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It is a known fact that French bulldogs have a sensitive stomach by nature due to different reasons and conditions of their breed.
For this reason, it is important to know why French bulldogs have sensitive stomachs in order to know what foods may be beneficial to them.
What causes sensitive stomachs in french bulldogs?
Unfortunately, there is no simple or unique answer to this question, which is why many French bulldog owners have a hard time finding the right food. However, these are the most common reasons:
FOOD ALLERGIES.
As its name indicates, food allergy is a reaction and rejection by the dog’s body to a particular food that causes it to have problems with digestion.
It is important to clarify that food allergy and food intolerance are not exactly the same thing.
Food intolerance can cause symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea, while food allergy also shows symptoms like skin problems, swelling, itching, etc. Just like other types of allergies.
Food allergies can appear at any stage in dogs as well as puppies and adults, its most common symptoms are:
- Skin irritation.
- Constant itching.
- Loss of hair.
- Problems to digest food correctly.
- Lack of appetite and energy.
- Vomiting and diarrhea, due to the stomach’s rejection of some ingredient (may be related to a food intolerance)
Some recommendations to solve this problem are: go to the vet as soon as possible, so they can diagnose the appropriate treatment. You can also change its diet gradually, eliminate and introduce new foods in order to find a suitable diet for your dog.
CONSEQUENCE OF THE FRENCH BULLDOG FACIAL STRUCTURE.
As many know, Frenchies often suffer from diseases and health problems due to brachiocephalic syndrome. This syndrome specifically affects “brachycephalic breeds” such as the French bulldog, English bulldog, pug, etc.
That is why the French bulldog has those characteristic of a short muzzle, wide skull, upper jaw pushed flat face, and not very wide nostrils.
This causes many difficulties like health and respiratory problems that makes them breathe through the mouth instead of the nose, which can cause stomach discomfort and a lot of gas.
Another symptom of brachiocephalic syndrome is the presence of the alteration of the vocal cords produces difficulty in swallowing any type of food, which causes great discomfort.
CONSTIPATION.
The habitual thing would be that a dog defecates 1 – 2 times per day, but if this does not happen, and also when it manages to evacuate the feces are small, hard or scarce, means the dog is constipated.
Constipation has several causes, like:
- Dehydration.
- Lack of exercise, in the case of the French bulldogs we know that they cannot make too much exercise.
- Eating indigestible materials such as bones or foreign objects, Frenchies are also known to eat everything in their path.
In case it is not serious or needs medical treatment, you can help your dog with its constipation problem with home remedies.
You can add a spoonful of extra virgin olive oil to its meals for two or three days or include more fiber in its diet and keep it well hydrated.
However, if this problem persists, the best thing to do is as we always recommend, take it to the vet.
A PROPER NUTRITION FOR YOUR FRENCH BULLDOG.
Like any other dog, the French bulldog needs a balanced diet, not only because they have a sensitive stomach but also because this breed tends to suffer from overweight due to its own genetics, also because of its health problems that prevent it from exercising properly.
To know which is the best food for your French bulldog you must take into account their age, weight and lifestyle since some have more vitality or do more or less exercise. Their weight and the amount of exercise they do will make your dog need one type of food or another.
Dog Food
When looking for the best food for your French bulldog always keep in mind its age, because a puppy does not have the same nutritional needs as an adult dog.
For a puppy French bulldog: it is recommended to choose feeds that contain easily digestible protein and that strengthens the immune system.
For an adult French bulldog: it needs vitamin c, vitamin E, flavonoids, Omega-3, and Omega-6.
A quality food for your Frenchie must have proteins of high digestibility to avoid the dog has digestive disorders, it must favor its intestinal flora, reinforce its natural defenses, and that the croquette is adapted to its type of jaw so that it is not difficult for dogs to chew it.
Homemade food.
Frenchies eat everything! Especially human food, but we must be careful what kind of human food we can give them otherwise they can suffer eating disorders.
Homemade food is beneficial because of its diversity, it adapts to your dog’s needs and it is quite healthy, but only when the ingredients are of good quality and are thought for them.
If you think about giving it leftovers of food, the nutrients would not be enough. When cooking a home menu, it should be nutritionally balanced in terms of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, etc.
If you prefer to feed your bulldog with natural food, consult your vet to create a menu that adapts to the particular needs of your French bulldog.
Wet food.
Wet food is usually very appetizing for dogs, as it is juicier, tastier, smells good, and easier to chew and digest. Especially for older dogs, which do not have strength in the bite, as in the case of some Frenchies when they become adults.
For constipated, sick or weak French bulldogs, this is very beneficial for hydration, protein ratio and extra vitamins.
However, it is important to give your dog dry food as well to strengthen its bite and teeth and keep in mind that wet food contains more calories, which makes it prone to overweight.
FOODS YOU SHOULD AVOID GIVING TO YOUR FRENCH BULLDOG
Dairy products: it can cause discomfort to your dog, and even diarrhea.
Chicken bones: some Frenchies eat quickly and desperately so the bones could cause blockage in the digestive system.
Onion and garlic: it can cause anemia and in the worst-case scenario, poisoning.
Coffee, chocolate or tea: due to its high content of caffeine, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea because it is toxic to the dog’s central nervous system, affects its heart rate and increases its blood pressure.
Candies: it has the same effects as chocolate, but also contains a lot of fatty sugars, colorants and preservatives.
Grapes and raisins: managing grapes or raisins can cause your Frenchie to have acute kidney failure.
Nuts and seeds: certain fruits and seeds are more toxic than others, which are harmful to our dogs and can cause kidney failure, like apple or cherry seeds, nuts, etc.
Salt: its body does not process salt in large amounts and can be very harmful to French Bulldogs, from causing them to be very thirsty and urinate excessively to diarrhea, vomiting, and poisoning.
And there are more : here is the list of 27 Human foods toxic to dogs.
We hope that this information has helped you to know a little more about your French bulldog and its sensitive stomach problem, so that you can feed your dog correctly and keep it healthy!