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 human beings, has undergone multiple genetic modifications that have been shaping its current appearance, much appreciated, along with its playful and fun character. But these manipulations have affected their he alth, causing respiratory problems or allergies.
In this article on our site we will focus on their reproduction, answering the question of how many puppies can a French bulldog have and many Other important details to consider before considering breeding 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 must be left exclusively in the hands of professionals. The legally registered breeders are the ones that guarantee that the characteristics of the breed are maintained, as well as controlled reproduction.
We must remember that, today, in our societies there is a canine overpopulation, which means that there are many more dogs than homes willing to welcome them. 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 today, this circumstance does not prevent them from being abandoned, precisely because of the overpopulation to which we have referred, but also due to the problems of he alth that for some unscrupulous caregivers become an excuse to abandon them. Dermatological problems, allergies or breathing difficulties are some of the very common pathologies in dogs of this breed.
In addition, reproduction is not exempt 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 monitoring during the two months that this usually lasts and, above all, at the most delicate moment of childbirth, as we will explain in the following sections.
Number of French bulldog puppies per litter
Because of these common he alth problems and their relatively small size, you may be wondering how many puppies a French bulldog can have. Despite these considerations, the litters gestated by these bitches usually reach four puppies
It is important to monitor the pregnancy 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 there were the circumstance that we were faced with a single pup or two, the time of delivery could be even more complicated, since a small number of puppies predisposes them to be larger that if it were a large litter. In the next section we will look at childbirth in more detail.
The birth of the French bulldog
In this case, knowing how many puppies a French bulldog can have is not entirely decisive when facing the time of delivery. And this is so because, regardless of whether the bitch conceives one or four pups, all of them will present the characteristic brachycephalic shape of their heads, with a large size that can make impossible for the puppies pass through the birth canal
The vet can measure both diameters and decide if a vaginal delivery is possible or, on the contrary, births can only occur by caesarean section, case that we will detail in the last section.
How much does a C-section cost for a French bulldog
As we have seen, regardless of how many puppies a French bulldog can have, a caesarean section, whether scheduled by the vet or an emergency to resolve a labor that is not progressing, is usually the option to end the pregnancy in this breed.
A caesarean section is an abdominal surgery whereby the veterinarian will section the dog's belly a few centimeters, cutting the successive layers until reaching to the uterus, from which it will extract the puppies. After cutting the umbilical cord, they will dry off and stay warm for the duration of the intervention, at which time they will be returned to their mother to immediately start breastfeeding breastfeeding
The price of this intervention will depend on various factors such as the following:
- Time of the operation, because if it is performed during emergency hours the cost will increase.
- Possible complications or days of admission, since any unforeseen event in both the mother and the children will increase the final amount.
- Weight of the dog, as it influences the amount of drugs and materials needed.
- Place of intervention, because prices fluctuate between different regions or countries.
Because of all this we cannot give the exact price of the intervention and it will be the veterinarian who must offer us a quote. Although a priori it may seem expensive, we must take into account the cost of training and the salary of a professional capable of performing the operation, in addition to the maintenance of an operating room, materials and instruments.
