Tag: French Bulldog

French Bulldogs are medium-sized dogs with a strong build, brachycephalic muzzle and erect ears. The constitution of their body is often a cause of some of the common diseases in French Bulldogs. With proper care and timely treatment, dogs of this breed can live 12 to 14 years and it’s important for the owner of the dog to know the main symptoms and to prevent them.

Common diseases of the French Bulldog breed

The most common diseases in French Bulldogs are:

• Allergies
• Skin disorders
• Spine problems
• Breathing problems
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Prophylaxis
• Food allergies, dermatitis.
• Conjunctivitis and other eye diseases
• Dysplasia of the hip joints.
• Heart failure
• Arthritis
• Viral infections
• A number of diseases can be prevented through periodic care and monitoring and an appropriate diet.

Allergies

One of the most common diseases in French Bulldogs is different types of allergic reactions such as allergy to food, dermatitis and allergy to external or internal parasites. The main signs of allergies are rashes or redness on the skin, frequent sneezing, difficulty breathing, hair loss, nausea, and stool problems.

When identifying such symptoms, the first step is to find out what exactly is the allergen. If such a reaction appeared following a change in the diet, it means that the dog is allergic to the new food and there is an urgent need to revise the diet. The main allergens include beef, dairy products, eggs, foods generally prohibited for dogs such as smoked meats sweets and chocolate.

Contact allergy (dermatitis) often manifests itself as a reaction to cosmetics and beauty products, dust and mold. Breeders recommend using hypoallergenic drugs, because in dogs of this breed, the skin is delicate and sensitive to various pathogens.

It is curcial to keep your French Bulldog clean as well as his surroundings, including his bed and linens. In addition, his environment should well ventilated and regular parasite control should be undertaken.

French Bulldog skin diseases

Typical problems for this breed are skin diseases, the main cause of which can be inadequate care of the folds on the face and croup of the dog.

It is necessary to clean the dust and dirt that gets under the folds daily, otherwise the skin begins to sore, irritations appear, and fungal diseases can develop. You can wipe the folds with a damp cloth, dry the area, then lubricate with baby cream.

In French Bulldogs, signs of a skin disease are redness and unpleasant odor of the affected area. The dog begins to strongly scratch his skin and in some cases, hair may even fall out. The symptoms of the fungus are similar to those of a dermatitis, so only a veterinarian can correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment after examination.

Spine problems in French Bulldogs

Because of the long back and a fairly large weight, French Bulldogs can have problems with the musculoskeletal system.

The most common problems related to a spine disorder are:

• Discopathy
• Displacement of the vertebrae, which leads to pain, limb failure and uncoordinated movements.
• Dysplasia of the hip joints
• Incorrect position of the femoral head, inflammation of the connective tissue of the joints that cause lameness and pain on movement.
• Achondroplasia
• A genetic disease in which there is a change in the length of the bones.
• The appearance of wedge-shaped vertebrae

This condition can be hereditary or acquired, causing problems with the spinal cord, convulsions and paralysis.

Eye problems

Large bulging eyes of this breed can cause the development of eye diseases. With conjunctivitis, the French Bulldog’s eyes fester and inflammation occurs. Treatment of conjunctivitis in a French Bulldog (medicines, rinsing agents) is prescribed by a veterinarian. Other common diseases in French Bulldogs include the eversion of the eyelids, which causes eye inflammation and watery eyes.

It is necessary to regularly clean the eyes of the dog, otherwise lacrimation and drips from the eyes can cause great inconvenience to the animal. If an eye or third eyelid falls out, this can only be treated through surgery.

Diseases in French Bulldogs: Breathing disorders

Due to the flattened shape of the muzzle, dogs of this breed often have problems with their respiratory system. The special structure of the nasopharynx also becomes the reason that the French Bulldog often breathes heavily and snores. In the hot season, the dog can get a heatstroke when being over exposed in the sun. In cold weather, the likelihood of colds is high, so you need to put on your dog a parka or jacket to keep him warm and appropriately gauge the duration of walks.

If your dog is breathing heavily and has a profuse nasal discharge, he likely developing a viral or bacterial infection.

Pregnancy and childbirth in French Bulldogs

The first mating can be carried out at the age of 18 months, after puberty. The first estrus in bitches can begin at the age of 6 to 8 months, but accidental mating should not be allowed. Should it happen, the puppies have a high risk of manifesting a number of genetic diseases. Pregnancy in French Bulldogs lasts 2 months, during which you need to choose an appropriate diet for your dog, walk her out in fresh air conditions (in cool but not too cold weather) and provide close care and attention.

In the second month of pregnancy, you need to exclude jumping and sudden movements, overfeeding, hypothermia or heat.

The following factors indicate the onset of labor: the dog starts scurrying from corner to corner, whining, trying to dig holes. Before giving birth, you need to cut the dog’s hair in the crotch and on the belly. You can handle delivery yourself or entrust this process to a vet.

To minimize the risk of developing diseases in French Bulldogs, you need to provide them with the necessary vaccination on a timely basis. The first vaccination is carried out at the age of 2 to 3 months, having previously performed deworming. Then they are vaccinated against rabies, plague, parainfluenza, adenovirus infection, parvovirus enteritis and other dangerous diseases.

Prevention measures are very important, yet very simple. You need to be disciplined and consistent by providing daily care, comfortable living conditions, and an appropriate diet with premium quality food.

French Bulldog allergies are one of the most common diseases of this breed. Such a reaction indicates an increased sensitivity of the dog to some form of irritant such as food, medicines household chemicals, parasites, etc.. When the animal’s body is exposed to an allergen, various symptoms begin to appear, indicating an allergic reaction. Signs of allergy are different and similar to the symptoms of other diseases, so only a veterinarian can establish an accurate diagnosis.

Types of French Bulldog allergies

Food allergy

An allergic reaction of the body can manifest itself both to food already present in the dog’s diet or to newly introduced ones. Allergies are most common in puppies under 6 months of age. The animal’s immune system often reacts to proteins (chicken, beef, veal, fish), milk, eggs, yeast, soy, red vegetables, fruits, and fish oil. This type of allergic reaction has no common symptoms and can manifest itself in different ways.

Moreover, intolerance may not appear immediately, but after a certain time. It is impossible to determine the presence of an allergy by a blood test or microscopic analysis of a sample of the skin. Only special tests, based on trial and error, are effective at identifying the specific agent causing the allergic reaction.

Contact allergy (dermatitis)

Such a reaction in the French Bulldog can occur when the dog is exposed to household chemicals and cosmetics (shampoos, balms, dog care products). Sensitive skin may cause your dog to react to some grooming products. If the French Bulldog is allergic, it is recommended to choose hypoallergenic shampoos, lotions and creams for him. Dermatitis can also manifest itself as a reaction to the fur, dandruff or skin particles of other animals or from humans.

Allergy to medications

The main allergens in this group are antibiotics, barbiturates, sulfonamides, pyramidone, morphine, foxglove, alfalfa extract, novocaine, vitamins with brewer’s yeast, serums and vaccines with live bacteria.

Autoallergy

When the immune system becomes dysfunctional, the French Bulldog’s body can start producing its own allergens.

Infectious allergy

This hypersensitivity condition manifests itself in the form of a reaction to bacteria, viruses and internal parasites. Bites of blood-sucking insects such as ticks, mosquitoes and bees, can also cause an allergic reaction of varying severity (up to anaphylactic shock).

Signs of French Bulldog Allergies

• Itching
• Rash, redness, blisters, sores, pimples on the face of the French Bulldog;
• Vomiting;
• Diarrhea;
• Increased dry skin, dandruff;
• Thinning and loss of hair in places where irritation occurs;
• Increased gas production, bloating, colic;
• Appearance of an unpleasant odor;
• Anaphylactic shock (extreme severity of the reaction), which can be fatal.

In addition to the appearance of one or more of the above signs, the animal’s behavior may also change. Your canine friend can become restless and irritable, shake his head, constantly scratches or gnaws at the area where the rash appeared. Limb irritation can also occur and lead to pain and lameness.

When observing how allergies manifest in French Bulldogs, pay attention to the areas affected. Itching in the perineum or tail may be a reaction to infection with helminths or ectoparasites. The skin can also begin to itch due to diseases of an infectious, immune or systemic nature.

Causes of allergies

There are many reasons for the manifestation of allergic reactions. Even a perfectly healthy French Bulldog with a balanced nutrition and proper care may have intolerance to a substance. The main causes of French Bulldog allergies are the intake of food that causes a negative reaction in the body or exposure to a non-nutritive substance.

An allergen can be a natural product or a component of ready-made or processed dog food. Often, intolerance manifests itself when the dog eats prohibited products (smoked, fried and salty foods, spices, chocolate, sweets).

The cause of allergies in the French Bulldog can also be medical drugs, therefore, when given a vaccine or medication, you need to put the dog under observation for a few hours. Intolerance can also be caused by contact with detergents, shampoos, cosmetics, pollen, dust, and hair of other pets.

How to treat allergies in French Bulldogs

Dog owners must be ready to quickly provide first aid to their canine friend in case a strong and severe reaction is observed. In such a situation, the dog must be given an antihistamine (suprastin, etc.), and immediately taken to the veterinary clinic. Allergic dermatitis is treated with brilliant green (wounds), furacilin solution (scab on the ears). If vomiting occurs, you need to stop feeding the dog for 24 hrs and monitor the well-being and behavior of the dog.

Therapy includes three main areas of intervention: identification and elimination of an irritant, correction of a hypersensitive state, prescription of symptomatic drugs against allergies.

Identification of an allergen in case of food intolerance is carried out using special tests. After determining the reason, the dog is submitted to a protein-free diet and sweets are totally excluded. When prescribing medications, drugs that stop inflammation and drugs for parasites are not used. In some cases, antifungal and antipruritic drugs are prescribed in the complex.

Prevention measures

Given the characteristics of the breed, owners are advised to take preventive measures for possible French Bulldog allergies. They include keeping your dog from known food and non-food substances that can become allergens. Eliminate foods that cause allergies from the diet (especially for puppies under the age of 6 months), carefully observe the dog when adding a new item to the menu. Stay disciplined and never give your dog prohibited foods.

The main rule when drawing up a diet for French Bulldogs prone to allergies is the complete exclusion of the irritant, because food intolerances are cumulative and the response only compounds over time. An appropriate diet consists of natural hypoallergenic or premium processed food. Food supplements with B vitamins and yeast can also be appropriate but need to be are given in low quantity and with caution.

When choosing grooming products, give preference to hypoallergenic cosmetics. Ventilate the room where the dog hangs around and keep him away from household chemicals. Do not give medicine to your dog without a veterinary’s order

During treatment, vitamin and mineral complexes must be completely excluded. Treats and chewing toys are also prohibited. After the allergic attack and its treatment, feed your French Bulldog with rice or buckwheat porridge for the first 3-4 days. Then, boiled turkey or lean sea fish can be added to the diet.

Do you want to learn all about how to tell if your french bulldog is sick? The French Bulldog is an adorable dog with many qualities … but that is no reason to forget that he must be treated with care! If you have a French Bulldog or if you want to adopt one, this article will tell you all about the health signs, the diseases and the sensitivities of the French Bulldog.

French Bulldog health considerations

The French Bulldog may well be a dog of robust appearance, it should not be forgotten that it has some weaknesses. The life expectancy of a French Bulldog is only 12 years, which is slightly lower than that of most other breeds of this size. This is partly due to the fact that it is predisposed to a number of diseases or genetic defects. So, it’ important to recognize the sources of health issues.

Rest assured, however, a French Bulldog bred with love of the profession in a family canine breeding is less likely to suffer from genetic disorders, and can therefore live a good and long life! It is still interesting to learn about the diseases that mostly affect this dog breed.

The popularity of the French Bulldog has unfortunately not played in its favor. To meet the high demand, some unscrupulous breeders have sought to make as many litters as possible … thus increasing inbreeding within the breed, thereby causing genetic defects.

Main types of diseases of the French Bulldog

Being well informed about the health of the French Bulldog and its weaknesses is essential, so that you can quickly prevent or treat significant health concerns. There are diseases common to all dog breeds (such as distemper, rabies, parvovirus, etc.) and against which it is possible to vaccinate a dog. In this article we will only focus on health disorders that are specific to French Bulldogs.

Respiratory disorders

Due to its flat face, the French Bulldog is the victim of many respiratory disorders. The short muzzle of the French Bulldog that is sort of cut short can easily be causing respiratory obstruction. This is the reason why it cannot sustain conditions of high heat, humidity and poorly ventilated areas.

The french bulldog is characterized by 3 typical respiratory disorders which can threaten his well-being, a long soft palate, nostril stenosis and collapse of the larynx.

Excessively long soft palate

In many cases the french bulldog’s soft palate is much too long and can compress its larynx and cause difficulty breathing. This genetic disorder can be resolved by surgery.

Nostril stenosis

Another common genetic disorder, nostril stenosis is a condition by which the dog’s nostrils are too narrow. This causes wheezing in the nose, and difficulty breathing. Once again, surgery corrects this defect.

Collapse of the larynx

This third genetic problem is characterized by a collapse of the larynx membranes when the dog inspires. Once again, this disorder is causing difficult breathing, and can be treated with surgery. It is essential to pay attention to the Bulldog’s breathing to notice any respiratory disorder. In case you observe signs such as hoarse breath, snoring or intolerance to more intense effort, consult a veterinarian.

It should be noted that respiratory disorders can create significant side effects such as heart problems, even sudden death if the disorder is severe. Many deaths in the French Bulldog are thus due to breathing problems.

Respiratory disorders makes the French Bulldog very sensitive to stress and heat. To avoid a heat stroke which is very common in this breed, make sure that your dog is not exposed under the sun for too long and provide for areas he can hang around in the shade, hydrate it regularly and limit intense efforts. Likewise, never leave a dog alone in a car in direct sunlight … or not!

Spinal problems

Other common health problems of the French Bulldog are not due to its flattened face, but rather to its small size. It is indeed the cause of certain disorders in the dog’s skeleton. French Bulldogs are thus particularly predisposed to herniated discs, vertebral disorders which cause back pain, and can go so far as to paralyze the dog if they are not taken care of in a timely fashion.

If your French Bulldog shows signs of reduced mobility, difficulties with certain movements or slight limping you should quickly consult a veterinarian to quickly set up a treatment. As you can see, learning how to tell if your french bulldog is sick is important and requires your constant attention.

On a completely different note, you should be aware that the robust framework of the Bulldog and its small size make it practically impossible for a pregnant female to give birth naturally. Most of the births of this breed of dog are carried out by caesarean operation.

Skin problems

Another interesting trait of the french bulldog is the wrinkles on its face that make it quite susceptible to skin infections. To avoid this problem, it is important to regularly cleanse its face, and keep all areas dry as much as possible. If you see areas where the skin is folding becoming pink or red, it may need attention.

How to prevent diseases of the French Bulldog?

Reading this article, you might believe that the French Bulldog is a fragile dog and needs multiple veterinary care. Rest assured, it is not as bad as it looks like! Apart from the problems mentioned above, the French Bulldog is a fairly robust dog, and one that generally enjoys excellent health.

If you want to adopt this dog, you need to focus on 3 important aspects to avoid the most serious health risks:

1) Avoid excessive intense effort

2) Limit exposure of the dog to the sun at all costs

3) Carefully monitor its breathing

4) Avoid putting too much stress on the vertebrae of the French Bulldog. This means limiting jumping movement, going up or down stairs.

By learning how to tell if your french bulldog is sick and staying attentive to these signs, you won’t have to worry!