A French Bulldog is a very notorious breed and has a long list of generic health issues which is why it is recommended that the Frenchie should be bought from a well-reputed breeder and invest in pet insurance for many reasons. While many of the health problems of the Frenchie are genetic which can be prevented by selective breeding. The problem of breeding for better looks is that it brings unwanted characteristics related to health issues such as many breathing difficulties, hip displacement, and other disorders.
The general health problems related to a Frenchie dog are-
- Allergies- Genetics is a very important reason why various dogs develop different allergies throughout their lifetime. The flat-faced breeds are at a higher risk of developing allergies than the other breeds. The various allergies are food allergies, seasonal allergies, and environmental allergies. The symptoms of allergies in French Bulldogs are itchy skin, runny eyes, sneezing, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Hip dysplasia is a type of skeletal disorder that occurs when the ball and joint of the bone do not form correctly. If this disorder is left untreated it can increase the pain and eventually develop into arthritis. The symptoms include decreased physical activity, inability to jump, difficulty in standing up, and a sense of sensitivity in the hip. The main causes of this health issue are either genetic predeposition or the various environmental factors like excessive growth, obesity, improper nutrition.
- Pink eye (Conjunctivitis) – Conjunctivitis is the disease in which the tissue of the eye which covers the eyeball swells causing redness in the eyes and discharge from the eyes. The cause of this disease can be allergies, dry eye, or other irritants. It can also be caused by some major illnesses like canine distemper. The various symptoms can be red eyes, swollen eyelids, squinting, and continuous rubbing of eyes.
- Deafness or hearing loss is a very common health problem in French bulldog. The deafness can also be present from birth due to many genetic defects and may increase with time. This disease can be reduced by conducting a test known as the BAER test in puppies. The dogs in the white coating are more prone to deafness and a patch of blue-black in eyes is also a symptom.
- Cherry eye- It is a health disorder when the tear gland of the third eyelid of the dog pops and moves out of the position. The main role of this third membrane is to protect the eye from debris, fights infection.
