Some dog breeds, such as French Bulldogs, are more susceptible to allergies than others. The allergies are generally caused by reactions to flea bites, irritable stomachs that have difficulty digesting food, small nasal passages or they may even be allergic to their own hair and dander.
The most common signs of allergies in your French Bulldog will include raw skin, patches of missing hair, red skin, hives, coughing, sneezing, excessive chewing and licking of paws, watery eyes, vomiting and diarrhea. While these symptoms may disappear after a few days it’s important to watch your Frenchie closely in case the symptoms return. If they do, taking the dog to the vet is the solution. Often times, the allergy can be traced back to an ingredient in their food so changing their diet could eliminate the allergy all together. Also, treating your French Bulldog for fleas and ticks could reduce the allergy as well.
When your French Bulldog is suffering from allergies their mood can fluctuate. They can become irritable, lethargic, clingy, or even angry. When your Frenchie is reacting to the discomfort caused by allergies, discipline will not work. The best way to remedy this is to learn how to properly care for your pup once the source of the allergy is revealed. One option would be to keep a log of your French Bulldog’s activities and symptoms so that you can show the vet who can then recommend a treatment.
Some small breeds, such as the French Bulldog, may have breathing issues as they age and there is little that can be done about this. Keeping their sleeping and eating area clean and free of dust is the best way to maintain healthy breathing in your aging pet. You could purchase a hepa filter that will trap any free floating dust, particles and other air pollutants. Also, as important as exercise is for the health and well being of all dogs, keeping small breeds indoors and playing with them will give them adequate exercise while preventing them from contracting a head cold which can make their breathing problems worse.
If you notice that your French Bulldog has fleas or that they have been bitten by fleas, you should bathe your Frenchie using a flea shampoo designed to kill fleas and flea eggs. Depending on the severity of the flea problem, you may also need to rid your home of fleas by using a carpet spray or calling an exterminator so that the re-infestation does not occur. Once the fleas are gone, you should spray your Frenchie each time they go outside. This will prevent new fleas from jumping onto your pet and entering your home. If your dog has sustained open bites or wounds from scratching you should wait until these areas have healed before attempting to bathe them with a flea shampoo or spray them with a repellent. Using a product such as Advantage that can be placed at the back of the neck and top of the tail is the best way to kill the fleas while allowing the wounds to properly heal.
Vomiting can occur if your Frenchie is allergic to their food. If this happens, you should visit the vet first to make sure that the vomiting isn’t caused by something internal such as an intestinal blockage. At this point, they can recommend a new food for your dog and the vomiting should cease.
Dogs that are allergic to their own hair and dander have the worst allergies of all because there isn’t very much that can be done for them. If your dog is allergic to their hair and dander you need to make sure that they are bathed and groomed on a very regular basis. Brush them every day to remove excess hair and dander and bathe them once per month. If the allergies are persistent, the vet could prescribe an anti-histamine to help control the pet’s suffering.
