The Frenchie has grown in popularity over the past 10 years, yet whilst their short, stocky stature and “smush-nose” makes them cute, they don’t come without drawbacks.
While many of these health issues can be treated, they often require surgery or are chronic (requiring lifelong management), and tend to come with expensive vet bills. Here's some of the most common conditions that French Bulldogs face.
Frenchie’s fall under the brachycephalic breeds. A breed developed with a short skull and flat face. This means they often suffer with narrow nostrils, nasal passages and windpipe. They also often have an overlong soft palate. These issues usually result in breathing problems, known as BOAS.
Symptoms include;
Some cases require surgery to correct the problem, but it is also key to maintain a healthy weight and encourage an appropriate level of exercise.
Unlikely humans, dogs cannot sweat. They instead cool down by panting. Due to their restricted airways, Frenchie’s are more likely to struggle to cool off and are therefore predisposed to heat stroke.
Heat stroke is a life threatening condition, where the body overheats. It can progress very rapidly, leading to potential seizures, organ failure or even death.
Typical symptoms range from heavy panting, excess drooling, red gums or tongue, to disorientation, vomiting and diarrhoea.
In the event of suspected heat stroke, you need to actively cool the dog by providing shade, pouring water over the body and ideally a fan, before calling your vet for further veterinary assessment.
Whilst some find the skin folds around a French Bulldogs face endearing, the warm and moist environment becomes a breeding ground for yeast and bacteria. Hence this breed is often prone to secondary skin infections, typically around the face, between the toes or around the tail fold.
Additionally, the breed is predisposed to allergies. Classically affecting the paws, belly, skin folds or ears.
Common symptoms of allergies include;
It takes a dedicated skin consult to determine potential underlying triggers and consider diet trials and ways to avoid unwanted environmental allergens. Here at Vetsy we can provide just that. We will help clear up any secondary infections, whilst stopping the allergic reaction. Often these treatment options are lifelong, so once we have gained control of the symptoms we can provide you with ongoing prescriptions to avoid future flare ups.
French bulldogs are prone to ear infections due to a combination of underlying allergies and extremely narrow ear canals, making it harder for dirt and debris to get out of the ear canal.
Ear infections are typically treated with antibiotic or antifungal ear drops, however, if repeated episodes occur, the canal wall will likely become thicker and therefore even narrower, which can lead to a cycle of frequent ear infections and veterinary visits. The use of steroid or anti-inflammatory medication is sometimes warranted to alleviate this.
This also puts the breed at more risk of developing middle or inner ear infections (infection behind the ear drum), leading to the development of a head tilt or poor coordination. If suspected, we advise you to seek direct veterinary assessment to determine the integrity of the ear drum.
The breed is prone to numerous gastrointestinal issues, including food allergies or intolerances, causing intermittent diarrhoea or softer stools.
They can also suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which causes inflammation within the guts and repeated bouts of colitis or diarrhoea. These cases require a dedicated consult, to discuss diet management, treatment suggestions, potential investigations to consider and ways to manage this life long condition.
Before you consider breeding from your French Bulldog, you need to be aware that Frenchie’s will rarely give birth naturally. Almost all require a caesarean section (C-Section). This is because the breed has very large heads but narrow hips - making it difficult for the bitch to give birth. Puppies will often get stuck in the birth canal, putting both mother and puppies at risk. Emergency C-sections are often warranted and can be costly and not always planned.
French Bulldogs are predisposed to a condition known as corneal dystrophy; when the cornea (the outer layer of the eye) becomes cloudy. The condition is not considered painful or significantly impairs the dog's vision, however as it progresses it does make the dog more susceptible to corneal ulcers.
Corneal ulcers are scratches on the surface of the eye, that are incredibly painful and require medical management, including various eye drops or pain relief. Severe cases may require surgical intervention.
The French Bulldog may also be prone to entropion (an inward rolling of the eyelids) or distichiasis (an abnormal growth of eyelashes), which too can cause corneal irritation, inflammation, conjunctivitis or corneal ulcers.
If your dog suffers with repeated bouts of ocular discomfort, it may be worth reviewing if one of the above abnormalities are present.
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Dogs and cats have a third eyelid, situated in the inner corner of each eye. Cherry eye is a condition when the gland associated with the third eyelid, prolapses, presenting as a bright pink, rounded mass in the corner of the eyes.
French bulldogs are genetically predisposed to this and it often requires surgery to replace the gland. The gland should never be removed surgically, as this will inevitably lead to dry eye (a condition associated with lack of natural tears).
Due to the shape of the brachycephalic skull the French bulldogs teeth are often overcrowded with a distinctive underbite, therefore tartar accumulates quickly. It is essential to brush their teeth regularly to reduce the risk of suffering from heavy tartar, gingivitis and dental disease.
If brushing is not successful, it is likely the dog will require dental treatment under general anaesthesia, where the teeth are scaled thoroughly, and rotten teeth can be extracted and hopefully prevent future issues.
We at Vetsy can suggest an array of effective dental products to prevent recurrent episodes of dental disease.
