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A few itches and scratches here and there is totally normal for french bulldogs. But it becomes too much when you notice it happening daily and many times throughout the day.
What’s going on? Is it normal for french bulldogs to itch so much or is something wrong?
Why Do French Bulldogs Itch So Much:
The most common reason for french bulldogs to itch so much is because of allergies. Skin irritations due to allergies affect just over 30% of all dogs making it the most likely cause for their constant itching. It can also be skin fold dermatitis, pests/parasites, or dry skin.
In this post you’ll discover:
- 8 real reasons why french bulldogs itch so much
- A condition that specifically affects french bulldogs
- 4 tips to help soothe their itch (tip #3 can bring the fastest relief!)
- And much, much more
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
8 Reasons Why French Bulldogs Itch & Scratch So Much
1) Food Allergies
Frenchies are known for having rather sensitive stomachs.
That’s one of the reasons why they’re so darn gassy.
But food allergies are quite common among all dogs.
LSU, a school of veterinary medicine, found that 32.7% of all dogs presented some form of skin irritation due to allergies.
And the tricky part about understanding what food is triggering the allergic reaction is it usually takes 2-3 months for sensitivities to develop.
They found in some cases it even took 2 years for symptoms to appear.
Which obviously makes it challenging to determine what in your frenchies food is causing their persistent itch.
Common ingredients that your pup may be allergic to are chicken, beef, or dairy.
Also, common areas where food allergies create an itchy reaction are on their belly, paws, face or armpits.
If these areas are where your frenchie is often scratching, it’s possible they have a food allergy.
It’s always a good idea to get help from a vet when it comes to allergic reactions.
2) Environmental Allergies
French bulldogs can also have seasonal, or persistent, environmental allergies that make them itch.
Similar to people, these allergies can flare up because of dust mites, pollen, or mold spores.
Interestingly, a survey done in 2019 found that the top reason people took their pup to the vet in the years 2012-2019 was because of allergic dermatitis (itchy skin).
Which supports the over 30% of dogs having some form of skin itch from allergies that LSU found in their study.
So if your french bulldogs skin has become red from itching so much, or even starting to lose hair, they may be having an allergic reaction.
It’s important to take them to the vet and see what you can do about finding the allergen causing their reaction to stop them from feeling so itchy.
3) SFD
Unfortunately your frenchies adorable skin folds come at a price.
If they’re not cleaned often enough, there’s a good chance your pup will get skin fold dermatitis (SFD).
SFD happens because moisture gets trapped in between their skin folds.
And unfortunately, warm & wet places are ideal breeding grounds for bacteria.
Add friction into the mix from their skin folds rubbing together and highly irritated skin is created.
Which can range from mild inflammation all the way to creating an open wound on their skin because of the constant friction.
And of course if their skin gets to this condition it will be extremely irritating which makes them want to itch.
If your frenchie’s skin folds are noticeably red, itchy and sensitive, it’s a good idea to take them to the vet.
4) Fleas, Ticks Or Mites
It’s almost impossible for your pup to completely avoid these kinds of pests.
Whether your frenchie is going for their daily walk, meeting new furry friends, or going for a hike in the woods, there’s plenty of places they can pick up these pests.
And if they do have an infestation, they will definitely have an irritating itch.
Fortunately, you can spot fleas and ticks while grooming your pup, but mites are much too small for the human eye to pick up.
So if you notice your frenchie scratching a lot and has red spots, check their coat for any pests.
If you find anything it’s important to take them to the vet for treatment.
Common signs of mites are very dry skin as well as hair loss. So while you won’t be able to see the mites, if your pup has dry skin and is losing their hair it’s important to take them to the vet.
5) Dry Skin
Dry skin is one of the more harmless reasons for french bulldogs to itch.
Similar to how your skin gets drier in the winter months and becomes more flakey/itchy, your pup may go through periods or dry skin.
In this case, you can help your frenchie get rid of their dry skin very similarly to how you’d help yourself.
Use products that help bring moisture back to their skin.
However, it’s very important to make sure you’re using products designed for dog’s and not human products.
Human moisturizers and shampoos are filled with chemicals that are far too acidic for your pup and would likely make things worse.
Dog shampoos that are focused on helping dry skin are made with an oatmeal base, aloe vera or tea tree oil to help soothe and heal their skin.
Two great shampoos for dry, itchy skin are:
Either of these should help your frenchie out if their scratching is simply because of dry skin.
Related Reading: 12 Best Shampoos For French Bulldogs | Full Bathing Guide
6) Infection
Bacterial or yeast infections can also be behind a french bulldog’s constant itch.
If this is the case you should also notice their skin is red and much more greasy than usual.
They’ll also likely have a rather unusual or even off-putting smell to them as well.
Yeast is typically found under a dog’s neck, under their tail, in between their paw pads, skin folds as well as ears.
Since your frenchie has more folded skin than many other dogs, these areas need to be washed more often to prevent yeast buildup.
And as mentioned earlier, if their skin folds rub together when bacteria has built up it can cause an infection which becomes worse as they scratch.
7) Coping Mechanism
If your french bulldog is battling with anxiety they may develop repetitive or compulsive behaviors, such as itching.
If a frenchie has a loving home and a family that treats them well, separation anxiety may show up.
However, if they’ve had a troubled/traumatic past, they may develop severe anxiety as well.
In both situations, a frenchie may attempt to deal with their high levels of anxiety by excessively self-soothing.
Which can be in the form of itching, nibbling, scratching, or licking themselves.
They do this because it feels good and helps make them feel better. But unfortunately, it becomes a compulsive habit that does more harm than good.
If you suspect your pup could be itching because they’re coping with their anxiety, do your best to find their trigger.
Taking them to see a veterinarian or behavioral specialist is also a good idea to get help with their situation.
8) Dog Lice
Just like people can get lice, so can your frenchie.
Don’t worry if your pup does have lice though, you’re not able to get it from them.
Lice are species specific, which thankfully means your french bulldog’s lice will have no interest in you.
Dog lice is roughly the same size as a sesame seed and are a brownish/tan color or yellow.
So if you inspect your french bulldog’s coat while grooming them, you should be able to see whether they have lice if you pay close attention.
4 Tips To Help Soothe a French Bulldogs Itch
1) Dog Food Test
While it’s not encouraged to switch your dog’s food up too often, if they’re having a reaction to their food you may have to test a few.
The only real way to help your frenchie stop itching when it comes to a food allergy is to find which food is causing the reaction and stop feeding it to them.
Which is much easier said than done.
*Important note: It’s important to speak with a vet to see what they suggest to help when it comes to dog food allergies.*
Something you can try (in addition to speaking with a vet) is isolating different foods that might be causing the reaction.
Beef, chicken and dairy are common ingredients that cause allergic reactions in dogs.
So first test a food without beef, then chicken, then without any dairy.
And continue to do this until you’ve found a food that doesn’t cause them discomfort.
There are also hypoallergenic dog foods that you can try if you don’t want to go through the testing process.
2) Increase Maintenance
If your pup has seasonal allergies there are a few things you can do to help make their life less itchy during these times.
One way is to wipe their paws everytime they re-enter your home.
After each of their walks, have a wet cloth handy to give their paws a good wipe down before they relax inside.
This will help make sure they don’t have any lingering allergens, salt or chemicals staying in their paws.
Which should in turn help their paws be much less itchy on a day to day basis.
Also, you can’t forget about your frenchies adorable skin folds.
Those areas have a much higher chance of having a skin irritation show up that makes them frantically itch.
When you make sure to wash/wipe down their skin folds more frequently, you’re limiting the chance for bacteria growth.
Related Reading: 9 Reasons French Bulldogs Are High Maintenance + 4 Tips
3) Get a Dog Shampoo That Helps With Itchy Skin
Sometimes your frenchies dry, itchy skin simply won’t go away on its own.
Which means they need a helping hand to start the healing process.
Thankfully, some dog shampoos specialize in helping soothe dry, itchy skin as well as battle skin infections.
One of the best dog shampoos for that is the Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiseptic & Antifungal Shampoo.
It helps fight against bacteria and fungi, helps treat yeast infections and ringworm, helps soothe their itch and start the healing process while also moisturizing.
Sometimes a good dog shampoo that’s formulated to help with skin irritations and infections can be just what an itchy frenchie needs.
Related Reading: 12 Best Shampoos For French Bulldogs | Full Bathing Guide
4) Take Them To See Their Vet
Sometimes at-home remedies don’t do the trick to get rid of your frenchies itch.
If that’s the case, or you’re unsure what could possibly be causing their itching and scratching, simply take them to the vet.
It’s better to be safe than sorry and they’ll likely be able to diagnose the issue very quickly.
Then your pup can get the treatment/medication they need to get back to their healthy, happy self.
Other posts you might find interesting:
12 Best Beds For French Bulldogs: Beds That Last
7 Real Reasons Why French Bulldogs Burrow Under Blankets
8 Reasons Why French Bulldogs Smell + 7 Ways To Stop It
12 Reasons Why Frenchies Are So Clingy & Needy + Tips
Citations:
Why Is My Dog So Itchy? Possible Causes & Treatment
Canine Food Allergy
Skin Fold Dermatitis (Intertrigo) in Dogs
Malassezia Dermatitis (Yeast Infection of Dog’s Skin)