French Bulldog Allergies – It is not an exciting topic. Allergies, that word alone is enough to give chills to a Frenchie owner. Two weeks ago, my newly adopted French bulldog caught some kind of allergy. He was throwing up, passing a runny stool, and was drained. I rushed towards a vet and got him the treatment. But, until he was totally recovered, I was feeling devastated by looking at his condition. Being a Frenchie parent, I was curious about common French bulldog Allergies and their cures afterward. And, I suspect, you’re equally interested. So, I compiled this comprehensive guide to help you and every other French bulldog owner out there.
If you want to stay ahead of the game, you must know, “What are the most common French bulldog allergies?”
French Bulldogs Vs Allergies:
Allergies are hypersensitive responses from a dog’s immune system to a harmful substance.
Just like humans, every dog breed is somehow prone to allergies. However, due to the highest genetic and environmental predispositions, French bulldogs are more susceptible to picking up various types of allergies.
Many environmental factors, genetic issues, and food intolerances can make their lives REALLY unpleasant.
In French bulldogs, the said immune response goes hand in hand with some stressful symptoms, ranging from mild itchiness to severe hives and anaphylactic shocks.
There is a little doubt that it’s the overall compromised health of French bulldogs that plays the role of the main culprit when they catch allergies.
Thanks to their distinct genes and adorable skin folds.
What are the most common French bulldog allergies?
There are several types of the most common French bulldog allergies.
However, knowing the right type of allergy your Frenchie has caught up is crucial. Why? Once you are well aware of the allergy type your furry is suffering from, taking preventative measures or following a treatment becomes way easier.
Below are the major categories of allergies we normally see in the French bulldogs:
- Food Allergies
- Environmental or Seasonal Allergies
- Skin Allergies
Symptoms of The Most Common Allergies in French bulldogs:
A reaction can start with light indications and can later get extreme. You must watch for the allergic signs in your fur-friend first. If you find any, find the basic cause, and you are good to go to play it safe with the preventions and treatments.
Some of the allergic symptoms in French bulldogs can be:
- Reverse Sneezing
- Coughing
- Itchy skin
- Face rubbing
- Excessive shedding
- Paw licking
- Itchy butt
- Runny nose
- Cherry eyes
- Stomach upsets (diarrhea or vomiting)
- Wheezing
- Gastrointestinal issues
What are most French bulldogs allergic to?
These allergy-causing elements, no matter present in the food or air, are called allergens. When certain allergenic factors come in direct contact with any organism, its immune system reacts.
Resultantly, the individual ends up itching, sneezing, and swarming.
We can roughly divide the types of allergens into two categories:
- Indoor Allergens
- Outdoor Allergens
For a better understanding, let’s dig into their further details:
1. Indoor Allergens:
The environment we live in with our four-legged friends contains a variety of components that can trigger allergic reactions. So, it’s a better idea to keep your indoor environment free from substances that can cause harm to your French Bulldog.
But, do you know, What are some in-house allergy-causing elements?
Here is the list:
- Dust mites
- Cockroaches
- Mold spores
- Pet dander
- Some indoor plants
2. Outdoor Allergens That Can Affect Your French Bulldog
When your dog is at the stake of capturing allergies indoors, how can you expect him to stay safe outside?
Some typical outdoor allergens are:
- Mold spores
- Pollens
- Some trees, grasses, or weeds
- Fleas
Now when you know the most common types of French bulldog allergies, some general symptoms, and the factors that may lead your dog to allergic diseases, it’s time to talk about each of them thoroughly.
Let’s roll.
Food Allergies (AKA Food Intolerance in French Bulldogs)
Is your French buddy throwing up badly or passing a runny stool?
Chances are he is experiencing some kind of food intolerance. It happens when a certain ingredient in your dog’s diet causes his immune system to react. For my Augie I had this issue with him at around 2 years of age.
Therefore, you should never feed your French bulldog a substandard diet.
Symptoms of Food Allergies in French Bulldogs
French bulldogs can develop skin bumps, hives, digestive problems, bloody stool, gastrointestinal illness, hyperpigmentation, skin sores, and more. We took our Frenchie to the Vet immediately when we saw some of these issues occurring.
The Most Common Causes and Prevention Options of Food Allergies:
Treating French bulldog allergies is not an arduous task, but finding the root cause is.
When you are highly confident that your dog is undergoing food intolerance, look for the sinful ingredient in the diet you are feeding him.
The most allergy-causing food elements in French bulldogs are:
- Chicken
- Beef
- Wheat
- Soy
- Lamb
- Corn
- Pork
- Fish
- Rice
- Milk, cheese, eggs, or other such dairy products
While you rule out any of the above food allergens, don’t forget to take the quality and source of the food you are feeding your doggo into account.
To tackle food-related reactions, conduct a single-ingredient diet food trial for a minimum of eight weeks and watch which dietary element causes the allergic sign to emerge.
Simply, remove that toxic component, and you can switch back to the normal diet plan.
In the trial period, keep teats, table food, supplements, and flavored medications away from your pooch.
If you feel, taking a food trial is a long procedure. You can opt for a diagnostic test called Nutriscan. It’s less stressful yet more effective.
What is the best food to feed French bulldog with allergies?
If your Frenchie is allergic and has some food sensitivities, feeding him a balanced but limited ingredient diet is the way to go.
When choosing some formula food for your Frenchie, buying dog food specially manufactured for French bulldogs is a must.
Below are some key elements you can look for in a formula dog food when selecting one for your Frenchie:
- It should be complete and nutritionally balanced.
- It must contain wholesome ingredients with no artificial colors, additives, fillers, or byproducts.
- It should contain lean proteins from high-quality animal resources like poultry or fish.
- For healthier skin, it must have low-to-moderate fat content, including omega 3 fatty acids
- To avoid obesity issues, its calorie content should be moderate.
Environmental and Seasonal Allergies
Sometimes it’s not the food that is triggering allergies in your dog. It can be any external allergen from the environment or maybe some seasonal substances present in the air, such as pollens.
How to differentiate between Environmental and Seasonal Allergies
It may sound tricky, but it’s not.
Keep an eye over your Frenchie’s allergy developing habits. If he is itchy during spring, summer, or fall, he’s probably reacting to seasonal allergies.
On the other hand, if your dog is showing year-round symptoms, it’s a clear sign that he is sensitive to something that is constantly present in the environment. And, that’s environmental allergy. Simple!
Symptoms of Environmental and Seasonal Allergies in French Bulldogs:
So, what are the seasonal and environmental allergy signs to look for in your French bulldog? Read on.
- Painful hives
- Scratching and biting
- Paw licking
- Excessive butt scooting
- Shedding
- Inflammation
- Chronic ear infections
- Rashes
- Asthma
- Fever
Causes and Prevention Options of Environmental and Seasonal Allergies in French Bulldogs:
Also known as contact allergies, environmental or seasonal allergies happen when an individual comes in touch with some allergen existing in the environment.
Contact allergy is the most difficult type of bulldog’s allergy to spot.
Let’s list some of the causes of these contact allergies in Frenchies:
- Dust mites
- Mold spores
- Airborne pollen
- Grass
- Animal or human dander
- Flea bites
- Furniture wood
- Cleaning products
In this type of allergy, mostly the allergen is something you can’t eliminate from the surroundings. Still, it’s not an impossible situation. You just need a plan of action.
When you suspect that your fido has some kind of seasonal or environmental allergy, double-check the diet you are feeding him and his other medical conditions to make a definitive judgment.
Once you are pretty sure that the emerging allergic diseases are not coming from food, it’s time to narrow down elements your dog remains in contact with.
From his shampoo to his bedding, check everything.
When you find the element responsible, kick it out of your Frenchie’s life.
If the problem persists, don’t hesitate to consult your vet, or going for some over-the-counter allergy medicines is also one of the options you can go for.
However, a cool tip is, keep your French dog out of the reach of dust, mites, pollens, and fleas. Yes, it’s a hefty effort, but your fur-family members are worth it. Right?
Skin Allergies in French Bulldogs
French bulldogs have plenty of skin problems. Eczema or Atopic Dermatitis is the skin allergy that most French bulldogs are prone to.
Their charming skin folds are, in fact, a magnet to attract skin allergies.
Skin allergies are mostly the symptom of other allergic reactions like food or environmental allergies. But, often, they are a result of poor breeding practices. While in some cases, they appear as a reaction to poor-quality dog food.
Due to their vulnerable hereditary material, French bulldogs develop bacterial skin infections faster than any other dog breed.
The most common types of skin allergies in Frenchies are:
- Atopic Dermatitis
- Ringworms
- Yeast Infection
- Mange
- Impetigo
- Seborrhea
- Dry Skin
Symptoms of Skin Allergies in French bulldogs:
The signs of skin allergies you may see in your dog are:
- Itching
- Excessive scratching
- Hair loss
- Flaky/ Oily Skin
- Rubbing on the vertical surfaces (such as carpet or ground)
- Continuously chewing or scratching the affected area
Causes and Prevention Options of Skin Allergies in French Bulldogs:
The most common cause of the ultimate stage of skin allergies, Atopic Dermatitis, is fleas. Their skin can react to flea saliva when it bites.
Plus, when it comes to French bulldog skin problems, hives, or bumps, for example, you should not ignore food and environmental allergens.
For Atopic Dermatitis treatment in French bulldogs, you should keep preventions and medications side by side.
Use flea-repellents to keep the fleas at bay. Also, apply topical ointments on your doggie’s skin. However, if your dog has the habit of licking, it may not be the best choice.
Other approaches you can use to treat skin allergies in French bullies are:
- Anti-itch therapy
- Anti-yeast and Anti-bacterial Therapy
- Supplements
French bulldog Itchy Skin Remedy
Once you have prepared a special diet plan and have got rid of fleas, what’s the next step? You can probably try some of these remedies at home as an immediate treatment to reduce itchiness and allergic signs.
Apple cider vinegar soothes prickling skin. It’s easily available in any supermarket.
Just take the vinegar, dilute it in water (¼ of vinegar and ¾ of water), and transfer the liquid to some spray bottle. Sprinkle it over the affected area twice a day. Not more than that!
Raw honey is the honey that is not processed in any way. Feed your dog honey in a small dose. It’s a powerful antioxidant that strengthens the immune system and eliminates allergies.
Coconut oil has lauric acid that helps reduce yeast production. And, guess what? Dogs like taking coconut oil. You can pair coconut oil with fish body oil. It helps to suppress the inflammatory response in your allergic pet.
Supplements:
There are multiple allergy supplements available in the dog supplies market. They contain antihistamines, and other natural ingredients like omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids, salmon oil, prebiotic, and probiotic complex to stop allergic symptoms.
These supplements are not only healthy but also come in chew tablet form. Therefore, they are easy to administer.
Benadryl for French Bulldog Allergies
Benadryl is an antihistamine that is useful for alleviating allergy symptoms in both humans and dogs. It contains diphenhydramine as its active ingredient and is beneficial in treating many allergy symptoms.
The indications include Environmental allergy signs, food allergy indications, hives, and anxiety, to name a few.
As per the dosage, its standard oral dose is 1mg per pound of bodyweight for dogs. You can give Benadryl to your dog 2-3 times a day.
Caution: Never use Benadryl if your dog has high blood pressure, glaucoma, or any cardiovascular disease!
Summary – French Bulldog Allergies
Allergies can give you and your Frenchie a hard time. No one likes their beloved pet suffering from some nasty reactions. So, better keep a strategy that helps you manage your dog’s health problems.
You can serve your French bulldog with food containing all nutrients that can potentially immunize your dog against allergy-causing substances.
Also, your vet can recommend any medical treatments, probiotics, antibiotics, or antihistamines, to help manage your doggie’s allergy symptoms. But, run away from this prescribed stuff as soon as possible because they contain unfavorable ingredients your pet must not consume for extended periods.
In simple words, allergies are your fido’s immune system’s overreactions. Therefore, it’s important to keep on boosting their immunity with a high-quality and complete diet.
Make sure you keep checking with your vet occasionally.
Have a great time with your Frenchie!
PS – For more articles about Frenchies check this out: https://frenchiejourney.com/frenchies/
