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Unfortunately, french bulldogs are on the list of breeds that are prone to more than usual health issues. Which causes them to have symptoms like diarrhea more often than you might like.
It’s important to know why french bulldogs get diarrhea so you can help them get back to normal as soon as possible.
Why Do French Bulldogs Get Diarrhea:
French bulldogs are known for having more sensitive stomachs than other dogs. This means what they eat is very important in order to maintain their health and avoid bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Reasons outside of what they eat that could cause diarrhea are infection, underlying illnesses, or stress.
In this post you’ll discover:
- 11 of the most common reasons french bulldogs get diarrhea (the first 4 have the highest likelihood)
- What at-home remedies you can do to help your frenchie overcome their diarrhea
- When it’s time to take them to the vet
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
11 Most Common Reasons Why French Bulldogs Get Diarrhea
Because french bulldogs have more sensitive stomachs than other breeds, it’s not uncommon to see them have diarrhea.
The best thing you can do is try to understand what could have caused their diarrhea to help them get better.
Below are the more common reasons behind why a french bulldog would get diarrhea.
The top 4 are the most likely causes.
The 7 that follow are less likely causes (not in order of likelihood).
- Allergies – Food allergies affect up to 30% of dogs. Your pup may have an allergy that you’re not aware of because symptoms sometimes won’t show up until 2-3 months after the fact.
- Food Intolerance – Considering french bulldogs are notorious for having sensitive, gassy stomachs, there’s a good chance it might be food intolerance.
- Poor Dietary Control – This could be from eating too much, eating out of the garbage or eating spoiled food in general.
- Change In Diet – If you’ve recently switched your french bulldogs core diet (dog food brand) it may take them a few days to get used to their new food. When a dog eats the same thing for the majority of their meals, when that food source changes, it can take some time for their body to adjust. Which is why it’s recommended to slowly switch from their old food to their new food brand.
- Bacterial Infection
- Stress/Strong Negative Emotions – If your french bulldog has recently gone through a major life event, it could be causing their diarrhea. For example, a big surgery, loss of a loved one, etc.
- Ingested Something Poisonous
- Parasites – When a parasite causes diarrhea it’s usually when a dog has a weak immune system.
- Swallowing a Non-Food Item – If your french bulldog ate something that was non-edible, it could be disrupting their digestive system which causes diarrhea.
- Viral Infection
- Underlying Illness – Could be a kidney or liver issue, inflammatory bowel disease, or cancer, among other things.
At Home Remedies For French Bulldog Diarrhea
Thankfully, many cases of diarrhea aren’t terribly serious and can be dealt with without a trip to the vet.
Of course, it’s always a good idea to give your vet a call to explain their symptoms and see if they recommend bringing your pup in.
If they don’t feel a trip to the vet is needed, they may recommend a few of the at home treatments below.
If your frenchie isn’t a young pup or in their senior years, fasting could be a first attempt to help alleviate their diarrhea.
It’s also important that your dog be in general good health if you decide to fast them for 12-24 hours. If they aren’t healthy this option may not be right for them.
But if they are an otherwise healthy adult, a 12-24 hour fast, while giving them small drinks of water on a frequent basis, can help flush out their system.
It can clear out whatever is upsetting their gastrointestinal tract and in a way hit a ‘reset’ button on their stomach.
After their fast, feeding them some simple foods can ease their stomach back into digestion.
Some battle-tested kitchen cures are:
- If your frenchie can handle dairy products, cottage cheese or plain yogurt.
- Rice water – Boil a big bowl of water with good quality rice in it, strain out the rice and give your pup the whiter looking water that remains. *Tip: If they aren’t showing any interested in the rice water try adding a bit of broth to make it a little better tasting*.
- Pumpkin – Ensure that the pumpkin is completely plain and without any additives or spices. You can try a pumpkin puree, pumpkin powder, or canned pumpkin designed for dogs.
- Plain White Rice
- Boiled Potatoes – Without the skin.
- Probiotics
There are also dog foods that are made specifically for dogs with sensitive stomachs that might be worth looking into if your frenchie has diarrhea often.
What works for one dog may not work for another, so you may have to try a couple of these remedies before finding one that works for your pup.
Once you find what does agree with your frenchies stomach, you can increase how much you give to them and eventually add small amounts of it to their dog food.
Which should help slowly bring their digestion back to normal.
When Diarrhea Means a French Bulldog Should Be Taken To The Vet
How to know when your frenchie should be looked at by a vet really depends on what you know to be normal for them.
If they sometimes get diarrhea but always get back to normal, it’s likely something you’re feeding them less often.
However, if in addition to their diarrhea you notice them behaving in ways that aren’t normal for them, this is when you’d want to consider bringing them to the vet.
Some things to look out for are:
- Dehydration.
- Home remedies that used to help with diarrhea but don’t anymore.
- Other symptoms such as dry, pale gums, more tired than usual, vomiting, general weakness, or fever.
- Too many diarrhea poops in a row. If it lasts longer than a few days they should be looked at.
- Pre-existing conditions.
- When they just don’t seem right. You know your dog well, and when they’re off, you can tell. If you’re noticing subtle differences in their behavior and it’s making you feel uneasy, you should follow your instincts and take them to the vet
Final Thoughts
There are many reasons why french bulldogs can get diarrhea. Some are more harmless and simple to fix, while others are more serious and need veterinary help.
You know your dog best. If your frenchie is acting strange in addition to their diarrhea, something more might be going on.
But if their energy levels are still high and are behaving the same, all things considered.
They might just need a quick 12-24 hour fast to reset their digestive system.
Other posts you might find interesting:
12 Best Beds For French Bulldogs: Beds That Last
When Do French Bulldogs Calm Down? Age By Age + 9 Reasons
Top 4 Reasons French Bulldogs Army Crawl + Helpful Tips
9 Reasons French Bulldogs Eat Poop + 5 Tips To Stop It
Sources:
Canine Food Allergy
