Last Updated on February 14, 2022 by Griselda M.
Adopting dogs comes with questions like do French Bulldogs have eye problems, as French bulldog eye allergies can occur with consistency for this breed. As common as this health issue is with French bulldogs, it’s something that can be dealt with with the right preparation.
Noticing signs of eye irritation and how uncomfortable or painful they can get, it’s imperative to begin treatment. The brachycephalic faces of French bulldogs mean that their short noses bring their eyes closer to the ground while sniffing. This is how their eyes can get into contact with allergens like pollen and dust that lead to irritation.
French Bulldog Eye Allergies – Causes And Treatments
Generally, French bulldog eyes allergies are the result of coming into contact with allergens from the surrounding environment. Dust and pollen both cause nose and eye irritation in French bulldogs, which makes their eyes become red and swollen. French bulldog eye allergies can be an unpleasant issue they may have to deal with in their life.
Recognizing French Bulldog Allergies
Wanting to answer the question how do you know if your French Bulldog has allergies will require recognizing the symptoms. Knowing how French bulldog eye allergies manifest will make it easier to recognize signs of stress, and take action. Among the most common symptoms are redness, itchiness that leads to scratching, which further irritates the eye and causes squinting. In time the dog may display some extreme symptoms like an inability to open the eyes.
Treating French Bulldog Allergies
Knowing French bulldog allergies symptoms is one thing but how do you treat French Bulldog allergies? Making a routine of daily cleaning their eyes with sterile eyewash will help alleviate some of the symptoms.
After cleaning, using safe prescripted eye drops will further deal with allergens. A veterinary professional will most likely know what eye drops to prescribe. Typically, eye drops with ectoine are the most widely in use for treating French bulldog eye allergies.
The ectoine is one that soothes irritation and reduces inflammation of the mucous membrane. The fact that this substance is natural makes it all the more noteworthy as it will not have side effects like other corticosteroidal eye drops.
Other French Bulldog Eyes Problems
Eye problems in French bulldogs involve more than allergies, and eyes are subject to many stimuli that can create issues. Some health issues can be milder than others and offering treatment will protect their eyes and maybe even prevent more severe outcomes.
Mechanical injuries
The Frenchie has a short snout that permits them to get too close to the ground and allergens. This is what also makes it more possible to injure their eyes with foreign objects. It’s important to keep an eye on the Frenchie’s face when walking outside.
The shallow eye socket of a French bulldog can also lead to proptosis, which is a common injury. A shallow socket makes it more probable that protrusion from the eye can occur. A vet would most accurately be able to determine if the Frenchie has suffered from proptosis. To determine this a vet needs to measure the distance between the orbital bone and the cornea.
Eye dryness
French bulldogs can have congenital health problems and dryness of the eye is one such problem. Systematic issues like cherry eye, only make eye dryness even worse. Dealing with many such problems can involve anything from eye drops to corrective surgery.
Viral and bacterial infection
Bacteria can be another factor in disrupting your French bulldog’s eye health. The Frenchie will have moments where it wants to rub its face and inadvertently injure its eye. Injury and bacterial contamination make infection possible and will presumably require antibiotic eye drops.
The canine distemper virus is one that causes eye infections to French bulldog eyes. Fortunately, viral infections of the eye are more likely to disappear over a few days without requiring treatment. Even so, seeking some advice from a veterinary professional may still be a good idea.
Cherry eye
All dogs have a third eyelid in the lower corner of the eye. This eyelid, more accurately described as a tear gland, can prolapse due to congenital aspects of the Frenchie.
It looks like a protruding blob much like a cherry, and although it’s not painful it can lead to other problems. Treating this condition usually requires surgery and taking out the gland, which exacerbates eye dryness even more.
Prevention
Removing the source of the allergic reaction should resolve the problem with little to no effort. There can be circumstances when a trip to the vet might be necessary. Regularly checking a French bulldog’s eyes will be one of the best ways to prevent many eye problems.
Conclusion
French bulldog eye allergies are but one problem that can occur with this breed. As overwhelming as many of the health problems that can arise with a Frenchie, there are many options to help them heal.
Cleaning and treating a French bulldog’s eyes require a little attention and preparation, especially in knowing what you’re dealing with. Depending on your dog’s needs and how certain issues evolve, many different approaches can be put to use.
FAQs
Do French Bulldogs have eye problems?
Congenital health issues are common in bulldogs, including French bulldogs. As such, certain eye problems exhibited with this breed will include eye-related ones.
How do you treat French Bulldog allergies?
The most common and widely encountered eye problem in French bulldogs is allergies. Treating French bulldog allergies depends entirely on the situation each individual dog finds itself in. For eye allergies, the easiest way to treat them is by cleaning the affected eye with sterile wash.
How do you know if your French Bulldog has allergies?
After the eyes are clean, applying eyedrops that deal with allergens is the next step. Eye drops usually come from a veterinary professional prescription as they will know exactly what kind of substance will work best.
Recognizing French bulldog allergy symptoms will go along in beginning treatment when issues do arise. For starters, redness around the eye will be very evident when an allergic reaction occurs. A dog suffering from an allergic reaction will also show signs of distress by scratching and rubbing the area.
