Warning: French Bulldog Skin Problems Can Be Kind of Icky
French Bulldog Dermatitis under their nose fold
Right after the holidays a reader reached out to me about french bulldog skin problems. Her french bulldog was experiencing hives as a result of feeding her frenchie a specific brand of food. I was honored, first, to be considered by this reader, but I was then tasked with trying to make a viable food recommendation to this reader. I knew french bulldogs could experience a plethora of skin problems caused by allergic reactions to various ingredients in foods, outdoor plants and allergens, and other household environmental irritants. What I had never seen was a frenchie experiencing hives as a result of dry food or kibble. Typically, frenchie skin problems come from bacterial infections or environmental irritants. That said, you should know that what you feed your french bulldog can also be the source of allergic responses, including skin problems.
French Bulldog with superficial folliculitis on their stomach
French bulldog skins problems can, of course, be caused by more than allergic reactions or bacterial infections. There’s always the occasional “hot spot” (acute moist dermatitis) experienced by all canines, especially short-haired breeds. Then there’s chronic dry skin, which is very common for french bulldogs in drier or cold climates or french bulldogs who are bathed too often. Then there’s plain ole dandruff, which you can fix by switching to a vet recommended shampoo and lotion. Then there are some french bulldogs who experience allergic dermatitis due to various irritants and household allergens. There’s seborrhea, the canine equivalent of seborrheic dermatitis prevalent in humans. There’s impetigo, which is very common in puppies and results in pus-filled blisters (gross, I know). Superficial bacterial folliculitis, which is an infection that can be easily spotted on a french bulldog’s skin because of their short hair, and is often treated with oral antibiotics. There’s ringworm, too, which is common in dogs and is often a part of a regular vaccination schedule.
French Bulldog Skin Problems: Treatment
The first step in treating your french bulldog is getting them to a veterinarian, especially if they’re developing crusty or scabby sores. If your french bulldog has multiple sores and skin lesions on their body then you need to see a veterinarian as soon as possible. These can be very painful for your frenchie. Most french bulldog skin problems are a result of something growing on your frenchie’s skin that should not be there at all. This can be a few fleas biting your french bulldog or bacteria growing on your their skin. The force multiplier in clearing up your frenchie’s skin issue is to halt the growth of the source. Most veterinarians will use topical steroids and antibiotics to take care of most skin problems, but will sometimes also use something like Domeboro powders to relieve itching and dry out the inflamed/infected area. You will usually go home with a tube of ointment to apply to the area over the next several days.
Acute moist dermatitis, also known as a “hot spot”
Your veterinarian will scrape a small sample of the lesions/sores on your french bulldog and test them for the presence of specific bacterium. This is a simple test but the veterinarian may have to shave a small patch of your french bulldog’s fur to get better access to the lesion. Shaving the area also increases the efficacy of topical ointments and antibiotics. Do not attempt to do this yourself. A veterinarian will use a small trimmer made specifically for canine fur. Don’t be dumb.
Pictured to the left is a hot spot that developed on our Frenchie Auggie about a year ago. Hot spots (acute moist dermatitis) are very common in French Bulldogs because of their dense undercoats. Frenchies have the canine equivalent of seal fur. This is a blessing and a curse. Hot spots are usually caused by an allergic reaction to a specific antigen. They’re typically the result of flea bites or mites, but can also be caused by poor grooming and even hip dysplasia can lead to hot spots (degenerative arthritis). Note that while the name suggests an excess of moisture on your Frenchie’s skin is the cause of a hot spot, this simply is not the case. The bacterial infection causes excess moisture to develop around the affected area in the form of pus (gross, again, I know) secreting from the lesion.
As mentioned above, the vet decided to shave the area around the hot spot and then treat it with some topical antibiotics and steroids. The hot spot healed up and went away roughly a week later and we never saw another one on him! So, be sure to get to the vet as soon as you can. Your vet will provide an accurate and effective answer, and treatment for most skin issues in french bulldogs is usually very simple and fast.
French Bulldog Skin Problems: What We Use
For non-serious skin issues like canine dandruff or plain ole dry skin, this product really works wonders.
We like to keep two products in our frenchie medical kit for the occasional patch of dry skin or problematic rash. DERMagic makes a product called Skin Rescue that’s great for treating minor bumps, rashes, and dry skin. It claims to effectively treat hot spots, but after the first hot spot we found on our cream Frenchie, we decided it was best to always let the vet get a sample of the lesion. Hot spots can develop into something much worse if the bacterium are not killed off.
The DERMagic product contains oils that help treat fungi, bacterium, and yeasts causing your french bulldog uncomfortable lesions. It also claims to reduce itching and chewing. It is steroid free but you should still try to keep your frenchie from ingesting any of the product. If you’re going to use it on your french bulldog’s paws, apply the product first, and then wrap the area with a bandage to prevent your frenchie from licking it.
The second product we really love is Warren London’s Hydrating Butter. It’s useful beyond it’s medicinal properties. This is just a great all around moisturizing for your frenchie. This stuff is amazing. It will soothe your french bulldog’s skin and make their coat soft and beautiful.
If your french bulldog commonly experiences minor skin problems like dander, dry or cracked skin, or rashes, we recommend you try to Hydrating Butter. It’s the closest thing to nourishing lotion for dogs. The product claims to provide 24 hour moisture for your frenchie’s coat and skin by using a humectant that releases moisturizers every couple of hours. From the Warren London Amazon product page:
Hydrating Butter from Warren London is a leave-in conditioner that is a non-oily intense hydrating treatment for silky smooth skin and coat. The extract used is a natural humectant that moisturizes and adds vital nutrients with a soothing scent. This is the only patented formula that releases moisturizing emollients every 2 hours for a 24 hour hydration.
We don’t use either of these products daily. We use them when we find dry spots or rough skin on our frenchies, which is not often. French bulldogs have really resilient skin. Still though, it’s nice to have around and our big fella Auggie certainly appreciates it.
French Bulldog Skin Problems from Food
Food causing your french bulldog to have skin problems is a totally different ballgame. If you’re feeding something to your french bulldog that’s initiating an allergic reaction or skin issue, then you need to do more than just see your veterinarian. You need to get a full spectrum blood analysis and allergy test. A comprehensive allergy test will be much more revealing. Unfortunately, food manufacturers cannot anticipate all the possible allergic reactions their foods may cause; this is true not only for dogs for humans, as well. Think of your frenchie as having something similar to a peanut allergy. It happens. We recommend the highest quality french bulldog foods known to man, but most frenchie foods are “one size fits all”. A french bulldog with an allergy to something specific is a special case that will warrant an appropriate food. Your veterinarian may send you to a specialist, but more than likely, they’ll be able to perform an allergy test on your frenchie and then recommend an appropriate food. Just be sure to get to the vet at the first sign of a reaction. A severe allergic reaction can be fatal.
A french bulldog with hives.
The most common result of an allergy from foods appears to be hives, which are not dangerous, but uncomfortable for your frenchie. They get hot and itchy and cause your french bulldog discomfort. Of all french bulldog skin problems, I can only imagine hives are the most common, maybe closely followed by acute moist dermatitis (hot spots).
Keep your head up and give your frenchie the best care and attention that you can everything should turn out okay! Celeritas and aequitas.
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My frenchie has problems with itching her under belly and her ears get super itchy too. It seems to be food related from what I can tell. I use colloidal silver on her skin and ears. It kills bacteria and yeast and takes the itch away. It also works as an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic. She’s fine if she licks it, its totally safe, or course I get a good grade with no additives that can be harmful. Seems to be the safest and an effective way to reduce itching redness and possible infection.
Thanks!
Hi just read what you give your Frenchie, can you tell me where you buy this from please
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Please help my Bella she a female French bulldog 2 years old but she having a skin problem I am on a fix income right now due to surgery and hope to get back on my feet but in the mean time if you can give me advice for Bella I tell u a little bit that going on with Bella she not stretching just a little but anyway she been giving me a hard time about her feeding since a year old I’ve try everything and working with the Vet we gave her all the good brand even the vet food for allegory but she didn’t like it now I have her on a raw diet which I buy from the pet good frozen she like it in the benning but now she only eating once a day maybe not even what can I give her in the mean time she has to eat she on antibiotic because of her skin can I give her can cook pink salmon I read it online Frenchmen love it but I want to make sure I have more info needed please to help Bella mommy not working now on fix income so please anyone that took the time to read it please help us xoxo reply back on here my computer was hack
Try using some punctuation in your sentences.
How rude.
I thought that was a rude response too…
Are you an idiot?
haha
Removed for un-Fonzie-like behavior.
Sorry for the belated reply. How is Bella now? Has she improved? You can try various steroidal and topical creams for canines. What did your vet have to say? If it’s an allergy to something in your house, you may want to try a high-quality purifier rated to remove pollens, dust mites, and other contaminants from the air where Bella spends most of her time (bedroom, living room, play room, et cetera).
Steroids are not the answer. They mask the symptoms , they don’t heal or get to the root of the cause.
A species appropriate diet of raw meat and raw soft bones as well as no chemicals and monthly poisons help or cure allergies. Rinsing their paws after walks and wet wiping their faces and bodies after walks works miracles.
Yup! I agree completely. Thanks for sharing Betti.
Betti, I am researching more for my daughter’s dog, 8 year old Bella. She has a chronic problem with lesions, infections, and known allergies. I will definitely share your suggestions above. Wiping her down, after her walks seems promising. Bella has been moved to a turkey kibble diet, but I will mention the raw diet. What soft bones are you referring to? It is painful to see my daughter try so much,- and have to have Bella to the vet again with astronomical prices for services and products that have not been working – even today back to the doctor. Thank you so much for sharing, and if you have other ideas, please contact me. Chrissy – Bella’s Nana
I know some of these posts are pretty old but just wanted to share my experiences with my four year old frenchies skin and allergy problems I’ve dealt with since he was a puppy. I have done everything humanly possible it feels like since I bought him. Everything from allergy testing at the vet to getting skin scrapping and putting thescrappings on a slide so the vet could get a better look to dipping his paws in betadine mixed with water until it turns the color of tea and having him stand in it for about ten to fifteen minutes depending on how bad the allergy was. And to be honest and this was a horrible thing he had to go through but he ended up getting bladder stones which had nothing to do with his allergies but to do with bad breeding. And I had saying this but what has cleared it all up was when they switched him to his prescription diet which is Hill’s prescription food c/d which was based on them breaking down his stones to put him on the right food which helps him not make stones anymore. Which of course means no table food no sneaking him snacks and only giving him Hill’s prescription treats and that is all. And he literally thought he had done something really wrong and was getting punished for it bc he wasn’t getting the things he was used to getting anymore. But he eventually got used to it and we had to take him back to the vet bc someone was sneaking him snacks other than his Dr. Hill’s prescription food and treats bc he developed a horrible ear infection and that’s how we figured out someone was sneaking him treats and snacks that weren’t his prescription food or treats. And we got ear drops and medicine that cleared up the ear infection and especially when he got back on his prescription food and treats it cleared up even faster. And of course I don’t recommend giving your Frenchie Dr. Hill’s prescription food especially if they don’t need it but obviously there is something in that food and treats that have 100% cleared up all his allergies so I would definitely research what is in that food and treats and find something very similar or make sure what it doesn’t have in it isn’t in the food or treats you’re feeding your frenchie. Because to be blunt that food has done way more than just clear up his bladder stones or his body making them it has completely changed his skin, feet and fur issues as well. I mean it’s like they never existed except for a scar he’s been left with from his bladder surgery and an awful hotspot he had on the back of his neck. And those surgeries were so expensive I don’t wish that upon any Frenchie nor any owner. It took awhile to pay off those vet bills. But I know we do still give him baths either everyday or every other day bc we find if we don’t when my allergies are acting up and i walk him he does tend to get a few hives but if we either use wipes or bathe him they disappear or sometimes never actually turn up. Bathing is a must and often for frenchies with skin allergies but my vet recommended using an oatmeal or extra moisturizing shampoo with conditioner to keep his nice and moisturized and hydrated. It really helps and if he does get itchy paws during allergy season for me if we wipe his paws or wash them and moisturize them with Warren London moisturizing butter , it really works and helps a ton. Oh and my frenchies name is Diesel lol my nieces named him.
This is a great and harrowing story, Marie! I’m glad Hills RX worked for you. I have to feed C/D to one of my cats!
Have you tried Arden Grange its in pets at home its fish for sensitive tummy its good or urban Royal canine its great as we have a French Bulldog called Bella 3 years old
I had the same problem with my Frenchie too. It is so frustrating trying to find a food that does not cause the skin allergies and constant itching, even the hypoallergenic food didn’t solve the problem. It is heartbreaking to see your dog so uncomfortable. Thankfully I have found a brand that seems to suit my dog, the itching and hives have ceased and her coat is actually lovely and silky whereas before it was dry and coarse. The food is AVA , white fish, sensitive skin & stomach, It’s a dried food available at Pets at Home £8.99 for 2 kg. If it suits it’s worth buying the big bag as it works out cheaper. For a treat I buy the tinned food in exactly the same recipe and mix a little bit of it with the dried food. My dog loves it. I hope this diet works for your dog.
Hey Sonia, great information. I wish we could get AVA over here in the States. I have been unable to find it locally, so far. Good to hear that you’re able to get it, though!
Hi Bella,
Its not good what you should really do is follow your instinct. It is now confirmed that the vet guess wil be as good as yours. Eliminate the vets forget about them now. It you and frenchie.
You will have to try new things til it works out. My opinion is,
Try boiled brown rice and one grated carrot with white fish, (Baked HaddockI you can buy this at iceland 8 for £10.. Alternative, grate, boiled beets, try mashed peas and chick peas in the rice keep t simple try for ttwo weeks. twice a day. why not you have nothing to lose sherlina
Hello, what quantities do you use of the rice, carrot and white fish?
I know this is a late response and you may have heard this already. I have two Frenchies. One is an American French bulldog at 19 lbs. She is deathly allergic to pine pollen and will break out in hives and has to have an eppi pen applied within hours. My other is a Russian Frenchie and very large at 37lbs. He is allergic to lots of food types. I try to feed him foods that do not have any chicken or chicken bi product in them. When he eats chicken he breakout and his skin is scabby and he gets very itchy. I feed him Fromm Lamb and Lentil dry food and I will most of the time mix in Starkist low sodium tuna. They both eat this and have done well until someone sneaks them a treat. I have heard after a couple years old all Frenchies are allergic to CHICKEN!!
Kelly, how did you know the American French Bulldog is allergic to pine? Trying to figure my frenchies allergies out now. He is 10months old, and on a recent walk around the block, came home and broke out with hives. never happened before.
Thank you so much for this info. My Frenchie was 2 in March and since then has come up with skin sensitivities, crusty lumps on his body. I was feeding him Akela as it is grain free. However, it also has chicken. Now changed to rice, white fish and carrot (as recommended above) and will try AVA grain free with fish after 2 weeks.
Hey Kelly, you’re spot-on. Chicken and chicken bi-products are basically bad for all french bulldogs with some occasional exceptions. I try not to feed my french bulldogs anything with chicken in it. Occasionally, I will feed them other types of fowl, but infrequently.
I have a 2 year old Frenchie who I believe is allergic to Chicken. I buy Purina Pro Plan With Probiotics Dry Dog Food, SAVOR Shredded Blend Lamb & Rice Formula – 18 lb. Bag on Amazon for $34.00. This food does not cause any irritation-hives and he LOVES it.
I have a Frenchy pup 5 months old Ace he itches constantly his underbelly is pink he has no fleas his eyes are bloodshot is it allergies? Is there a lotion shampoo that I can use? I feed him only top dry food no grains
Hi David did you get any hints or tis fir this my boy buster 6months old is the same and like yours is grain free also under hus front like arm pits think that’s the harness and his pulling lol
Sean
Hey, sorry for the super late reply. We’ve been traveling. It is more than likely allergies. Your vet can perform a fairly simply allergy test to confirm this and it should also be fairly inexpensive. Another reader above is experiencing similar issues. There are some steroidal creams and lotions you can get, but I always recommend speaking with a veterinarian first and getting their consultation. Chances are good that it’s nothing series; likely just an allergy to something in your house. You can try a quality purifier rated to remove dust mites, pollens, et cetera. Let us know!
Hi! My frenchie just recently started getting scabby like sores on his head and neck. Do you know how this happens or how to get rid of it?
This sounds like your frenchie is getting “hot spots”. You can try a steroidal cream for canines, but I would recommend you get with your veterinarian and let them do a small biopsy on the sores to see what they are before you buy anything.
Hi my Frenchy Roxie has started to get sores on her left side she is 2&1/2
Is there anything you can recommend
Roxie also chews her feet a lot any feed back would be appreciated..
Hey! Sorry about the belated reply. Have you seen a vet about the chewing? The sores could be hotspots, but I would probably need to see a photo to be certain. What food are you feeding Roxie? The feet chewing could also be an immunoresponse to anxiety. Have you tried a steroidal cream on the sores?
You can also find some bitter sprays for dogs that will discourage chewing, but I recommend you see a vet before trying anything. Thanks for reading!
Hi I’m on my 3rd Frenchie as I’ve found I can’t live without out them in my life. My 2nd had really issues with allergies she chewed her feet constantly. I had her 10 years ago and there didn’t seem to be that much knowledge in the U.K. Back then (not with my original vets anyway) they said it was anxieties and have her bitter lotions to prevent her chewing her feet. This went on for years and after being so frustrated and her ending up waking with a swollen face and covered in hives I switched vets and was advised to have an allergy test which was around £300 and it was the best money spent. She was allergic to beef and turkey I switched food to a salmon based kibble and ready the labels on everything I gave her including treats as most contain some animal derivatives and she was like a new dog. I felt awful that I had not done this sooner and was trying to stop her scratching and gnawing something that was obviously itching and driving her mad. Unfortunately molly passed last year due to loosing the use of her legs bowl and bladder from a deformed spine that only presented when she was 8yrs I spent 7000 on operation but her spinal cord he’s too damaged. I am now feeding my pup salmon and potato based sensitive food in the hope that I can prevent allergy occurring. Hope this helps anyone that loves theses babies as much as me xx
Jamie, thank you so, so much for sharing this! I appreciate it and I’m so disheartened to hear about all the troubles you’ve had. I really hope things are easier on you in the future. Thanks again, and I’m sure others will appreciate it!
Hi, I have a 20 month old French Bulldog who has suffered from skin problems almost constantly since we have had him. He has had allergy testing which brought back positive results for dust mites and a couple of trees. We treated the house re the dust mites, but he seems to be fine for a week or so then has another flare up and is back on antibiotics and steroids. His itching causes hot spots and infections and is really miserable for him. As allergy testing doesn’t cover everything our vet has diagnosed atopic dermatitis and says that our dog should go on daily steroids or cyclosporin which although more expensive doesn’t carry the risks of long term steroids.
Does anyone else have any experience of this? Thanks.
We’re so sorry to hear about your frenchie’s skin problems. How often do you bath him? Do you have an air purifier like this one http://amzn.to/2ec8Uvq ? We have a traditional purifier in our living room (micron filter based) and we keep that exact purifier that I linked to in our frenchie’s room. It is purported to remove dust mites, pollens, and other allergens from the air. It has worked amazingly for us. I can personally vouch for cyclosporin treatment; I have another reader who had to put their frenchie on cyclosporin for a variant of dermatitis. She showed me some impressive before and after photos. I’ll try to find them for your reference.
Do you have a web site? 😘
Our 22mth old Frankie is exactly the same, he has had constant allergy and infections re occurring since we have had him. The vet initially gave him steroids but I was really concerned with the long term affects and I really hated giving him medications he still suffers the allergies quite badly he has been on steroids constantly so the vet suggested a skin specialist for dogs. We took him there and they gave him another anti itch medication called Apoquel, it’s a lot safer then steroids , it definately stops the itch but as soon as we stop giving it to him the problem comes back , it’s pretty bad so the specialist has now recommend the Allergy testing ( which we are saving up for it – costs $1500)
I’m hoping it will give us some help the fixing this problem .
hi i ordered a allergy test online and sent it in. Its from http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com you can order it and than send back to the facility for the testing you want. they have different prices ranging from 15-50 dollars. i did this and the vet test and it was the same results. so don’t spend 1500… My little Mimi has had skin issues from the get. i know what you going thru w all the meds i didn’t like it so i found other alternatives. I use DERMagic products that work great. also use marshmallow mange mud from happy dogs. and Malacetic wipes n soap n spray. Derma-ion X which is another awesome product. the problem is grain and wheat and dermatitis also yeast build up. u can also use iodine dips dilute it until it looks like ice tea and let it dry on the baby. it will kill the yeast build up. i really hope this helps you and your fur baby out. they will still get out breaks but at least with these tools you can keep in under some control. good luck let me know if i can help
Your advice is great!!! We have a drenching too and coming across this site is the best thing that could have happened to us. My poor little Chubby suffers so much. She has been on abiquel but stopped working after several months of treatment.
Finding this website is great!!!!! I’m not alone on this journey.
Thank you for your kind words, Raedean. I am humbled.
I have a 4 year old Frenchie and he suffers from allergies as well. He started with steroids then moved to Apoquel. Last spring when his allergies are the worst we tried a new anti itch shot. It’s pricey but seemed to help. I only getc it when his itching is the worst. I did allergy testing too and it didn’t help that much to be honest. They basically just told me he was allergic to dust, grass, and a few other things. Most of which are hard to avoid. I found tgat benadryl and weekly or bi weekly baths helps with his itching. Also, switching his bedding wwekly. Best of luck with everything.
hi i ordered a allergy test online and sent it in. Its from http://www.glacierpeakholistics.com you can order it and than send back to the facility for the testing you want. they have different prices ranging from 15-50 dollars. i did this and the vet test and it was the same results. so don’t spend 1500… My little Mimi has had skin issues from the get. i know what you going thru w all the meds i didn’t like it so i found other alternatives. I use DERMagic products that work great. also use marshmallow mange mud from happy dogs. and Malacetic wipes n soap n spray. Derma-ion X which is another awesome product. the problem is grain and wheat and dermatitis also yeast build up. u can also use iodine dips dilute it until it looks like ice tea and let it dry on the baby. it will kill the yeast build up. i really hope this helps you and your fur baby out. they will still get out breaks but at least with these tools you can keep in under some control. good luck let me know if i can help
Hi my frenchie peggy is 12 months old, she is losing fur from behind her ears and round her eyes it dosent seem to irritate her. I feed her harringtons dry dog food. She has been treated for dermititas of the joules and face but now the fur is going from behind her ears and eyes ..
Hey Joanne,
Thanks for reading! Sorry for the belated reply; holidays and all that.
If you’re noticing balding patches or areas where your french bulldogs fur is thinning, there are several possible causes behind the missing fur. Allergies can always play a part and the root of the allergic reaction could be internal (reactions to food, mostly) or external (contact with something that caused fur loss) such as a shampoo or other topical product. French bulldogs can experience seasonal allergies just like humans, so you may merely be observing something happening to your frenchie’s fur due to a change in seasons, increased pollen and dust in your home, et cetera. That said, if you want to be certain, an allergy test from your vet is fairly simple and inexpensive and I always recommend you get one performed by your vet just so you can be aware of an existing allergies your french bulldog puppy may have.
If the patchy spots of missing or thinning fur begin to look waxy and become moist with an icky pus-like substance, you may be dealing with “hot spots”, which area epidermal lesions caused by excess moisture in your french bulldog’s fur that can incubate parasites and viruses similar to athlete’s foot in humans. These are uncomfortable for your french bulldog and can cause some serious fur loss. If you suspect your french bulldog has a hot spot, take them to the vet to get some antibiotics (they’re usually cheap) and let them get a sample of the affected area for further testing.
This is a great article! Maybe you can help me. We adopted my frenchie when we was 6, she came with a very bad yeast infection on her skin, tummy, ears. Vet had us treat tummy with monistat yeast cream & ear cleaning, ear drops for ears. It went away for about a year now its back non stop. Our new vet has us on expensive spray for her tummy & it only works when we use it constantly. It will go away and come right back when spray is gone. We have 3 toddlers now so the dogs are getting human food often I think that is part of the problem. Do you have any suggestions on how we can affordably treat our now 11 year old frenchie? We just can’t keep buying this expense spray non stop. Thanks in advance! -Jackie
Hey Jackie,
Thanks for reading, we appreciate that. Sorry to hear about your girl’s skin problems. A yeast infection can be realllyy tough to get a handle on. Your vet will likely be marking up their antifungal/antimicrobial products, so knowing what to look for is a good place to start. Find a bottle of the spray and look for the active ingredient. It’s usually 0.5% to 3% of something and will be clearly listed on the prescription section of the spray bottle. You can then search online for an equivalent product. That said, if you want to try and cure the problems instead of treating it, you’ll have to get to the bottom of what’s causing it. Yeast infections in canine typically begin in the ear canal. An inner ear canal yeast infection is typically treated with a serum of some kind. Outer ear yeast infections are treated with a topical ointment such as micanozole or ketoconozole. These are cheaply available on amazon in the form of shampoos and ointment: http://amzn.to/2h5N8Fo & http://amzn.to/2gY1XeB
I would definitely try to cut back on the human food and switch to a limited ingredient food formula. Other readers have had luck with sweet potato and game birds such as pheasant or duck. These limited ingredients blends of kibble can be found on amazon. I definitely recommend trying to find something that is 100% grain-free. A grain-rich diet can exacerbate yeast infections.
Check out my post on ear-cleaning and definitely try to make a habit of keep her ears clean. It’s easy and you only need to do it bi-weekly or even just monthly. You may want to investigate cutting back on allergens in your house as well. Pickup a Filtrete high MPR value allergen-reducing filter such as this one: http://amzn.to/2gGYMtG Our furnace uses a 16x25x1 size, but note that yours may be different. Allergens and microbes can definitely contribute to infections in your frenchie’s ears and nose.
Finally, monitor your frenchie’s behavior. If she’s scratching at her ears, chances are good there’s something in her ear canal that needs looked at. I have a cheap otoscope that I got on Amazon, it’s great for inspecting your frenchie’s ears for signs of trouble. I have a video on how we clean our french bulldog’s ears. It’s dead simple. Hopefully this helps get you on the right track. Keep me in the loop and let me know how she’s doing!
Hello,
I have a 3 yr old frenchie named Gavin. About 5 months ago he developed crystals in his unrine. The vet prescribed hillsdiet u/d. I’ve always had skin issues with him. About a week ago, I noticed he had bumps with missing hair with a scab. He’s always scratching. I’ve tried everything. I don’t know what else to do. Any advise??
Hey Eric,
Thanks for reading. The crystals in his urine can be a real issue so make sure you continue feeding him the prescription Hills Science Diet U/D. Urinary crystals are fatal in pretty much all animals if untreated.
Now, about your skin issues. It could be that he has a few hotspots, but if he’s itching constantly, it’s more than likely an infection of some sort. It could be staph, but your veterinarian will need to get a sample of it and culture it to see what it actually is. Either way, our recommendation is to definitely have your vet look at the spots/bumps and missing hair and see if it warrants either a steroid, topical steroid, or an antibiotic for an infection.
Keep us in the loop and let us know how it goes.
Hi,
Our 14 month old Frenchie, Lo, has had a “scooting” problem ever since she was spayed. We’ve had her checked for any anal gland issues and she’s never had them, along with any issues from the spay, which we were told there were none.
Since the spay, she’s consistently had a brownish/reddish discharge from her vaginal area. Occasionally there are also red bumps. If we keep that area cleaned on a regular basis (about once every one to two weeks), then the scooting is rare. However, over the past few days, she’s been wanting to scoot a lot and whines, while seeming super uncomfortable and agitated. We have cleaned it and applied small amounts of anti-itch Neosporin to help, but it hasn’t been too effective.
Any suggestions on what this might be and how to treat it? We’ve asked our vet and they haven’t been too helpful with identifying the issue.
Thanks!
I would get her checked by another veterinarian, other than your normal vet, or whomever did the spay, and get their opinion. My first guess is that it could possibly be worms. However, the number one reason for fanny-scooting is either irritated or impacted anal glands. I would get a vet to take a second look at them and let them assure you that it is not her anal glands. If they’re impacted, the veterinarian can…”express”…them. It’s gross, I know, but that’s how it’s done.
You might also want to collect a stool sample and take it to your veterinarian to be tested for bacteria and worms. Worms can cause butt-scooting but it’s usually evident when a canine has worms. The little wormies will be present in their stool and their stool will be soft. Sorry for the explicit detail.
Worse, excessive butt-scooting can be a sign of tumors (think benign colon polyps in humans) in your baby’s anal glands and cavity. This is best investigated by a veterinarian. It isn’t common, but it’s still a possibility.
Hi I have a 2 yr old frenchie called Bella I have had nothing but problems since i I have had her at the age of 1 yr old she started having fits & is now taking epiphen twice a day she also has allergies I have had her tested & she’s allergic to 7 different grass seeds she always has eye ear infections sores on mouth bumps on her skin & the worse part her paws are really sore I’m prescribed cortavance steroid spray for paws I did put her on raw diet but the vet said to stop that & now I cook her meals for her I’m desperate for any help just want her to be healthy & her poor paws to get better so she can go out for walks I also use aloe Vera & oatmeal shampoo coatex & expensive antibacterial wipes & paw wipes & wipe mud grass etc off her paws
Hey Emma,
Don’t worry. It does get better. For a start, I would investigate getting some of these and training Bella to use them should help cut down on sores and tenderness on her paws:
You can also try using this stuff. It’s great and a must-have for dog owners:
We use it when our frenchies get scrapes or cuts on their paw pads from playing outside (we take them hiking a lot). You could apply the Cortavance spray to her paws, then wrap them in the vet wrap and leave it on for a while so that the spray really has a chance to go to work on her paws.
Also pickup some of this chlorhexidine shampoo and use it instead of the oatmeal shampoo you’re currently using:
Chlorhexidine shampoo was a force-multiplier when it came to improving the health of our french bulldog’s skin. It works wonders on issues caused by microorganisms and bacteria.
Try these solutions for ~2 weeks with persist attention and diligence, then take her to your vet to be examined and get an idea of her overall condition. I also always recommend getting second opinions from other veterinarians; two heads are better than one!
Hi, our frenchie is 6 now and since he was a pup his ears seem to get thick builds around the edges an split a little. From time to time we soak these to soften and they rub off but they always come back. He doesn’t seem bothered by it but it can’t be pleasant for him. Any idea what this is and how we can prevent it? Our vet doesn’t have any answers. Also and unrelated he has just recently lost the hair from the ver tip if his tail although again it does nit seem to bother him?
*thick build ups around edges of ears*
Sounds like he has a topical/epidermal skin infection or bug of some variety. Any chance you could send me some photos of his ears to web [at] allaboutfrenchies.com ? I can show the photos to my vet and get his opinion and then get back to you. Did you vet take a sample of the build-up from around his ears? They can test it for various bacteria or other bugs that might be causing skin issues. Try washing his ears with some Chlorhexidine shampoo if its sort of oily or crusty. The missing hair around his tail could just be a hotspot. Is the area without hair oily or does it appear wet?
Hi Jordon, I’ve just emailed some pictures to you. Let me know what you think.
Thanks, George! I’m going to stop by and talk to my veterinarian friend later and see if they can take a cursory look at the photos!
Our Frenchie is 2 and has the same problem with his ears. Did you find out what it was? Or have you found anything to help it?
I have a Frenchie that is 10 months and he is having the weirdest skin problems. He has bumps on his skin that you can see through his fur. They don’t itch or bother him at all. These bumps are only on his sides, nothing on his face or tummy or past his neck. Now I noticed that between some of his toes are red. The vet can’t seem to figure it out because he is asymptomatic. He is on grain free food, we only clean him with his prescription wipes and are clueless as to why these “bumps” keep coming back. Any ideas?
The redness between his toes could be Pododermatitis, a $5 word for puppy paw dermatitis. I would pickup some chlorhexadine shampoo (http://amzn.to/2kwypZc) and start bathing him with that. It’s good for clearing up hotspots and other bacterium on your dog’s skin. If the problem persists, see if your vet can recommend someone who can biopsy one of the bumps and get it tested for any bacteria or other contents that may indicate what is causing them.
I’m using Dechra TrizChlor shampoo. We have been using it for about 4 weeks now. The vet said to give it six weeks and they would have to do an allergy test. Thanks for the suggestion!
Hey Kimbda, that’s some high-quality shampoo. Good on you for sticking it out and using it. You should be seeing result soon. Let us know how your next visit to the vet goes!
I just discovered your blog today and am thrilled with all of the information. I brought my first Frenchie home three weeks ago. Stella is now 12 weeks old, active, happy, and adorable (though my two older dogs are still adjusting to her bouncy antics). We adore this puppy! We have noticed that Stella seems itchy – she will scratch at herself, mostly her belly and ears, several times a day. I have a routine vaccination appointment with my vet tomorrow and will speak with him about the itchiness but I’d love to know what you think re feeding frenchies with itchy skin. She has no sign of irritation anywhere on her body. We feed Stella dry Wellness Puppy formula with some canned Blue Wilderness Turkey and Chicken grain free puppy formula, She also gets about 1 tbsp of cottage cheese a day (breeder’s recommendation). A couple of times a week I add about 1 tbsp cooked sweet potato or carrot. I also give her Wellactin (a fish oil supplanted) once a day. She’s a good eater and has mostly normal stools (occasionally soft when she is excited or has been running around).
Stella has an unusual (or so I’m told) issue called pectus carinatum (also called pigeon chest) which was not apparent when we brought her home. She had a huge, round belly when I picked her up (and has that could clear a room!) and as she has grown and slimmed down a little bit, her sternum became very prominent. We’ve had X-rays and consulted with a radiologist and orthopedist. Both said that the bump should only be cosmetic and hopefully not cause any physical issues. The breeder said she has never seen this issue in any of her dogs. She feels badly about it and has refunded most of Stella’s purchase price and paid for the diagnostics related to the pectus carinatum.
Sorry to be so long winded! I’d like to ensure that Stella has the best possible diet to, hopefully, avoid some of the issues frenchies are prone to.
Finally, I live in Lexington and would love to know which vet you use. I like my vets a lot but I don’t think they have a lot of experience with French Bulldogs.
Thanks so much!
Her diet appears to be food that feeds yeast. Sweet potatoes a no no. I woukd take her off the chicken or any to UK as chicken is a ( hot food )
We feed our Orijen Tundra. I also moisurise her skin daily and add a small amount of Tamanu oil to the areas she cannot lick as it can make them vomit… armpits. I removed her from Aquapol as it stopped working over time. Instead she has Piriton Chlorphenamine Maleate.4mg tablet cut in half. One half in the morning and one half at night. Paws are washed in diluted hibiscrub after walks/ daily and she different dog. She’s happy, skin problems cleared. The Orijen Tundra was a game changer… internally and for gut health..
and ensuring any yeast and sore spots were washed in diluted hibiscrub dried and moisturised with the Organic pure pressed Tamanu oil ( only in areas she coudnt lick) or I used Organic pure pressed Neem oil all over.. i mixed in with Child’s farm baby moisturiser fragrance free for sensitive skin.
*fish oil supplement
*gas that can clear a room
(I hate autocorrect!)
HI, MY FRENCHIE HAS A OPEN SORE ON THE END OF HIS TAIL / .NUB. THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE POCKET AREA. IT LOOKS AS IF HE HAS BEEN NAWING AT IT BUT I DONT THINK HE CAN ACTUALLY REACH THIS SPOT. THE HAIR IS FALLING OUT AS WELL. ANY IDEAS? I HAVE PHOTOS IF NEEDED BUT NOT FOR THE FAINT.
Hey David, have you asked your veterinarian about the sore? It could be a hot spot, resulting from excess moisture around his nub. I would get him to a vet and let the veterinarian take a small biopsy of the sore to see if it’s an infection or other bacterial concern. They’re probably going to give you some steroidal cream to treat the sore, if it’s a “hot spot”.
The tail socket should be cleaned and dried daily as it’s a hot spot for yeast and bacteria infections. Also a thin layer of nappy rash cream ( like sudocream) rubbed into the socket after cleaning. It’s imperative the tail socket is cleaned and dried daily to prevent this
Hi, i have a 3year old Frenchie and noticed uround his tail area looks different to me. Almost like his area around tail is hardened / raised and hair beneath tail looks a little dark reddish. Is this normal or is a trip to vet in order ? looks as if beginning stage of something. Other than that he is happy and content. Does not seem to be causing him any discomfort. ;/
My frenchies skin is black on his face. However he was originally born with peach colored skin. This black skin is only on his face not on his stomach. I have been reading and apparently this could be an infection if it was on his stomach. This infection causes itching and leads to hair loss . But my Frenchie is still acting completely normal. Should I be worried? What can I do to make his skin get back to normal again?
Hey Sam,
Sorry for the belated reply. A french bulldog’s peachy/rosy skin will gradually change color as they age, especially in the case of black mask/fawn french bulldogs. Further, even their noses can change color going from light to dark in the case of pied, fawn, and other non-solid fur colors. Cream french bulldogs will sometimes see their noses become slightly lighter than black as they get a little older, approaching a more brown coloration. I wouldn’t be worried unless you see outward signs of irritation, itchiness, and corresponding behavior from your french bulldog. It’s not uncommon for their skin tone to shift gradually as they develop into mature adult french bulldogs.
I am a recently retired 70 year old woman in Boston trying to bring a French Bulldog into my home. There is a 41/2 year old rescue boy I am considering. The shelter says he has to forever be of on APOQUEL. The web info on this drug are not positive for long term use. Could you let me know if I should continue looking for a Frenchie without these lifelong medical issues? I assume getting a puppy where you can meet the dog parents and know their health condition would improve my chances of getting a healthy dog. Do you have any suggestions on how to approach selection of a “healthy” dog from a breeder, shelter or rescue?
Hey Patty, thanks for reading. We’re humbled to have you here.
My conscious tells me that I would rather give a sickly french bulldog a few good years full of love and care, but reality is much different.
Fortunately, a lot of common health issues in french bulldogs are apparent by just watching the dog run, play, and interact with other dogs. A french bulldog that trembles and has tremors will likely have a neurodegenerative issue. A french bulldog that limps, has trouble standing on their hind legs, or appears lame from their lower spine to their back legs likely has hip dysplasia or intervertebral disc disease. A french bulldog constantly drawing air through their mouth instead of their nose likely has severely stenotic nares (which can cause breathing troubles and cardiovascular stress).
I can’t make the decision for you. I would be heart-sick either way: the thought of struggling, sickly animals hurts me deeply. That said, there is a certain joy and companionship that a healthy french bulldog brings. At the end of the day, do what makes YOU happy. Life is too short to be crushed by the weight of spurious decision-paralysis. Consider if providing frequent care and attention to a sickly french bulldog might deepen your connection to that animal. Or, consider if it might make you resent them, rather than love them.
Throw deep, always.
Hi there,
We have an almost four year old frenchie in Michigan who has devoloped hives and hot spots on his back the last two summers pretty badly. We have tried apoquel but he threw up from it. This year we started on a new allergy shot and medicated shampoo following a terrible hot spot which was cleared up with antibiotics and steroids. As soon as we finished the steroids his hives returned so we added Benadryl but they continue. He doesn’t itch at them terribly and they aren’t on his stomach which we are thankful for. However I feel so badly for him that I’m constantly worried about him and am suffering from terrible anxiety as a result. We work closely with our vet and he is due for his second round of shots in a few days. I know this is something common for Frenchies but was wondering if you had any other recommendations? He eats Taste of the Wild with salmon oil and drinks filtered water only. I’m thinking of buying the recommended air purifier.
Hey Kelly,
Sorry to hear about your troubles. It could be an allergy caused by something local to your geographical area. I believe there are municipal services that will test pollen samples to determine what allergens are most prolific in your general geographical region. I suggest researching further down that route.
As an interim experiment, switch your baby boy to a raw food diet for 7 days and see how things improve. Google “BARF Diet” or check out some of the comments in the frenchie food post on this blog. Raw, soft bones from a butcher, raw red meats (we use venison from local hunters), lots of greens like spinach, sweet potatoes, and eggs. I like Taste of the Wild and their grain-free varieties, but dry food still have preservatives and other additives that could trigger an allergic reaction. Many other readers have claimed to find that their french bulldog’s allergies were alleviated by switching to a BARF diet. Keep me in the loop.
Hi There,
I have a little frenchie that we rescued 7/8 months ago. She’s been great up until we got a massive heat and humidity wave, she has what appears to be little skin tags on her chest that are very red on the ends. It’s more than one there’s actually quite a few. I was thinking it’s a heat rash but doesn’t appear as many others do on dogs. I have photos, and do intend on having her back to the vet should the not clear up soon. It doesn’t seem to bother her but she is not vocal about pain or discomfort (she tore a dewclaw off and had we not seen the mild favouring of her paw and a bit of blood, we would have never known, we did have to cut part of the claw off so it couldn’t be so uncomfortable and she didn’t even make a peep, she did ignore us for about an hour afterwards).
As background, she has no allergies that we know of, we feed her fresh food each day, and have decided to put her on a raw diet this week (she is in to it more so than other foods; eats it immediately rather than pushing and hiding it).
Oops. Should have asked as to whether anyone has experienced this with their dog? And if there’s cause for far more concern. Sorry.
Hi,
I have a bottle of Malaseb shampoo at my medical kit and use it every month or 2 months. Do you know about this brand? It seems good to their skins.
My frenchie (2.5 yrs) suffered the first year of her life from facial papules, itching bumpy, flaky skin, and lots of pus like eye discharge. I experimented by eliminating everything from her diet and starting with the proteins feeding her only meats (1 type each for 2-3 days) to see which were the problems. Beef, bison, pork, chicken and turkey were problems. She did great on lamb and duck. I simplified her diet. Bought a programmable Cuisinart PSC-350 slow cooker on amazon for 60 bucks and make home cooked meals for her once a a week using this simple recipe:
1 lb ground lamb or chopped duck (I alternate each week)
a couple of handfuls of kale
a large sweet potato cubed
a cup of water
Throw the cubed sweet potato in the crock pot 1st – it takes longest to cook and you want it on
the bottom. Shred the kale and throw it in . Throw the meat on last and pour the cup of water in ( I usually nuke the water ’til boiling 1st- gets the cooker going faster. Put the cooker on high for 1 hr and 30 mins and stir it a couple times after 1 hr.
Sometimes I add broccoli and/or peas.
Her skin, eyes, shiny coat are great- no more diet problems. No more itching or suffering.
The ground lamb isn’t cheap about 8 bucks a lb. (whole foods or elsewhere) and I get a fresh or frozen duck from the Amish market whenever I pass by for about 15 bucks.. The ground lamb meal is easier- takes me about 5 minutes a week now that I’m used to it . The duck takes 10 mins a week gotta chop it up. When its done the ceramic crock pulls out and goes in the fridge. I give her leftover fish from dinner too. There are few kibbles that don’t have wheat, or other offending allergens so I stay away from those.
Its not too much work to cook a few minutes a week for a family member and she’s not miserable now. She’s 26 lbs and very active and eats 2 to 2.5 cups per day. For days when I run out and am pressed I keep some containers of Whole Paws (lamb) wet food .Available at Whole Paycheck err Foods. Other treats I give her are frozen blue berries and jerky treats as long as they’re salmon, duck or lamb.
For the rest of the usual frenchie environmental allergies its:
Earthbath Oatmeal and Aloe Shampoo once a week or so. Cool water showers other times. In the deep kitchen sink with the retractable spray nozzle- like it was made for her. Wash her body up to the neck then fold her ears down (so I don’ t get water in her ears) and wipe her face with wet cloth.
Mixed baking soda and povidone iodine footsoaks. (big ole bag of baking soda from Costco, and a gallon jug of iodine from amazon). 2 min soak in standing 1 inch of cool water mixed with some soda and a splash of iodine to turn the water just tea color. At least once a day
Several qtips and a flashlight held in my mouth or a headlamp flashlight to clean her hear of the never ending gunk. Usually daily. During warm months least once a week fill her ears with Nolvasan Otic (16 oz on Amazon) ear cleaner, fold em over and massage her ear canals (just below the ears on the side of her face) with the fluid in her ears. .If you hear a squishy sound, that’s good thats the canals getting cleaned out.Don’t get it in the eyes. and let them shake it out when done then pat dry the ears inside and out with some tp .
Yeah, she;s a princess. You got a problem with that? 🙂
My French bulldog just had puppies about 3 weeks ago and she started to loose all of her hair when they got about 2 weeks old. I believe it’s from stress. I don’t know how to get her hair back??!
Hey Iza,
No worries! This is normal and happens as a result of stress combined with dramatic hormonal shifts as well as dramatic increases in nutrient demand. Make sure she’s getting plenty of food and water and make sure her skin looks healthy. Otherwise, just wait it out and she’ll thicken back up in the winter! This same thing just happened to our female pied who had a litter of 7!!
Lily – 18 month female Frenchie with skin that is “peeling off.”
I really need some assistance. Lily has developed a very very flaky coat. She does not have any hot spots, bumps, sores, nor does she scratch her coat, Over the last few weeks Lily has developed extremely flaking skin or dandruf that lifts from the skin and sticks to her coat. It is difficult to pick off or comb out the loose skin. But it is peeling from head to paws.
We have not changed her diet. She ravenously eats a holistic all natural freeze dried blend containing bison no gmo’s, grains, fillers. The product comes from a well known all natural pet retailer.
She recently had a wellness exam, but the skin condition wasn’t present. Everything was fine. The only other info I can provide is that she NEVER drinks water (we really “wet” down her food and she loves to sleep by the window under direct sunlight.
Could this be some kind of dog sun overexposure?
I have been bathing her in chlorohexidrene shampoo but it hasn’t helped.
This is so serious that I can see her flaked skin all over my darker rugs.
Please help us – Jim
Hey Jim,
So sorry for the belated reply. I can’t get my head on straight. Try giving Lily a 1 tsp serving of coconut oil. Another reader has said to have miraculous results with skin and coat using coconut oil in his frenchie’s food. Note that pups can get sunburn, but they’re generally sharp enough to move out of direct sunlight if they sense that it’s burning or bothering their skin. I would try to get some more water into her–you can try subcutaneous hydration with a reasonably sized syringe but that’s a drastic step. I would cut back on bathing to around 1 per month and monitor her skin for changes. Bathing too frequently can strip the natural oils from a frenchie’s coat. Chlorohexidene is the way to go, when it comes to shampoos for skin issues.
You can get her to drink more water by diluting some chicken or vegetable stock with plain water. We freeze this mixture for cold treats in the summer and serve it room temperature in the winter. Our frenchie’s think they’re getting a treat, when really I’m just tricking them into hydrating themselves.
Hi, any help would be grateful, my frenchie girl “Ember” has just turned one years old, she has started having spot like scabs on her back and side area, if you itch them for her she starts snorting and loving it as if they are really itching her, she’s also constantly at her toes in between there very red and sore, her nipples look very pinky red too, I have an appt tomorrow at the vets but I just wondered if you had any advice at all, she was currently eating royal canin French Bulldog dry kibble, I changed it recently to eukabanka so I don’t know if that’s effecting her ?
Thank you
Carla x
Carla, thanks for reading! This sounds like flea allergy dermatitis, Atopy (same as hay fever in humans), or a food allergy. Switch her diet to lightly cooked very lean beef (95% lean or more), plus half a sweet potato (boiled/baked/whichever way), a scrambled egg or two, and some spinach. Feed her this simple meal the same number of times per day that you would her normal kibble. Keep her on this simple diet for 5-6 days and examine her skin afterward. If her symptoms are improved and the redness is gone, then she’s probably allergic to something in her kibble. The vet can tell you more, but this is my best guess without seeing her in person. Let us know what the vet says!
Hi, I have Frankie, she’s an 18 mth old frenchie, we are getting stressed out about her as she chews her feet, not constantly but at least 3 times a day but really chews hard.. she’s had all the allergy tests done at our vets, bloods, skin scrapes, hair follicles but the results came back with no allergies, she is on grain free hyperallergenic kibble, (salmon) and also fish wet food but to no avail, it must be driving her crazy.. she is good in herself, loves ball chasing and running around with our other dog but we need any advice we can get… many thanks from the uk 🇬🇧🐶
Hi, your frenchie is very similar to yours, although he does seem to have an allergy to grain and the basic protein sources (chicken beef etc). I’ve never taken him to vets over it though, as every single time I did before I was given antibiotics and steroids with no explanation.. from my experience, if it’s not allergies, it’s yeast. My Budge is dark chocolate, but his paws are white, so yeast is easy to spot. Frenchies are quite yeasty dogs (which can be recognised by yucky red, raw paws with burgundy scabs, some raw patches from licking too), and, unfortunately, they often make the matter much worse themselves by licking.. I’d start with CONSTANT VIGILANCE- be on her 24/7, the second she starts licking grab her paws. tell her ‘no licking’ ‘leave your paws alone’ etc.. after a while she’ll get it and won’t do it around you… as for nighttime, since I’ve got such a clever boy that chews off any doggy shoe and sock, Budge gets a liberal foot rub with raw coconut oil and some newborn-baby socks on his paws plus some medi tape for extra security. They will still itch though, because they’re yeasty… yeast likes sugar (fed from the diet and constant licking) and hates acidic, salty things… Depending what she’ll let you do, get some warm water in a washing up bowl (we started off in a bathtub plus plenty of treats to get him to get used to it), add some apple cider vinegar and himalayan/epsom salt (regular salt has anti caking agents etc), soak her paws for about 5-10 mins (sit with her obviously), then get a rag- corner of an old towel works well- and one by one wipe between the pad of the foot and the toes, trying to get that gunk off.. The cleaner and dryer her paws the less itching. Lightly pat down so they’re not soaking afterwards, and let them dry naturally. Both the vinegar and salt help kill the yeast, the warm water softens the scabby bits and the rubbing gets some of them off. If it’s really bad do it twice a day for a week, then once a day till the paws go back to normal.. Sometimes takes a while, but it works. I adopted my frenchie in a right sorry state and I’ve sorted him right out, so know a lot about ears, paws allergies and other stuff… hope that helps!
My French bulldog is almost 4years old and I took her off the Apoquel and I give her 1 tablespoon of coconut butter in the morning but I don’t know what to do for her it’s getting to the point she just is up half the night scratching I don’t know what to actually put on her she gets a bath once a month with organic shampoo that specifically for her problems and I’m at wits end I don’t know what to do
Talk to your local vet. I recently had my Frenchie get a Cytopoint shot with usually lasts for 8 months. Its similar to eppi pen or high dose of benedryl. He is a Russian breed I do believe and has lots of food allergies. I do believe that all Frenchies are allergic to CHICKEN. So make sure chicken is not included in the ingredients. Also beware because most dog foods can include chicken bi product and no list it in the ingredients for up to 6 years. Both of my Frenchies eat Fromm Lamb and Lintel dry food and sometimes I mix in Starkist low sodium tuna. Also Certain medicines have caused allergic reactions with my pups such as the anesthesia given to them when they get their teeth cleaned and also deathly allergic to bee and wasp stings and pine pollen.Just beware
Check the diet too! Petplate is amazing for any animals with terrible allergies.
https://www.petplate.com/referral/PET772324179
My french bulldog Molly is allergic. She was biting her feet, scratching her ears (they were inflamed ALL the time) and her stomach and biting her thighs, I did an allergy skin test at a vet who was specialised in dermatology. And finally I was able to reduce her symptoms to a minimum. I learned that she is allergic to all kinds of mite. So all dried produced food led to a allergic reaction. All kibble is dried and stored. So I started to feed her fresh. No grains, rice etc. because all of this is dried and stored and could be infested by mite. NO exceptions. I dried the meat for her as a treat and stored it in the freezer (so it can not become infested by mite). She can not eat anything that is produced and stored.
I also started an elimination diet to find out what else she is allergic to (regarding fresh food) and I supported her skin by giving her biotin and oil (like linseed oil). That helped a lot.
She is also allergic to dust mite. So I got rid of all carpets and got encasings for all mattresses and the sofa. I wash everything every two weeks (at high temperatures so it kills off the dust mite).
FINALLY, she stopped scratching. It is a lot of work and I had to be very patient to find out what I know today, but I am so happy that she is finally able to live without this excruciating itching.
Sadly she is also allergic to tree pollen (early bloomer). So right now we are doing allergen-desensitizing to help her deal with that. But she is doing so much better
I can only encourage you: do not take the easy route. Giving medication is easy but it is not a longterm solution. It just suppresses the symptoms. The scratching is just a symptom. Try to find out why your dog is doing it.
Oh, I forgot to write: the allergy blood test that most vets are doing, is not reliable at all. Especially regarding food.
Mollys blood was tested before I knew about that. And the results were absolutely worthless. A vet explained to me why: with this test the antibodies in the blood are counted. But you can have antibodies in your blood even if your not allergic and even if you do not have an allergic reaction at all. E.g. most bodies develop antibodies against dust mites but only few react to them.
You can also have no antibodies but have an extreme allergic reaction.
So there can be false positive and false negative.
The only reliable test is the intradermal test. That test is 100% correct because you can see the allergic reaction of the body on the skin. But you can not test food this way. There is no reliable test for food allergies right now. The only way is an elimination diet.
https://www.petplate.com/referral/PET772324179
I saw other frenchies having problems with severe allergies… diet is everything!! I switched to petplate which contains all natural ingredients and can be delivered right to your door on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. It saved my dog! Check it out.
Hi, first and foremost – THIS BLOG IS A LIFESAVER!!!!! I can’t thank you enough. It’s like the frenchie bible! My Harvey weighs 24 lbs at 7 months and is my first pup. Can you please recommend a good flea and tick preventative care treatment for him? Thank you!
Hey Jillian, I am humbled! Thanks so much for being here! Harvey sounds like a very healthy boy! That’s a perfectly good weight! As for flea, tick, and heartworm, our vet recommended Advantage Multi (the topical variety, and for small dogs) to us years ago and it has been great to us. Granted, there are some real horror stories out there about basically all flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives. Some people have nearly lost their pets due to allergic reactions and other serious conditions set forth by the strong chemicals in these treatments. I would definitely see what your vet has to offer!
My dog Zoe is seven years old she’s a French bulldog and was the runt of her litter she’s having a hard time lately from her jowls to under her chin are bright red along with under her belly and her vagina are red but they look like hive like and she was fine before I let her go outside She was crying at the door next thing I know she has red bumps all over her I just wanted to ask if anybody knows anything about plants I should be cautious for insects wet leaves because I feel so bad for my baby girl
Hi, we got some french puppies with a very strange skin disease, never saw that before. Is it possible to sent a photo? That doesnt itch at all, just a white spot that gets bigger and bigger. Used ringworm ointments, sjampoos, but cant beat this thing. Vets say all the same, ringworms.
Maybe theres some one out there knowing what it could be. Just tell me how to sent a photo
Kind regards
Can send photos through email on reply.
Hi,
I am hoping you can help me regards a few serious problems I am having with my 3 year old frenchie.
Here is a short background:
My son stays in dubai and he bought Tiger for himself. He was imported from Hungary to Dubai.
My son’s work circumstances then changed and he started travelling overseas a lot for work and also weather wise South Africa is better for Tiger so we decided to bring him home with us.
When my son bought Tiger he had runny tummy. He was treated for Giardiasis. He also regurgitated his food a lot after eating so the vet in dubai suggested 3 meals a day and majority soft food (taste of the wild canned food) and only a few cubes a day (origin 6 fish). This brought it down to only 3 or 4 x a day. He also snored a little and always suffered from very bad phlemn / mucus at night / early morning. It’s as though he has a blocked nose like he’s got the flu so you can hear him battling to breathe with this thick phlemn in his nose / throat. He does gag and bring it up sometimes. He had and still does have a few reverse sneezing episodes a week at night. He is perfectly fine in the day though. This only starts at about midnight until about 8am.
In feb last year we brought him to South Africa. I was cooking the following for our two Boston terriers and once Tiger arrived he started eating the same food and all was going well:
Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, butternut, sweet potato, green beans, brown rice and would alternate between either chicken, chicken livers, bonemeal OR beef mince, ox liver, bonemeal. I also added salmon oil & coconut oil to their food. They would have that in the morning and night. In the afternoon they would either have woolworths full cream plain yoghurt or kefir. I would also leave out a small bowl of Acana cubes for Incase they were hungry.
Then July last year Tiger started getting hives and his hair would fall out and he had patches all over his body. So I took him to our local vet who treated tiger for allegies with antibiotics & prednisone, 3 special shampoo baths a week etc, we tried elimination diets and eventually put him on only Eukanuba Dermatosis kibble, no walks in park, playing on grass, only using bio friendly cleaning stuff etc etc. This went on and off for 6 months. We finally got it under control. Although his skin was better he still regurgitated the kibble a lot and it would always be while kibble and undigested.
I then changed him back onto Acana Yorkshire Pork & Butternut as i felt it was a better kibble. He still regurgitated the kibble undigested.
Then our local vet said we should see a specialist referral vet for Tigers breathing / phlemn / mucus issues. In Jan this year our vet suggested Tiger have his elongated palate shortened, nares widened and saccules removed. Tiger was extremely sick after that op. I honestly thought we were going to loose him. He also lost his hoarse bark which has never come back. They put him onto a soft tin food – hills zd until he could start on the Acana again.
We no sooner got over that op and the hives, allergies etc reappeared. My vet put him under anesthetic again in about March and did 5 x biopsies on different parts of his body and found out the patches had got infected and he now had a serious staph infection even though he had been on antibiotics & steroids with 3 weekly baths. He gave new meds and these were hectic meds to kill the staph infection. From the biopsy he also said it’s not allergies to food & environment – he has a genetic cyclic follicular disease which is a type of flank alopecia in dogs. So he started treating that.
About 3 weeks ago the hives & red patches have come back in full force and they not just in the flank area. They also between his legs, on his chest, front legs etc. And his hair is falling out in handfuls and Im not talking about A little hair loss. Im talking about SERIOUS hair loss. I’m not disputing the Cyclic Follicular Disease but I think there is more to it than just that.
Then to top it all, after the hectic meds for the Cyclic Follicular disease & Staph infection he then started throwing up 20 to 30 times a day. He normally throws / regurgitates a few times a day which I have heard & read is normal for a lot of Frenchies. But the 20 to 30 times was out of control. Majority of the times his stools are also very soft too.
So in July he went under anesthetic again and our vet did a scope and biopsies again. He says tiger has a hernia, ulcerated esophagus, IBD, and a extremely small trachea. Tiger was throwing up so much he landed up in hospital for 2 nights on the drip as he was dehydrating. Tiger also throws himself around which our vet says is called Sandifer Syndrome. He has been on a lot of different medication for these issues. It’s definitely helped a little as he’s back to throwing up only 3 or 4 times a day but he’s definitely still not right and the last 2 or 3 weeks he’s throwing himself around and biting stuff whilst doing that quite a few times during the day. So I think he’s Digestive system is still far from what it should be.
After the scope our vet put Tiger on the Royal Canin Digestive cubes & Royal Canin Digestive tin food
He has now changed it to:
Royal Canin Sensitive cubes & the Royal Canin Sensitive tin food at our last visit.
Tigers feeding schedule (after the scope) from July to end Sept was:
9am meds
9.30am food
11am meds
11.30am food
1pm meds
1.30pm food
3pm meds
3.30pm food
5pm meds
5.30pm food
7pm meds
7.30pm food
I changed it from October to:
9am food with meds
12pm food
3pm food
6pm food with meds
He was on the following medication for his IBD etc from the time of the scope to about 12th Sept:
– Topzole 20mg
1 once per day
– Clopamon S4 10mg
1/2 twice per day
– Azathioprine 50my
1/2 once per day
– Prednisone 5mg
1 once per day
– Ulsanic
2.5ml 3 x per day
He is currently on the following from approx 12th Sept to date :
– Ulsanic
2.5ml after each meal
– Cytotec
1/4 twice a day
– Domperidone
1/4 twice a day
For his Cyclic Follicular Disease:
– Circadin
1 x 2mg 3 x per day
– FEXO
1 x per day
Then I also give Tiger the following:
– 1tsp Protexin in his water
– 1tsp Stomax 2 x a day
– 1 salmon oil tab once per day
1/2 tsp coconut oil once per day.
I am thinking of changing Tigers food back to a better quality food as I think the Royal Canin is full of grains, fillers etc and I think a better quality food would benefit his stomach issues, his allergies and this extreme hair loss he’s having right now.
If you can suggest something I would be very very grateful as I am at my wits end and feel that nothing is helping and I am watching my baby struggle every single day
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Regards,
Elem
We paid the 1,500 for allergy testing for our frenchie. ZIGGY. TO HELP others the list was long..cats, chicken any bird he is allergic- grass, pine, dust. Flee. Mites, and more. We went through so many meds and allergy shots, shampoos, you name it. The vet.dermatologist put him on alligator dry food.. He ate it for a very brief time. Very expensive!!! Tried cooking him hamburger meat for 6 months. Did okay on that…but then started to stop eating again. Stomache problems a constant. Have him on tuna, & salmon now. Also taking sucralfate 30 min before eating and it is helping. We use trizchlor 4 shampoo, for 4 years now. Helps along as we keep him clear of cats, pine & dust, pollen. I’ve read most if your comments going to try some of those recommended. We were giving allergy shots once a week called, staphage-lysaet, but during pandemic they stop making it and have not made it since. I just hate how much this precious breeds suffer. They have such a zeal & love of life. Sweetest dogs ever.
agreed, I hate how this happens to doggos