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Knowing what health issues and concerns a French Bulldog can have is very important. By being aware of the following issues and concerns it can help you to pick up on things quicker, know how important insurance will be, and help make a decision on whether this breed is a good choice for you and your family.
Here are eight common health problems that French Bulldogs can suffer with:
1. Otitis Externa
Inflammation of the middle ear, or ear infections, can be very common in French Bulldogs because of their narrowed ear canals. By regularly checking the ears, you can try to prevent infections before they occur. This is important because ear infections can contribute to many other health problems if not treated and taken care of.
Your dog may experience a lot of discomfort and irritation, so keep an eye out for ear scratching and redness as early warning signs.
2. Diarrhoea
This is a very common health problem in French Bulldogs, especially in puppies or dogs under 12 months.
“If your dog is having consistent bouts of diarrhoea, please do consult a vet,” says Adrian Green, a dog expert at Academized and Essay Services. “It may be that they have swallowed something that they should have, or possibly even picked up a potentially fatal virus or parasite.”
3. Conjunctivitis
Because they are a short-nosed breed, French Bulldogs are a higher risk for conjunctivitis. This can occur due to bacterial or viral diseases, getting things caught in their eye, or even an allergic reaction.
If the cause is bacterial, then antibiotics may be needed to treat it and most cases will clear up quickly. If not, you can treat at home using boiled water and cotton wool balls. Your vet will be able to advise the right course of action.
4. Claw Injuries
Longer nails or claw injuries can be a common complaint. Whilst long nails might seem like a simple issue, if it is not resolved, it can lead to more serious problems. Injuries can also be caused by cutting nails too short, or if they are torn or ripped when playing.
For serious cases, the vet may need to remove the nail plate and give antibiotic treatment.
5. Skin Fold Dermatitis
Although those cute skin folds are part of the appeal of French Bulldogs for a lot of owners, this can lead to dermatitis within the skin folds. This can particularly manifest around the face and muzzle, but not necessarily. For female dogs, it can occur around the vaginal area, and both sexes can suffer around their neck and armpits.
To help prevent this issue, you should have a regular skin maintenance routine for your dog, where you keep their skin folds dry and clean.
6. Colitis
Colitis is an inflammation of the large intestine or colon. There are some warning signs that you can spot for early detection, including blood or mucus in the faeces, lethargy or loss of appetite.
“You can help prevent colitis in your French Bulldog with a healthy diet,” says Lucy Priest, a blogger at Essay Writing Service. “Other tips are to keep him fully vaccinated, staying away from other poorly dogs and stop him from eating anything that he shouldn’t.”
7. Upper Respiratory Tract (URT) Infection
French Bulldogs can be very susceptible to upper respiratory tract infections. This type of infection can particularly affect their bronchi, trachea, throat and nose cavities.
Most dogs get an infection like this at some point, especially French Bulldogs, so it is highly likely that you will see it with your pet. URTs are highly contagious and more common if you have more than one dog in your household or a close network of friends with dogs.
8. Pyoderma
Pyoderma is a bacterial skin infection that is very common in French Bulldogs. In most cases, it can be very easily treated by your vet.
Bacterial skin infections tend to occur after your pet gets a scratch, cut or graze to the skin that then becomes infected and sore.
Your vet will examine and clean the wound, before giving you antibiotic medicine or anti-fungal treatments to apply at home. In most cases, pyoderma is not serious and can be healed quickly.
