of Your English Bulldogs?
Indeed, English bulldogs have a shorter lifespan than other breeds, but you can increase their lifespan by following the tips given below:
Keep Them Healthy
English bulldogs have bad eating habits, and there is a strong possibility that they can become overweight. The best thing you can do is to serve them with the right amount of food at the right time. You can follow some tips given-below for maintaining their good food.
- Take your dog to vet and ask if your dog is in good condition. If the vet says that your dog is overweight, then get a workout plan and follow it strictly.
- While purchasing dog food ensures that it contains the right amount of nutrients and fatty acids.
- When your dog is following a workout plan, check their weekly report, and feel the difference.
All these tips can help keep your dogs healthy.
Respiratory Difficulties
They have a short squished muzzle that can cause breathing problems, and this respiratory problem can become deadly dangerous. You need to pay strong attention to prevent them from having respiratory problems.
Reduce Stress Levels
Dogs are also like humans, and they live shorter when they are under stress most of the time. English bulldogs always love to have someone with them.
When they feel alone, they become stressed. Stress can shorten their lifespan, and as a pet owner, you can’t notice it. You can extend their life by providing them a comfortable and calm environment, lots of time, and love.
Oral Health
When you take care of your bulldog’s oral health, it will increase their life span by 3 to 4 years. Bulldogs above 3 years of age can develop plaque and gum disease and become victims of gingivitis.
These harmful bacteria can affect their mouth, brain, kidney, and heart. So, it’s essential to pay good attention to oral health so that their life expectancy can be increased.
Maintain a Good Healthy Food
Pets can easily get overweight if they don’t get a healthy and proper diet. When you feel your bulldog is getting overweight, immediately consult the vet and get a workout schedule for your dog to get the right weight.
The strict diet plan won’t be easy to maintain for English bulldogs, but you will have to maintain it for their good health and body weight.
Avoid Inbreeding
Do you know inbreeding also results in shortening the lifespan of dogs? Crossbred dogs face fewer health issues and normally live longer than inbreed dogs. Inbreed dogs like bulldogs can carry genetic illness.
Don’t Forget Regular Checkups
Regular checkups of pets are required. It will help to identify health issues before they turned into a fatal disease. Vets check for different health problems, such as fleas, worms, and ticks.
Never compromise on the vaccines of bulldogs. Vaccines can prevent rabies, distemper, and hepatitis. Regular checkups can help increase the life expectancy of English bulldogs.
Provide Much-Needed Physical and Emotional Support
Bulldogs are well-known for their friendly nature, and they love to be emotionally attached to their owners. When you provide them emotional support, it will help them to live long.
When you fulfill their physical needs, they feel relaxed, and their stress levels are reduced. Pay attention and give them the affection they deserve.
Try to spend most of your free time with them; it will help build a long-term connection with them. English bulldogs are sensitive to heat, and they can’t handle warm weather. As a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to keep them indoors during the summers.
Neutering and Spaying
Neutering and spaying can increase the lifespan of bulldogs. Moreover, they help dogs to prevent cancers and infections. So, if you want your dogs to live healthy, long, and away from different illnesses, you need to neuter and spay your bulldogs.
Other Things to Consider
You can increase the lifespan of bulldogs by paying attention to the following factors:
- Always keep their body wrinkles clean and dry because dirty and wet skin can cause skin allergies and hair loss.
- Talk to your vet if your bulldog needs any surgery.
- Never let your dog become stressed because it can result in premature aging.
Don’t worry about the shorter lifespan of a bulldog. Get one from a reputable breeder and pay attention to their health and physical needs, and your English bulldog will be your companion for years.
Tips for Keeping Your Bulldog Healthy
- It is important to purchase a bulldog from a breeder who is producing the healthiest dogs. Breeding plays a vital role in their poor and good health. So, if you know a reputable and trusted breeder, you can get a healthy bulldog.
- Never compromise on the diet. Feed your bulldog with a diet that is specifically formulated for bulldogs. Bulldogs are more prone to skin allergies than other breeds. So, it is crucial to provide them the right food to keep them in good health.
- As mentioned earlier, bulldogs are lazy, so don’t allow them to gain weight. Take them for a daily workout. Only 15 to 20 minutes walk is more than enough for them to remain in good health and shape.
- As a bulldog owner, it’s your responsibility to keep an eye on health issues. You never know when a minor issue can get converted into a deadly disease. Find a vet who can give you proper advice regarding the health and diet of bulldogs.
All these tips can keep your bulldog healthy and increase their lifespan.
Some Health Problems That Reduce the Lifespan of Bulldogs
The bulldog is a sensitive dog breed, and it can face various health issues that can reduce their lifespan.
- Dental Problems
It is the most common problem that almost all dogs face sooner or later. Plaque buildup can cause mouth infections, so proper dental care is required to prevent this issue.
English bulldogs have small mouths so that they can become a victim of dental problems easily. Teeth of bulldogs are squished and overcrowded and lead them to gum pain.
It is recommended to brush the teeth of your bulldog three times per week. By doing this, you can minimize the chances of dental problems.
When bulldog owners ignore dental health, bacteria can leak into the body and damage the liver, kidney, and heart. Can you imagine only poor dental health alone can reduce the average life span for up to 3 years?
- Breathing Difficulties
Breathing difficulties are another common factor in shortening the lifespan of English bulldogs. English bulldogs have a small face, and therefore they have squished muzzle that can lead to breathing problems.
Bulldogs can’t breathe a sufficient amount of air, and it leads to wheezing. Breathing issues can also reduce the lifespan of bulldogs significantly.
- Skin Allergy
You can blame poor food quality and breeding for skin allergies. Bulldogs can become victims of dermatological issues faster than other dog breeds. Skin allergies can result in hair loss, dry, and patchy skin.
- Heat Exposure
As mentioned earlier, bulldogs are sensitive to heat, and the reality is they have zero tolerance to heat. Frequent heat exposure can result in death.
If you want your bulldog to live long, keep them in a cold environment, especially during the summer.
- Other Health Problems
Along with some common health issues mentioned above, bulldogs can also suffer from arthritis. Their wrinkled skin can also cause some dermatological issues like lesions and hair loss.
They are prone to vision problems because of loose skin around their eyes. All these health problems can reduce the lifespan of English bulldogs.
How to Prevent These Health Problems?
Every dog breed can face health issues sooner or later. As a pet owner, it is your responsibility to take your dog to vet for a regular checkup.
Furthermore, you need to provide them a balanced and healthy diet. Keep an eye on their oral health. All these little measures can improve their life quality and increase the lifespan of English Bulldogs.
Which Factors Affect the Lifespan of English Bulldogs?
Many factors can affect the lifespan of bulldogs. Some of the most important factors are given below:
- Environment
- Exercise routine
- Diet
- Health
Can you imagine the size of a dog can also affect the lifespan of a dog? Smaller size dogs live longer than their counterparts. English bulldogs are neither small nor long, and they fall in the range of medium-sized dogs. Due to this reason, they have an average lifespan.
Why Do English Bulldogs Have Shorter Lifespan?
English bulldogs are a pretty unhealthy breed. In the 18th century, some extreme breeding methods were used, and that’s why English bulldogs face some serious health problems.
Also, English bulldogs are larger than other breeds, so they have a shorter lifespan than others. If you have an English bulldog, you can’t ignore the chances of cancer, which can lead to death.
Conclusion
On average, English Bulldogs can live up from 8 to 10 years. However, this lifespan can be increased by paying more attention to their health and diet.
A poor diet plan can reduce the lifespan by up to 3 years, and on the other hand, a balanced and high-quality diet can increase the life span by up to 3 years.
By following all the tips mentioned above, you can help your bulldog live longer. Moreover, you can help them to stay relaxed by providing them with emotional support.
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