What to Know
French bulldog hot spots can develop very fast if you are not careful. It can sometimes be irritating to find French bulldog hot spots. French bulldogs are short-nosed breeds and are prone to skin allergies.
Because of their short noses and their wrinkly face, they can collect a lot of dirt and moisture. If you are a French bulldog owner, you may face bumps, rashes, and such allergies. It can be very challenging, sometimes being a French bulldog owner.
What are French Bulldog Hot Spots?
French bulldog hot spots are inflamed spots on the skin. They are mostly red, moist, and oozing out pus or fluid. French bulldog hot spots can be very uncomfortable for your little one. Hot spots are very itchy and painful for your French bulldog. Yes, it can be a lot for you and your bulldog, but treating them well will help.
French bulldogs have susceptible skin as well as body. There are about 30 health issues that your French bulldog can have.
But when it comes to skin allergies, there are many treatments and preventive measures that you must follow. If your French bulldog doesn’t recover with the help of therapy, then you should take your bulldog to the vet.
French bulldog hot spots come with a lot of pain. Your bulldog will lick the affected space continuously, which can make things worse.
If you ever see a French bulldog hot spots, then treat it immediately. These hot spots can spread very quickly, and then it is difficult for you to stop them.
Reasons for French Bulldog Hot Spots
Any itchiness causes French bulldog hot spots. If your dog starts licking, chewing, or scratching the area of their body, then that may be hot spots.
Hot spots cause inflammation in the affected area and can also increase the risk of other bacterial infections. This irritation compels your bulldog to scratch more, which again increases disease, and that’s how the cycle goes on.
So when your French bulldog feels itchy all the time, it is due to hot spots. There are some common causes of itchiness in dogs. They are:
- Food allergy
- Parasites
- Ear or skin infection
- Flea allergy dermatitis
- Anal sac disease
- Atopic dermatitis
- Dirty coat
- Excessive licking due to boredom
- Contact irritants
- Moisture left in the coat while bathing or swimming
Some causes mentioned above are chronic problems. So if you do not treat your French bulldog hot spots properly, it can come again and again.
It would help if you always kept observing your French bulldog for the causes of the hot spots. It would be best if you noticed the reason to avoid future skin allergies.
If you do not understand the cause of the allergy, you should always rush to your vet. Only the vet can determine the perfect reason and treat them accordingly.
Other breeds such as St. Bernard’s, Labradors, German Shepherds, etc. have thick coats, making them prone to hot spots. Hot spots usually develop when the weather is warm, or humidity is high.
The dogs that are often wet by bathing, swimming, or any other reason have a higher risk of getting hot spots. They have a higher amount of moisture on their coats, which can cause allergy.
Bacterial infections can also be the reason for hot spots. The infection will have a moist oozing appearance on the bulldog’s skin, which comes with an odor.
Symptoms of French Bulldog Hot Spots
Many skin problems have similar symptoms, so consult your vet to have a clear idea. Hot spots come with red spots, swelling, and hair loss.
These hot spots can be seen on the whole body but mostly on limbs, head, and hips. These hot spots are moist, and they also discharge pus or fluid.
The pus can result in crusting and matting of the hair surrounded by the hot spots. You have to remain very careful that your dog doesn’t scratch the infected area.
If the scratching continues, the hot spots can multiply, and it can become more painful.
French Bulldog Hot Spots Location
French bull hot spots can appear in the whole body. But the area that is under the flap of the ear and neck are the most common areas.
Bulldogs are very much prone to such hot spots due to their skin wrinkles and folds. The moisture that gathers in their skin folds is the spaces where bacteria and yeast can increase.
Therefore, you must always keep your bulldogs clean and take care of them.
Test for Allergies
It would be best if you always got your dog tested for allergies. It can also happen that you have got them tested but did not get satisfactory results.
Let me tell you; it is effortless and easy to get your dog tested at home too. There are many testing kits available online on Amazon that are affordable and give you the best results.
These kits take a test for almost all allergens related to food and the environment. Using these at-home testing kits gives you all the information at home, and you can save the visit to the vet.
The tests can also identify the causes of itchiness and redness. It can be beneficial, and I suggest you try them.
Preventive Measures for French Bulldog Hot Spots
You can prevent these hot spots. But you need to take a lot of care of your bulldog and keep them clean.
Although it not impossible, you need to put in a little effort. There are many things to take care of to prevent these hot spots.
First of all, you must analyze the cause of your dog’s itching. It would be best to use good parasite prevention; proper skin infection treatment and allergy management are carried out correctly.
Please make sure that your bulldog doesn’t scratch a lot. Also, routine grooming of your bulldog and keeping proper hygiene can lower the chances.
You can use this Arava Natural Medicated Dog Shampoo to avoid infections or even cure them. You should keep a check that if your bulldogs are bathed frequently or swim often, then you should dry their coats thoroughly afterward.
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Your dog has a habit of licking due to boredom or stress. It would be best to stop this by keeping your bulldog in activity, increasing your dog’s daily exercise, or increasing playtime.
You can also get them puzzles that they might love to play with, or you can get your dog Outward Hound Fun Feeder that will keep them mentally stimulated. Your little pet will love these activities, and on the other side, they will be healthy too.
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French bulldog hot spots may appear less by feeding them fatty acids. Fish oil has a lot of Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA.
These fatty acids have properties that can promote healthier skin and, at the same time, also have anti-inflammatory properties. Your dog will become less susceptible to common allergies and infections.
Aloe Vera can also be helpful to aid damaged skin and decrease itchiness in dogs. Just make sure that your bulldog doesn’t ingest it as it can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
French bulldog hot spots are very irritating and painful for them. It can become a consistent issue if not identified and treated well at the right time.
With these helpful preventive measures, you will be able to keep your bulldog safe from the permanent damage of hot spots.
French Bulldog Hot Spots Treatment
Once these hot spots have occurred, you must know the proper treatment. There are certain things you must follow.
One of the most important things is you should determine the reason for the hot spot. They are as under:
Clipping and Cleaning
First, you will clip away the fur in the infected area’s surroundings as it can be irritating. Then clean the area thoroughly.
Scrubbing and Rinsing
The skin must be scrubbed and rinsed gently to clean the area thoroughly. It would help if you used an antiseptic rinse spray to rinse so that it doesn’t develop any more bacterial infections.
Topical Antiseptic
It would be best if you can always use an antiseptic shampoo and antiseptic gel for bathing your bulldogs. This shampoo makes skin irritation less, and the chances of getting infections also become less.
Cortisone
You can sometimes inject some form of cortisone into your bulldogs so that they feel relieved from all the pain, itchiness, and inflammation.
Antibiotics
You must also ask your vet to prescribe or inject some antibiotics for your dog. These antibiotics can help your dog fight bacterial infection.
E-cone
French bulldog hot spots cause a lot of itchiness. This Elizabethan collar (e-cone) helps the dog to stop licking the area and causing further problems.
It would be best if you gave an e-cone for the speedy healing of your French bulldog.
Before You Go
French bulldog hot spots can be frustrating for you as well as your dog. But all you can do is give them proper treatment for a speedy recovery.
Bulldogs have susceptible skin and short noses, which makes them prone to many infections and diseases. Hot spots are widespread in French bulldogs due to their wrinkly skin folds and ears.
Always keep in mind determining the cause of the hot spots and giving your dog the necessary treatments.
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