How many puppies can a French bulldog have?
French bulldogs are one of the most popular dog breeds today , making them easy to see in parks and veterinary clinics. This breed, at the hands of humans, has undergone multiple genetic modifications that have shaped its current appearance, so appreciated, along with its playful and fun nature. But these manipulations have affected their health, causing them respiratory problems or allergies.
In this vet.alnwaeer.com article we will focus on its reproduction, answering the question of how many puppies a French bulldog can have and many other important details to consider before considering raising a dog of this breed.
Raising the French bulldog
Before talking about how many puppies a French bulldog can have, we must make it clear that the breeding of these animals has to be left in the hands exclusively of professionals. The breeders legally registered are those that ensure that the characteristics are maintained in the race, as well as a controlled breeding.
It must be remembered that, at present, in our societies there is an overpopulation of dogs, which means that there are many more dogs than homes willing to take them in. This means that, unfortunately, in a very high number, these animals are abandoned, mistreated or directly euthanized. For this reason, it is recommended to sterilize both males and females, to avoid these uncontrolled reproductions.
Although French bulldogs are a highly valued breed nowadays, this circumstance does not free them from being abandoned, precisely because of the overcrowding to which we have referred, but also because of the health problems that some unscrupulous caregivers experience. they become an excuse to abandon them. Dermatological problems, allergies or respiratory difficulties are some of the very common pathologies in dogs of this breed.
In addition, reproduction is not spared from this problem, which is another reason to leave the mating of the French bulldog only in the hands of professionals. A female of this breed in a state of pregnancy will need a follow-up during the two months that it usually lasts and, above all, at the most delicate moment of delivery, as we will explain in the following sections.
Number of French bulldog puppies per litter
Due to these frequent health problems and their relatively small size, we are probably wondering how many puppies a French bulldog can have. Despite these considerations, the litters that these bitches produce usually reach four puppies .
It is important to monitor the gestation of the bitch week by week . The veterinarian, using imaging tests such as echo or x-ray, can determine quite accurately how many pups are gestating.
In general, if the circumstance arose that we were faced with a single calf or two, the moment of delivery could become even more complicated, since a small number of puppies predisposes them to be larger than if it were a large litter . In the next section we will see the delivery in more detail.
Childbirth of the French bulldog
In this case, knowing how many puppies a French bulldog can have is not entirely decisive when facing the moment of delivery. And this is so because, regardless of whether the bitch carries one or four pups, all of them will present the characteristic brachycephalic shape of their head, with a large size that can make it impossible for the puppies to cross the birth canal .
The veterinarian can measure both diameters and decide if a vaginal delivery is possible or, on the contrary, births can only occur by cesarean section , a case that we will detail in the last section.
How much does a caesarean section cost for the French bulldog
As we have seen, regardless of how many puppies a French bulldog can have, cesarean section, whether scheduled by the veterinarian or urgently to resolve a labor that does not progress, is usually the option to conclude the pregnancy in this breed.
Cesarean section is an abdominal surgery in which the veterinarian will cut the belly of the bitch a few centimeters, cutting the successive layers until reaching the uterus, from which he will extract the puppies. After cutting the umbilical cord, they will dry and stay warm for the duration of the intervention, at which time they will be returned to their mother to begin breastfeeding immediately .
The price of this intervention will depend on several factors such as the following:
- Time of the operation, because if it is carried out during emergency hours the cost will increase.
- Possible complications or days of admission, since any unforeseen event both in the mother and in the children will increase the final amount.
- Weight of the bitch, as it influences the necessary amount of drugs and materials.
- Place of intervention, because prices fluctuate between different regions or countries.
- For all this we cannot give the exact price of the intervention and it will be the veterinarian who must offer us a budget. Although a priori it may seem expensive, we must take into account what the training and salary of a professional capable of performing the operation costs, in addition to the maintenance of an operating room, materials and instruments.