French Bulldog Diarrhea

Caring for your Frenchie can be a tough job since they are very sensitive when it comes to their health. French bulldog diarrhea is one of those things that must be dealt with immediately since they are usually a symptom of some sickness or disease that your dog is suffering from.

This article will help you understand the major causes behind French Bulldog diarrhea, along with different remedies and solutions that you can utilize to improve your Frenchie’s health. So, make sure to read this article to the very end!

What causes French bulldog diarrhea?

Frenchies can be subject to a whole variety of afflictions that can cause them to have digestive and stomach-related problems, including diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, loss of appetite, etc.

While some factors can be dealt with at home, other causes might require you to take your pet to the vet! Some of the underlying causes behind these problems are:

Food Allergies

Food allergies are one of the most common reasons why your dog might be suffering from diarrhea. We’ll discuss this cause in detail further in the article but remember that problems in your dog’s diet can cause serious indigestion problems along with other issues.

Change in diet

Suppose you’ve recently shifted from high-quality dog food to lower-quality foods or drastically changed your Frenchie’s diet. In that case, that can cause them to have gastrointestinal problems, along with vomiting and diarrhea. This is because their bodies aren’t as used to the new food and will either adjust with time or cause further problems.

Infections

It is not unheard of for your French bulldog to become the victim of a stomach infection. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a common affliction in French bulldogs and is caused by parasites, food allergies, or bacteria in contaminated foods.

Parasites

Dogs can easily catch parasites from the outdoors or scavenge through the trash. Parasites can be very serious since they can be passed onto humans and must be treated as soon as possible. These can be solved by following regular diagnostic practices and checking your dog regularly.

Stress-related issues

French bulldogs are very social; leaving them alone for hours at a time can cause them to become agitated or scared, which can further cause diarrhea, vomiting, and aggression. It is advised not to overexert them by getting them overly excited or giving them a scare.

Diagnosing the symptoms

A smart thing to do when it comes to doggy diarrhea is to examine your pup’s poop. This way, you can understand whether your pup is healthy or is suffering from an issue that can be solved easily. In some cases, you will find that diarrhea indicates a more serious problem, which might require you to take your dog to the vet.

Healthy French bulldogs will generally excrete brown, firm waste and are not usually broken into smaller parts.  

Symptoms of stomach bugs will be dog stool that is soggy and soft or in a pile shape. Loose stools are also indicative of a stomach problem and are watery and can’t be easily scooped up when you’re cleaning. An abnormal stool can also be very dry and hard and in the form of small pellets.

 

Poop Colors

You can also diagnose certain problems from your dog’s poop color, which can have different colors. Normal, healthy stools should be brown, whereas if you notice a greenish tinge, that might mean that your dog is eating grass. Dogs usually eat grass as part of their instinct and in an attempt to cure their upset stomachs.

Poop that is yellow in color can indicate that your dog has an intestinal tract infection, and these usually come from dog feces or contaminated soil. This disease is referred to as Coccidiosis and causes a dog to have watery stools, severe diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Blue stools might indicate that your dog has ingested poison, and you need to take your Frenchie to the vet ASAP before any more harm is caused.

White and grey spots in your doggie’s stools might indicate that your dog has tapeworms.

Other than this, stools can also have trace amounts of blood, which can cause the stool to appear red or black. This is also indicative of a gastrointestinal issue, and you need to take your dog to the vet in order to understand the issue better.

Healthy dogs usually must excrete once or twice a day, and if your Frenchie seems to be having more stools than that, then it may mean you have a sick Frenchie in your hands.

In summary, healthy stools are firm but not hard, brown in color, and usually a little wet. Anything different in color, shape, or firmness is cause for concern. Very rotten-smelling stool, bloody stool, worms, and constant diarrhea are all symptoms of a serious stomach-related issue and need to be dealt with professionally.

How to treat French bulldog diarrhea

 

If your French bulldog seems to have diarrhea that doesn’t warrant a visit to the vet, you can follow different techniques to get rid of diarrhea as soon as possible.

The treatment should begin by stopping the dog’s current diet and making them fast for around 12-24 hours. You can give your dog small amounts of water or Pedialyte to keep them hydrated during this period. Make sure to change the water in their drinking bowls with fresh, clean drinking water and add some electrolyte supplements in as well. This is important when treating bulldog explosive diarrhea as the dog will get dehydrated severely from all the excretion.

You can also test how dehydrated your dog is by pinching its skin. Pinch the skin between your dog’s shoulder blades, and if they’re normally hydrated, the skin should go back in place. However, the skin will stay in the pinched position if they’re dehydrated.

A great way to nourish your dog during this period is to feed them rice water, which is essentially water boiled in rice, resulting in a creamy soup-like substance. This can easily be prepared by cooking a cup of rice in four cups of water for 30 to 45 minutes. Once the water has thickened a little, cool it off and feed it to your dog.

 

Foods For Diarrhea

Once diarrhea has reduced or after the fasting period has finished, you can feed your dog boiled rice with boiled chicken (not any table scraps that may include unwanted spices). Chicken or beef broth is also advised as a substitute for boiled rice and chicken.

Yams, potatoes, and pumpkin mixed with rice are also good for you since they are fiber-rich. Cook all of these in a mixture until they’re completely mushy so its easier for your dog to eat and ingest

You should also give your dog a probiotic supplement to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in their gut, which will help them avoid allergic reactions, diarrhea, and other stomach-related issues. Good sources of probiotic foods are kefir, which should be given in small bits to your dog.

Once you notice your dog getting healthier, you can slowly increase the amount of food you give them until they begin eating normally.

However, if diarrhea doesn’t clear up within this time period, then it’s time for you to consult a vet. They’ll be able to fully diagnose what’s wrong with your pup and provide the proper medication and diet recommendations.

How to prevent French bulldog diarrhea

 

Prevention is always better than cure, and you should always make sure that you follow a healthy regimen and diet so your dog doesn’t have to face issues like diarrhea, vomiting, and other infections.

Make sure to include probiotics in your dog’s diet. Probiotics are bacteria that help with indigestion and make the immune stronger. Natural probiotics are found in yogurt and kefir with live cultures. Make sure that these aren’t artificially sweetened since that can be dangerous for dogs.

Some types of dog foods have probiotics which can be an easy way to introduce probiotics into your dog’s diet. Doggy treats also have probiotics, and vet-prescribed pills and powders are other sources of probiotics. We’ve also listed some popular dog probiotics that you can buy.

NaturVet – Advanced Probiotics & Enzymes

 

Naturvet is a great brand of probiotics made especially for dogs with sensitive stomachs and digestive issues. These are said to contain 1 billion Bacillus subtilis (a healthy bacteria), along with protease, cellulase, and lipase. These bacteria and proteins combine to help your pup’s gut and immune system. The great thing about these is that they come in small soft chewable forms, which really helps Frenchies with smaller mouths.

NaturVet also has other types of supplements for other afflictions in pets.

Zesty Paws Probiotic for Dogs

 

Zesty Paws has a plethora of dog supplements, including tasty probiotics for dogs that help the gut function and support your dog’s immune system as well. Their formula consists of a 5-strain blend that coats the gut with healthy bacteria and aids their gastrointestinal functions as well.

Zesty Paws also has different types of chewable that help with different parts of your dog’s body.

Petlab Co. Dog Probiotic

 

Pet lab Co.’s probiotics are also a great way to help improve your dog’s gut health, and their products come in small pieces that are safe for both small and large dogs. Their probiotic chews are chock full of antioxidants as well and help in heart functions as well. These also help fight against seasonal allergies that your dog might have.

The BARF diet

While the name might sound unappealing, the benefits surely aren’t! BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, and it consists of different foods that are great for your Frenchie’s digestive health.

The BARF diet contains around 25-50% raw meat and natural additives like organic meat, vegetables, and bones. Try to avoid eggs, chicken heads and skin since that can cause allergies in your Frenchie, leading to french bulldog diarrhea and vomiting.

Avoid feeding your pet unhealthy snacks, and introduce a small portion of fruits into their diet. Ideally, you should feed them fruits 3 days a week and vegetable snacks the other 4 days.

The BARF diet can also include cooked vegetables with rice and some meat. This can include chicken, beef, pork, rabbit, fish, and venison. You should break down the meat and bones into smaller parts so your Frenchie doesn’t have any issues eating them.

The BARF diet is supposed to improve your dog’s digestive health and mood and energy. You might also notice healthier skin, a shinier coat, and healthy teeth.

Whenever transitioning from one diet to another, it is always advised to do it slowly since drastic changes in your dog’s food can cause digestive stress. Make sure to keep the house clean from any leftover food that your Frenchie can get into and keep any packed dog food away from them, so they don’t overeat.

Regularly change your Frenchie’s drinking water and ensure that they get a little bit of exercise, so they don’t become lethargic.

Final thoughts

Always remember that while this article will help you somewhat with your Frenchie’s diarrhea problem, a vet is always the best option when you see your Frenchie struggling with anything health-related. As soon as you see anything wrong, get your pup checked ASAP, and follow through with the home remedies and the advice given in this article.

Your Frenchie’s health will depend on what you feed them, what ratio of meat to snacks they get, how you change their diets, and whether they’re getting all their required nutrients or not. Hopefully, this article has outlined most of those factors, and we hope your pup is in the best of health!