French Bulldogs are one of the most popular dog breeds globally, but there are some french bulldog health issues that you should know about. This is a detailed guide on common french bulldog health issues and what you can do to prevent them from happening.
The article will give a brief overview of each issue with tips on recognizing it when it starts to present itself and steps for prevention. French Bulldogs are prone to many different diseases due to their small size, making them more susceptible than other breeds.
List Of Common French Bulldog Health Issues
Allergies
Some French Bulldogs are prone to allergies. If your Frenchie has itchy skin, you might want to consider allergy testing so that the proper treatment can be used for them. This way, they do not need medications with harsh side effects that may cause other health problems down the road!
One thing you can try is giving your dog Omega-three fatty acids or fish oil supplements in their food every day. It will help reduce allergy symptoms and control itchiness.
Another option would be switching up their diet by slowly adding new healthy foods into their system instead of changing everything at once; this helps avoid any allergic reactions from happening because if there is one ingredient causing an issue, then taking away all ingredients won’t make a difference since they could still be allergic to something else.
Keep in mind that some French Bulldogs may also be sensitive to specific ingredients, so make sure you consult with your veterinarian before adding anything new into their diet.
Probiotics can help reduce allergies and improve gut health at the same time! Try using these supplements twice a day for about two weeks and then once per day after that if they work well on your pet.
If they do not, try increasing or decreasing the dosage until a sufficient level is reached, which reduces allergy symptoms but does not cause any adverse side effects like diarrhea or vomiting.
When it comes to grooming them and caring for their skin and coat, only use products made specifically for dogs instead of human shampoo; this will reduce other allergens from getting onto their skin and cause itchy.
Remember that French Bulldogs are susceptible, so if the allergy treatment you use is not working after a few days or your dog seems very uncomfortable, then go back to the veterinarian for new options. They might also deal with allergies in the time of pregnancy period so you have to look after that too.
Cherry Eye
The common health problem in French Bulldogs is Cherry Eye. This condition causes the gland of a dog’s eye to protrude from its eye socket, red and inflamed with excess skin around it.
Cherry Eye can be very painful if not treated immediately! If you notice that your Frenchie has this issue, take them to the vet right away because their eyesight could become impaired without treatment! Your vet will know how to treat the problem with surgery or medication, depending on what is best for your pet.
You can prevent Cherry-Eye by cleaning your pup’s face after each meal they eat; such food doesn’t get caught in there, which can cause infections like Cherry Eyedog Eyes in dogs (not to be confused with Cherry Eye!)
Make sure you are continuously checking your Frenchie’s eyes to make sure they don’t have any issues so that it doesn’t get worse. You can clean their face gently, but do not go near the eye area because you could cause more damage or spread bacteria into your dog’s body.
If there is anything wrong with either of their eyes, take them straight to the vet! They will know how to treat these common French Bulldog health issues effectively and adequately. You can also read our guide on Frenchie’s night vision.
Symptoms to be aware of are:
- Redness of eye
- Squinting
- Dry eyes
- Eye discharge
- Swollen eyes
- Abundant tear production
Perineal Hernia
This is another common disease that French Bulldogs are susceptible to. It happens when the tissue surrounding their anus begins to protrude through a small hole in their body, typically located near where the leg meets with your dog’s backside.
This will cause them pain and discomfort and make it difficult for them to use the bathroom properly because of how close this area is to where they go potty!
Perineal hernias can happen at any age, but most commonly, you will see it first appear around one or two years old if left untreated. To treat this condition, surgeons will need to remove those skin parts from your pet until there isn’t extra hanging out anymore. There have been cases where surgery didn’t work, and owners needed to put in a colostomy bag for their dog.
Perineal hernias can be prevented by not over-breeding French Bulldogs or breeding them with dogs that have had the condition before. If you notice your pet having trouble going potty, getting them checked out right away would be wise.
Keep Reading:
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- French Bulldog Hypoallergenic
- Why My Frenchie Farts A LotÂ
- Guide On French Bulldog Cold WeatherÂ
Skin Fold Dermatitis
Skin Fold Dermatitis is a common skin issue that French Bulldogs have if their skin folds are not cleaned and dried correctly. If your Frenchie has this condition, it will cause them to develop yeast or bacteria infections on the areas where their skin touches which cause redness, inflammation of hair follicles, itching, and thickening of affected patches of fur.
It isn’t much you can do for Skin Fold Dermatitis besides cleaning those folds, so they don’t get infected! You can take your pet to the vet to find out what shampoo would be best used on dogs with these kinds of issues and proper ways to keep up hygiene at home without causing further irritation or discomfort.
Remember that Frenchies cannot reach certain places by themselves, so you need to help them stay clean and healthy!
Atopic Dermatitis (Atopy)
Many French Bulldogs suffer from Atopic Dermatitis, also known as atopy. This is a common allergy that causes itchy skin and constant licking, leading to bacterial infections if they aren’t treated properly.
There are a few different ways to treat atopy, but the most common way is with antihistamines which have been proven effective for this condition. It also helps if your dog gets plenty of exercises and fresh air because it reduces their stress levels so they won’t itch as much. Lack of exercise can also lead to hyperactiveness of your pup at home.
Atopic dermatitis can be prevented by not over-breeding French Bulldogs or breeding them with dogs that have had the disease before. Keep in mind allergen factors such as pollen, mold spores, dust mites, etc., along with maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle for your pet, will help prevent atopy from occurring too often.
If you notice any skin irritation on your Frenchie’s body, taking them to the vet right away would be best because bacteria could spread and cause even more problems!
There are many common French Bulldog health issues that you should know about if you own one or plan to get a Frenchie. Some of these conditions can be prevented by not overbreeding your dog, while others will happen, so it’s essential to always take them in for regular vet visits, so they stay healthy and happy.
Pyoderma
Pyoderma is the medical term for an infection of your Frenchie’s skin. It can happen anywhere on their body, but it usually appears on their paws and ears.
The most common reason why French Bulldogs get pyoderma is that they have allergies to food or environmental factors such as pollen etc., which causes them to itch so much that they scratch away the protective layers of skin until it becomes red, inflamed, and possibly even infected with yeast or bacteria!
There isn’t any way you would prevent this condition from happening if your dog has a lot of allergies. If left untreated, pyoderma could spread all over their body, leading to sepsis (when toxins enter the bloodstream), making it difficult for them to breathe and even be fatal.
The best thing you could do for your Frenchie if they have pyoderma is to take them in immediately to the vet so their paws or ears don’t get infected. It would also help if you got rid of any allergens lurking around the house because it will make a massive difference in how your dog’s skin reacts!
The Brachycephalic Obstructive Syndrome
This condition is caused when your Frenchie has trouble breathing due to their short nose and face, making it hard for them to get enough oxygen. If left untreated, this can lead to other common French Bulldog health issues like pneumonia or heat stroke because they cannot cool down properly!
BOS is usually found in French Bulldogs who are pushed to be show dogs even when they aren’t healthy enough. This is why most vets recommend you do not over-breed your pet because it can cause damage before they are even born!
Treating BOS is very simple; all you have to do is make sure your dog gets plenty of exercises and fresh air so that their breathing isn’t constricted by being indoors too much. It’s also a great idea to get them into activities like swimming or hiking if possible since getting some form of physical activity will help with the oxygen intake process!
The Brachycephalic Obstructive Syndrome commonly affects French Bulldogs, but there are ways to prevent this health issue from occurring and treat it if it does happen. The best ways to prevent this condition are not over-breeding and making sure your Frenchie doesn’t spend too much time indoors.
Otitis Externa
Otitis Externa, or ear infections as pet owners commonly refer to it, is one of the most common French Bulldog health issues you will run into. This condition happens when their ears become red and inflamed due to bacteria build-up, which can get very painful for them over time!
The main reason why this occurs in French Bulldogs is that their floppy ears don’t allow air to circulate through them well enough so that harmful bacteria don’t grow within the canal.
Another significant factor with Otitis Externa is how much your dog likes water since they like swimming and playing around in puddles, where there could be a lot of bacteria present!
Since Otitis Externa isn’t curable, the best thing you could do for your Frenchie takes them to a vet and get an antibiotic prescription so they can be on their way to recovery.
It’s also essential that you make sure not too much water builds up in their ears over time as it causes more bacteria which leads to infections.
Intertrigo
This is a common French Bulldog health issue that occurs when the folds of their skin become moist and irritated, leading to bacterial infections. It’s hazardous if it gets infected because there isn’t enough air around those sensitive areas, so getting rid of it quickly should be your number one priority!
Intertrigo is relatively easy to prevent by ensuring your Frenchie doesn’t get too hot or sweaty while playing outside for extended periods. You would also want to make sure they can dry off after coming inside from being out in the rain or other water activities (like swimming) since moisture will also cause them discomfort.
Treating intertrigo is simple: clean all the on their body with gentle soap, pat them dry with a soft cloth, and apply an antibiotic ointment to the affected areas. If it’s not treated quickly, your Frenchie could get secondary skin infections, so always be on top of this common French Bulldog health issue.
Heat Stroke
Heat Stroke is a life-threatening French Bulldog health issue that can occur quickly if you aren’t paying attention to the weather changes outside.
This is because when it’s extremely hot, they have trouble keeping cool since their bodies are so short and stocky, which means when there isn’t enough water or shade, your pet will become overheated!
If this condition does happen in time for you to get them cooled down immediately with cold compresses on their neck area and some cold towels placed along their backside (avoiding genitals), then your Frenchie could survive heat stroke.
If it goes untreated, though, then they may not make it through the day without suffering from organ failure due to being too high of an internal body temperature.
So make sure your Frenchie always has a water bowl with them outside no matter what time of year it is and that they have enough shade to sit under if needed. Also, please do not leave them locked up in a hot car for longer than a few minutes since the temperature inside can skyrocket very quickly.
Luxating Patella
This condition occurs when your dog’s kneecaps aren’t in the right place, and it can lead to other conditions like arthritis. It may be genetic or caused by diet so getting rid of this common French Bulldog health issue is very important!
Luxating Patella isn’t too difficult to treat; you have to make sure that if your Frenchie has any trouble walking, take them to a vet for some medication so they will feel better again soon.
This problem only happens once but should still get checked out because many possible underlying causes could require more complex treatments than taking care of the symptoms.
Preventing Luxating Patellas means making sure their body stays healthy with proper exercise and food. Monitor what they eat so that their diet doesn’t lack any vitamins or minerals and get plenty of exercises to strengthen the muscles.
Hip Dysplasia
This is another genetic French Bulldog health issue that can be passed down from their parents to them. It’s when the leg bones don’t fit into the hip joint properly, which often requires surgery but may also be treated with medications like NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
Hip Dysplasia isn’t too common in this breed of dog, so it doesn’t need much treatment unless your pet does end up having some accident or injury causing abnormal wear on their joints.
To prevent Hip Dysplasia, make sure they are getting enough exercise and not putting extra weight on any one part of their body since that will add more pressure to those already weakened areas., always keep an eye out for any abnormal limping since this could be a sign of Hip Dysplasia coming on so it gets treated super fast.
Patella luxation
This is a condition where your dog’s kneecaps pop in and out of place. It happens very often with French Bulldogs but isn’t serious unless they get arthritis later on or affect their movement too much to keep going about daily activities like walking around, playing, etc.
Usually, this problem goes away after a while since the patella pops back into its natural spot when you’re not looking, so treat any pain that comes from having this issue by giving them some anti-inflammatory drugs if needed until they feel better again.
This will probably happen a lot more than you think, which can be frustrating for both owner and pet, so always have something nearby to give them at all times.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a widespread French Bulldog health issue that causes seizures and, in some cases, loss of consciousness. It’s caused by abnormal electrical activity between the brain cells but can be treated with medication or other treatments!
Treating Epilepsy isn’t too difficult since it only requires regular vet check-ups to make sure that your Frenchie will stay healthy. Make sure you take them in to get their blood checked at least once every year so they don’t have any underlying conditions like low platelets (which could cause excessive bleeding).
Preventing Epilepsy starts when your dog is still young; make sure they are well socialized around people and dogs because this decreases stress for later life! You should also monitor what diet they eat so that it doesn’t include anything which could act as a seizure trigger, like grapes or chocolate.
Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD)
This is a severe French Bulldog health issue, and sadly, it’s pretty common for this breed. It starts as mild pain but can lead to paralysis if the discs between their vertebrae press on nearby nerves or spinal cord!
IVDD treatment varies depending on how severe your dog’s symptoms are, which means you should take them in to get examined by a vet right away, so they know what needs to be done.
If surgery isn’t an option, then other medications like NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) may help with easing some of those painful symptoms until their body recovers enough that surgery becomes possible again.
Preventing IVDDs involves making sure your Frenchie doesn’t jump around too much since that puts too much pressure on their back; also, make sure they are getting plenty of exercises so that they aren’t putting too much stress onto any body parts.
Few Words Before Wrapping Up…
The above are some of the most common French Bulldog health issues, but there are others, including conjunctivitis (pinkeye) and corneal ulcers, brachycephalic airway syndrome (BAS), and more.
The best way to prevent them is by keeping an eye on your Frenchie’s weight so they don’t get too heavy because this can lead to other conditions later in life.
You should also consider any possible genetic predispositions for certain diseases before breeding two dogs together to be safe!