French Bulldog Health Issues | Diseases | Treatment | Care

Last updated on January 15, 2021

French Bulldog Health Issues and diseases are not that many, but they can be serious. Fortunately, with proper dog care, French bulldogs can live a healthier life, compared to other Bulldogs.

Only a few decades ago, the life expectancy of French bulldogs was around 8 to 10 years. Today, experts believe that French bulldogs can live up to 13 years, if they get the best health and social care, that most dogs need.

In order to maintain the health of this furry friend, as the dog owner you should pay attention to some of their social, physical, and physiological needs, which are unique to their breed.

French Bulldog Care – How to Care for Your Dog

The French bulldog cannot regulate her body temperature well, as their flat face restricts their breathing.

The comparatively thin fur also contributes to the poor temperature control. Because of these idiosyncrasies, French bulldogs are generally not good for outdoor keeping.

They need you to protect them from extreme temperatures, and you must never expose them to extreme temperatures. That means the summer heat affects Frenchies, greatly.

In that regard, you must always provide a shady place and access to fresh water. Furthermore, you should prevent your Frenchie from exerting itself physically, in the heat.

A dip in the lake is out of the question for French bulldogs, so do not include it as a means of cooling. Otherwise, they will surely drown.

Carefully care for skin wrinkles

The deep skin folds under the eyes tend to be infections; therefore, you must clean and wipe it dry.

You must pay careful attention to the regular cleaning of the wrinkles. Sometimes French bulldogs suffer from persistent infections from this feature of their skin.

Therefore, if the infections persist, then you may take it to the veterinary for surgical removal of skin wrinkles.

Common French bulldog Health Issues

Problems with breeding

There are problems that occur when breeding French bulldogs, caused by its small physique.

For instance, not all French bulldog males are able to mount in a natural way, so you may have to take a Frenchie bitch for artificial insemination.

And, during birth, often the big heads of the puppies prevent a normal birth, so the expectant Frenchie bitch is birthed through the caesarean section.

Von-Willebrand-Disease

Behind this designation lies a hereditary blood condition where blood fails to clot, leading to excessive loss of blood. The diseases several dog breeds, as well as both male and female animals in equal measure.

With the serious health effects caused by the diseases in mind, veterinarians recommend that you avoid breeding your Frenchie diagnosed with the von Willebrand disease.

Symptoms that indicate the presence of this disease include:

• Bleeding gums
• Nosebleeds
• Blood in the urine

The disease is not curable. If a dog suffers from Willebrand disease and a vet wants to operate on it, they may use medication to minimize bleeding before operating. In case of severe blood loss, blood or plasma transfusions may be required.

Thyroid Diseases

Diseases of the thyroid gland are also relatively common in French bulldogs, and they often lead to various skin diseases and skin allergies.

The most common sign that a thyroid disease has affected your Frenchie is obsessive foot licking, and growth of cysts filled with fluids.

Because of the extreme side effects of the thyroid diseases, if you plan to use your Frenchie for breeding, you must test it beforehand for their presence. If a thyroid diseases test comes out positive, then you must not breed your Frenchie.

Brachycephaly

Brachycephaly is a congenital deformation of the skull. The head is shortened, instead of being elongated, making it appear more rounded. The affected Frenchies have great breathing problems due to the shortened upper airways.

Their bulldogs’ regulation of body temperature is severely impaired, due to changes that occur on the nasal shell, on the palate sail, and on the larynx.

In severe cases, veterinarians can recommend a surgical procedure to make it easier for the animals to breathe.

Since brachycephaly is partly due to breeding, there are calls for changes to breeding standards, in order to avoid further shortening of the facial bones. Extreme cases of brachycephaly are treated as cruel dog breeding.

Achondroplasia

This disease has an impact on the growth of the skeleton. It is also genetic and can be observed in all mammals. Achondroplasia is caused by a mutation, and tor those affected, the growth zone ossifies too early.

This limits the length growth of the bones. The French bulldog with achondroplasia does not reach the usual size for the breed, and it appears to be disproportionate because the legs are very short. Therapy is not possible.

A Home Pharmacy for Fast Primary Care

You need to set up a home pharmacy to help you save your Frenchie’s life, in case of a medical emergency. You can get most of the supplies needed for your dog’s home pharmacy from Amazon and other leading ecommerce stores.

Medical Supplies Used for first aid Include:

• Absorbent gauze pads
• Cotton balls or swabs
• Adhesive tape
• Ice pack
• Fresh 3% Hydrogen Peroxide to Induce Vomiting
• Flash Light
• Disposable gloves
• Tweezers
• Scissors with blunt end
• OTC antibiotic ointment
• Dog Pain Medication
• Digital thermometer
• Liquid Dishwashing Detergent (for bathing)
• Oral syringe or turkey baster
• Small flashlight
• Towels
• Styptic powder
• Alcohol wipes
• Artificial tear gel
• Saline eye solution
• Local veterinary clinics’ emergency contacts
• Your dog’s health insurance documentation
• Medical history records

We recommend that you attach the telephone number of the veterinarian, and the veterinary emergency service, to the door of the home pharmacy. That way, you will remember to first call for help, so that they can instruct you on what to do.

You must check the contents of the home pharmacy regularly, and replace any expired items. For convenience, you can create a schedule for doing so, so that you do not forget about it.

You must check the batteries of the digital fever thermometer. If the home pharmacy is set up in a suitcase, it can also serve as a travel pharmacy. Then it should also contain a little dietary food.

More and more dog owners are also relying on home remedies for the treatment of furry friends. A major advantage of home remedies is that they are practically unlimited in shelf life.

You should also keep the dog’s medical records in the home pharmacy. This will help you to provide information at any time, on which medications the dog has received in the past, and who treated it.

Here’s How to Check if Your French bulldog is Healthy:

It is important to prepare for an emergency, but it is even more important to do everything possible to keep your Frenchie as healthy as possible. The following are some of the signs of a sick French bulldog:

• Changes in appetite
• Changes to fur or shedding
• Mucosa does not appear rosy and moist
• Glued eyes
• Rapid fatigue
• Unpleasant smell
• Changes in the discontinuation of feces and urine, diarrhea, vomiting
• A changes in body temperature, by 1.5 °C from a normal temperature
• Changes in breathing rate (normal are 15 to 40 breaths per minute
• Pulse should be between 70 and 120 per minute
• Discharge from ears, nose, mouth, reproductive organ, and anus

It is advantageous to check those signs regularly. You can count the pulse, measure fever, and practice counting the breathing rate at rest. Learn to do it when your healthy French bulldog is at rest, and learn to check its health safely.

When is it Time to Go to the Doctor?

Sometimes it is more than obvious that the dog needs the help of a doctor. If he has a high fever, has an injury or deep wound, he hums, scratches himself a lot, has diarrhea, a tooth is missing, etc.

Even in the case of obvious pain or gentle postures, you should not wait long before taking it to the Vet. The faster the dog gets help, the sooner everything is out, and your Frenchie is fit and cheerful again.

Always go to the Vet if you are unsure. If you have no experience with a disease, the veterinarian can help you decide how to proceed. They can advise whether you should come by with the dog, or can wait another day.

Unfortunately, dogs may show symptoms very late when they are sick, or feel extremely uncomfortable. Therefore, a good observation of your Frenchie on your part is very important.

Due to your familiarity with your dog, you can notice if something is wrong. Therefore, don’t ignore changes such as a sudden drop in enthusiasm to go for a walk, or a sudden drop in desire for a snack or dog food.

How Can I Help my Bulldog if She Has Diarrhea?

In many cases, diarrhea is not particularly worrying. As sudden as it started, the bout of diarrhea is often gone again. Therefore, if your dog has only one-time brittle or liquid diarrhea, this is usually not alarming.

In such cases, you should stop feeding your Frenchie, as a first measure. So do not feed it anything for about 24 hours, except for drinking water.

Water must be available for your Frenchie 24 hours a day. Regular hydration is extremely important when your Frenchie diarrheas. Otherwise, there may be a dangerous dehydration.

Younger Frenchies are especially susceptible to dehydration, when they diarrhea.

Non-hazardous causes of diarrhea in dogs include:

• Feed changeover
• Eating too fast
• Food was too cold (open tin from the fridge / thawed BARF food)
• Stress
• Very fatty food
• The dog is very sensitive

However, you should not take diarrhea in the dog lightly. This can be a symptom of many other diseases. These include:

• Infectious diseases
• Stomach and intestinal diseases of various kinds
• Parasites
• Poisoning
• Various allergies

If your bulldog has diarrhea and drinks very little, offer some light and unsalted chicken broth. Many dogs like it and can enjoy it for extended times.

Otherwise, you will need to ask the veterinarian for help. This can counteract impending or pre-existing dehydration with infusions.

After 1 to 2 days of feeding with chicken soup, you can slowly start feeding it solid meals again. Start with gentle food to spare the digestive tract. Well-cooked rice is excellent for this.

Flavor the rice with a little chicken breast, which gives a delicious taste. You may also add cooked potatoes or carrots. A little bit of salt can also help your Frenchie to restore its electrolytic balance.

Bad Frenchie Diarrhea Signs

You can then wait for its next stool. If it continues to diarrhea, then it is time to go to the vet. The same applies if:

• The excretions are very watery
• In case of diarrhea, there are worms or worm segments in excrement
• You see blood in feces
• There is mucus in feces
• The dog does not drink enough water
• Your French bulldog can no longer hold the feces and excretes uncontrollably
• Although no more feces are coming, the four-legged friend still presses

What to Do If My Dog Vomits

As with diarrhea, vomiting does not always have to have a bad cause. Therefore, there are a number of harmless reasons for this disease symptom:

• Young dogs can vomit their food and then eat it again.
• The dog is very hungry and vomits yellowish bile.
• After quadrupeds have eaten grass, they often have to regurgitate
• Cold canned food from the refrigerator or insufficiently thawed dog food.
• If the dog eats hastily, vomiting can also occur.

So sometimes, it can help to take some precautions to prevent vomiting. If your dog eats grass or leaves, which triggers nausea, then he is probably hungry more often.

If the times between meals are too long, you should reduce them. You should also pay attention to the food’s temperature. It is best to warm your dog’s food to room temperature, or just above room temperature.

If you have a greedy Frenchie at home, a special food bowl can remedy this. Manufacturers have shaped uniquely, to force dogs to take small bits, and therefore slow down their food intake.

Of course, vomiting is not always harmless. There may well be a symptom/s of a serious illness behind it.

French Bulldog Vomiting Can Be A serious Sign of

• Poisoning
• Tumors
• Foreign body is stuck
• Stress
• Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract
• Infectious diseases
• Food Poisoning

Signs That French Bulldog Vomiting is Serious

It is often difficult for dog owners to decide whether the vomiting is harmless or not. Therefore, here is some throwing up signs as to when it would be better to visit a veterinarian:

• • It is throwing up several times a day.
  • He has been throwing up for two days or more.
  • It is choking repeatedly, but it is unable to vomit (foreign body!)
  • Worms in its vomit (very strong parasite infestation is present here)
  • There is blood in the vomit.
  • You suspect it could be poisoning.
  • There are rattling noises as it breathes.
  • Your bulldog seems to have breathing problems or even shortness of breath.

How do I Detect a Dog Ear Infection

The cute bat ears of a French bulldog receive enough airing. This slightly reduces the chances of unpleasant ear infection. Nevertheless, French bulldogs often get an ear infection.

Normally, you can easily detect if something is wrong with the eavesdroppers. Here are some very clear signs of an ear infection:

• Frequent scratching of the head/ears
• Your Frenchie tilts its head is slightly
• The bulldog shakes its head repeatedly
• The ears have a strong unpleasant odor
• Its ears have some redness or swelling
• The ears are inflamed.
• Often these injuries arise from scratches
• Frenchie has balance and coordination difficulties
• It does not want to be touched on the ears
• It has sensitive ears and signs of a fever
• You see crumbly deposits in the ear or excessive earwax

How to Manage and Treat a French Bulldog Ear Infection

It is important to treat ear infections quickly, as these can be extremely painful and significantly affect the dog’s quality of life.

Sometimes parasites are the cause of the annoying pain. However, bacteria and fungi can also cause it, and they thrive in the humid and warm climate of the ears.

In addition, secondary problems may occur, you do not treat the infection early enough. For instance, if your dog often scratches its ears and these wounds become inflamed, a small problem may quickly turn into a huge one.

If your French bulldog is producing excessive earwax, you should clean the eavesdroppers more often. Otherwise, germs can often spread fast and make your Frenchie a breeding ground.

It is best not to try to treat an ear infection yourself. A veterinarian is the best person to treat an ear infection. Otherwise, home remedies can worsen an already delicate situation.

This will first find out the exact cause of the inflammation and initiate therapy accordingly. Often the ear is first thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, followed by drug treatment, which you may have to continue at home for a while.

If your Frenchie has mites in its ear, other parasites may also be present. An antibiotic may be necessary, if a secondary infection is already present.

With particularly severe itching, cortisone can temporarily provide relief until the problem is gone.

How to Prevent French Bulldog Ear Infection

Simply check the clean bat ears daily and clean them thoroughly with a clean and moistened cloth as needed. Be sure to use a separate rag for each ear so that germs do not occur accidentally.

Always dry the ears well after cleaning your Frenchie, after a walk in the rain or snow. The same applies, of course, after a bath. That stops your ears from becoming a breeding haven for pathogens.

What are the Signs of Poisoning in Dogs?

Poisoning is always a medical emergency. So, you should not tinker around for long, but always bring your furry friend immediately to the nearest practice. It can quickly become life threatening, and so every minute counts.

And, how do you know your Frenchie is suffering from poisoning? Read on to find out the common symptoms of poisoning in dogs.

French Bulldog Poisoning Symptoms

•  Severe (abdominal) cramps
• Tremble
• Choking and/or vomiting
• Traces of blood on its stool
• You may also be able to use the urine in your urine. Seeing blood stains
• The dog has lower temperature (More on normal temperature in the dog below)
• Accelerated pulse
• Increased prickling
• Shortness of breath / breathing noise
• Strong saliva
• Mucous membranes are extremely pale or even white (emergency! circulatory failure is at risk)
• The dog is unconscious

Of course, your furry friend can poison himself if they poisoned bait, although poisoned bait is rarely a cause of dangerous poisoning.

There are also many dangers lurking at home in the form of medicines, fertilizers, cleaning agents, or unsuitable food such as chocolate bars. You should keep such substances out of any child, dog or pet’s reach.

As a precautionary measure, you can train with the French bulldog early on, so that she does not eat anything without your consent. She should not even clean her own bowl without your permission.

Your Frenchie should start eating, after you command them to start eating, only.

The “Off” command can also be lifesaving in case of doubt. If this command sounds, the dog should immediately abandon everything that is in his mouth. Therefore, be particularly thorough in the education and training of the four-legged friend.

What to Do After You See Dog Poisoning Signs

Don’t panic and stay calm. Keep the dog warm and take it to a veterinary practice as quickly as the day.

If such an emergency happens outside the office hours, go to a veterinary clinic. These are usually open for 24 hours. Alternatively, you can call the veterinary emergency service to find a veterinarian near you.

Take some of what your dog has eaten (if possible). Wear gloves when collecting the sample or use a feces bag.

If you don’t know what your dog has eaten, you can take a feces sample with you, or collect some of its vomit. In the veterinary laboratory, they will attempt to identify the poison from the samples you provide them.

In the case of oral ingested toxins, you can give it activated charcoal, but you should know the dosage. It varies depending on the size and weight of the dog. So, you should know how much your French bulldog weighs.

Ask the veterinarian about the right dosage, and write this down in the emergency pharmacy for your dog.

If your dog vomits, this is okay, but you should never consciously cause it to vomit. Depending on the poison, throwing up can make the situation even worse. Moreover, you should never put a mouth guard around it.

How Do You Treat a Dog That has Been Poisoned?

How to treat a poisoned dog depends on the poison they ingested. So, the first step is to identify the poison, and then call the Vet. The Vet may ask you to rush it to their clinic for emergency treatment, or call animal poison control.

They may also ask you to induce vomit using Hydrogen Peroxide. If that is not an option, they may ask you to give it activated charcoal to prevent your Frenchie from absorbing more of the poison. If the poison came into contact with its skin, then you may have to bath it.

Overall, having a dog medical emergency kit can help you start treating a poisoned dog at home.

How to Tell if a Dog Has a Fever with a Thermometer

It depends on whether we are talking about a puppy or an adult dog. Younger dogs have a slightly higher temperature of about 39.5 °C.

However, adult French bulldogs do not all have a uniform temperature, but their normal value can vary from dog to dog. The normal temperature is in the range between 37.5 and 39°C.

The veterinarian speaks of mild fever at temperatures between 39 and 40°C. This is often not a concern and usually recedes quickly.

Many dogs have a temporarily elevated temperature even after a great physical effort, but this quickly drops back to normal levels in the rest.

From 40°C, you should be on alert. That is a clear sign your dog has a fever. You can often feel the elevated temperature by simply touching or petting the dog. It may appear tired and beaten, may drink more water, chuckle a lot, and have hot ears.

Finally, when the mercury climbs to 41°C, it slowly becomes critical. If the value remains so high for a long time, this can have serious consequences. If the temperature rises even further, it becomes life threatening.

From 42°C, the proteins in the body break down and cannot be repaired or renewed. This clumping of proteins can lead to the death of the dog. So, to be on the safe side, call the vet immediately, the temperature is 40°C or more.

Fever is not always bad. Instead, it is an immune response against foreign bodies, which the body must destroy and render harmless more quickly. Therefore, it should only be lowered on the advice of the doctor.

And that only happens if it has been going on for a long time, is very high or if the four-legged friend is clearly in a bad way. As with diarrhea, you need to provide your furry friend lots of fluids, especially water.

How to take an French Bulldog Temperature with a Thermometer

Train with your dog early on the procedure of fever measurement. This way, he will remain calm, when you take the same measurements during an emergency.

In addition, it is necessary to measure fever at rest, because after all, you need to know their normal temperature. That’s important because an deviation of 1.5°C from their normal temperature, indicates your dog may be having a medical emergency.

Therefore, if your Frenchie’s resting temperature is 37.5°C, and during a fever it rises to 40°C, it may never recover from the resulting physiological damage..

You may use a thermometer with a flexible tip, to take its temperature orally. And to save you from having to clean and disinfect the thermometer, you can use single-use sleeves to cover the thermometer.

If your dog cannot keep still, tie it up or let another person help you. If your Frenchie likes to grab, use a mouth guard to stop it.

Grease the thermometer lightly or, alternatively, moisturize it with a little water. Hold the rod attachment well and carefully insert the thermometer orally. Wait for the beep and read the temperature.

If the reading is 40°C and above, you should call the veterinary practice and follow their instructions. You should also do what you can to comfort your Frenchie.

French Bulldog Physical Requirements

You need to take physical care of your Frenchie, in order to guarantee it a comfortable lifestyle. Among the things you have to provide for are its diet, exercise, a clean place to live, and protect it from physical harm.

Reputable French Bulldog Breeder

Always buy your Frenchie from a reputable breeder. The French bulldogs they breed must pass the breeding fitness test, and meet certain health conditions for French bulldogs.

And the Frenchie they breed must not have any non-standard Frenchie features, such as the rare colors. Thus, the chances are greater that your Frenchie is free of hereditary diseases or typical racial diseases.

French Bulldog Parasites

Physically check your Frenchie for any parasites, and use the recommended treatment to get rid of them. You should also deworm them periodically, and feed them on time, to prevent them from ingesting objects that could infect them with parasites.

Parasites can cause minor or serious infections, which is why you should never take them lightly. Make sure your Frenchie is free of parasites such as fleas and mites, because that will give them comfort, and protect their coat.

In extreme cases, parasites are likely to weaken your Frenchie’s immune system, and eventually lead to its death.

French Bulldog Vaccination

Vaccinations prevent serious diseases. Therefore, give your Frenchie the basic immunization, and ensure it completes the recommended vaccination schedules. You can contact a veterinary if you are not sure what immunizations to give your French bulldog.

French Bulldog Holistic Care

Give your bulldog a holistic dog care. You need to do more than make sure it has a shiny coat. You also have to care for its ears, eyes, paws, teeth, and tongue. Other areas include its anal region, and the overall underbelly region.

The first signs of sickness that your French Bulldog will show include excess saliva, bumps under the skin, crying, teary eyes, excess mucus, and others that we have mentioned above.

As your Frenchie will begin to age, they may not recover from illness as fast as when they were younger. You may therefore have to take your Frenchie to a Vet regularly, as signs of ageing begin to appear, as well as the first symptoms of French bulldog diseases.

How to Care for Old Dogs

The earlier you can detect diseases in older dogs, the faster you will be able to treat them, so that they can recover faster. Early treatment will also stop the effects of the diseases from causing greater physiological damage to your Frenchie.

Everyday Care for Your French Bulldogs

You may also pay attention to your French bulldog’s feces and urine, which may show you the first signs of a disease. If they have traces of blood, a sudden wider color, or shows signs of pain as it goes, then you should take it to a vet.

19 French Bulldog Maintenance Tips

1. Purchase only from a reputable breeder
2. Provide a healthy diet
3. Don’t let it become obese in the first place
4. You can feed it unhealthy treats sparingly
5. Do not feed your French bulldog table crumbs or leftover food
6. Keep toxic substances (including plants!) out of the dog’s reach
7. You should provide your dog with fresh and clean drinking water, 24/7
8. Load your bully out physically and mentally
9. Avoid too much heat in summer
10. Care of skin wrinkles
11. Train your Frenchie while it is still young, (Use commands to prevent Accidents, command “Off” protects against poison baits, etc.)
12. Make sure your French bulldog is parasite-free
13. Vaccinate it, to protect it from diseases
14. Provide it with dental care, using a toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as chewing dental products. That will prevent it from developing dental tartar and gum diseases.
15. Pay close attention to the first signs of illness, paying attention to its head to paw
16. Keep its items and accessories such as crate, leash, bowls, brushes, and toys, clean.
17. Don’t restrict your French bulldog to the kernel; keep it company most of the time.
18. Do take your Frenchie for checkups, and if you suspect they are sick.
19. Take a course on first aid for dogs, and get a French bulldog care guidebook.

French Bulldog Health Issues | Care and Treatment

Overall, you should observe your Frenchie daily, for you to notice disease signs easily, when they finally occur. You should also observe it when you feed it a new diet, for signs that the food did not agree with it.

For more info about your French bulldog, you can contact a vet online, or offline.