It’s important to monitor your Frenchie’s bowel movements to ensure he is as happy and healthy as possible. Diarrhea can be one of the first signs that your Frenchie is not feeling great.
Why does my Frenchie have diarrhea? Unfortunately, this question is difficult to answer without considering other symptoms as well. There are 11 common reasons why French Bulldogs experience diarrhea, which means there are many possible answers to this question.
Read on to learn these 11 common reasons why Frenchies have diarrhea and how to treat your dog based on the underlying cause.
Why Does My Frenchie Have Diarrhea? 11 Possible Causes
Although French Bulldogs are one of the most popular breeds worldwide, they are plagued with a number of health issues. Some of these health issues are obvious, whereas others lie below the surface. If your French bulldog is experiencing diarrhea, it’s important to see the vet immediately to uncover the underlying problem.
In most cases, diarrhea is caused by a change in diet or the Frenchie eating something it shouldn’t. For these sorts of cases, diarrhea is nothing serious to worry about. At the same time, diarrhea can also show that the Frenchie is suffering from viral infections, bacterial infections, and different diseases.
Here is a look at the 11 most common reasons that your Frenchie may be experiencing diarrhea:
1. Change in Diet
- Severity: Mild
- What To Do: Slowly transition food; incorporate probiotics into Frenchie’s diet
The most common reason that Frenchie and other dog breeds experience diarrhea is due to a change in diet. If you have just recently changed your Frenchie’s food and it is now experiencing diarrhea, this is most likely the cause for your Frenchie’s bathroom troubles.
To help fight diarrhea from a change in diet, slowly transition your Frenchie from its old food to the new food. For example, do a half and half portion so that the Frenchie’s stomach can get used to the new food. Additionally, add probiotics to your Frenchie’s diet to help digest the food better.
Eventually, your Frenchie’s stomach will get used to the food and its stool will go back to normal. You will just have to be patient until then.
2. Eating Spoiled Food
- Severity: Depends on the case
- What To Do: Call your emergency vet
Dogs get into a lot of food they should not. If your Frenchie has eaten spoiled food, it may be experiencing diarrhea as a result. Spoiled food will disrupt your dog’s stomach, just like it would yours. In some cases, eating spoiled food will only lead to diarrhea, but it can lead to serious distress in others.
Because it can be difficult to determine how serious the case will be for your Frenchie, contact your emergency vet right away. Your emergency vet will be able to determine if your Frenchie needs emergency care.
3. Eating Foreign Objects or Toxins
- Severity: Depends on the case
- What To Do: Call your emergency vet
Food isn’t the only thing that dogs eat. They will eat just about anything that seems interesting, including foreign objects or toxins. These sorts of items are incredibly dangerous and can cause your dog to experience diarrhea and a number of other painful symptoms, including death.
Call an emergency vet hotline if you suspect your Frenchie has consumed something dangerous, especially if you think it is toxic. Consuming toxins can be fatal for dogs.
4. Certain Medications
- Severity: Mild
- What To Do: Use probiotics; talk to your vet
Certain medications are known to trigger diarrhea and other symptoms in dogs. Antibiotics, for example, frequently cause diarrhea as a side effect because the dog’s internal bacteria are impacted by the medication. If your dog is on antibiotics, it’s OK that it is experiencing diarrhea.
You can help combat this diarrhea by incorporating a probiotic into your dog’s diet. You can also talk to your Frenchie’s vet for other recommendations for making the medication less painful or uncomfortable for the time being.
5. Viral Infections
- Severity: Depends on the infection
- What To Do: Call your vet
Frenchies are susceptible to viral infections, such as distemper and parvovirus. One side effect of many viral infections is diarrhea, but you will likely see other symptoms in addition to diarrhea if your dog is experiencing a serious viral infection.
If you cannot determine what is causing your dog’s diarrhea, contact your vet since a viral infection may be to blame. Your vet will be able to examine the dog to determine if it has any type of viral infection. Depending on their results, the vet will create a treatment plan for your Frenchie.
6. Bacterial Infections
- Severity: Depends on the infection
- What To Do: Call your vet
Frenchies can get bacterial infections as well. One of the most common in dogs is salmonella. Salmonella will often cause diarrhea. Talk to your vet if you suspect salmonella is plaguing your Frenchie.
7. Autoimmune Diseases
- Severity: Moderate to severe
- What To Do: Call your vet; seek long-term treatment
Frenchies can develop autoimmune diseases, such as Addison’s disease, pancreatic disease, and diseases caused by tick bites. Many of these autoimmune diseases cause a number of symptoms, one of which being diarrhea.
The only way for an autoimmune disease to be diagnosed is to see your vet. Your vet will thoroughly evaluate your Frenchie to help determine exactly what is the cause. The treatment plan will vary depending on what is wrong with your furry friend.
8. Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Severity: Moderate to severe
- What To Do: Call your vet; seek long-term treatment
Inflammatory bowel disease can come in many forms. For example, inflammatory bowel disease can occur in the small intestine, large intestine, or colon. Almost all forms of inflammatory bowel disease result in diarrhea. Sometimes, the symptoms can go unnoticed until they start compounding.
Seek veterinary care if you suspect your Frenchie has inflammatory bowel disease. It can be very painful and dangerous when left untreated, but your Frenchie can lead a happy and healthy life if its inflammatory bowel disease is treated by an experienced veterinarian.
9. Parasites
- Severity: Depends on the case
- What To Do: Call your vet
Frenchies are susceptible to a number of parasites. Parasites often cause diarrhea, excessive thirst, and other similar symptoms. Talk to your vet if you think parasites are to blame. If left untreated, parasites can cause serious side effects, including death.
10. Chronic Allergies
- Severity: Mild
- What To Do: Determine allergen; use allergy medications
Many dogs are allergic to foods like dairy and wheat. Dairy and wheat are especially common allergens for French Bulldogs. If your dog is allergic to these foods and continues to eat them, it might be experiencing diarrhea and other uncomfortable symptoms.
You can determine if your dog has chronic allergies by eliminating the food from its diet. If diarrhea and other symptoms stop, you have found the allergen. Stop feeding your Frenchie that food. You can also try allergy medications.
11. Stress and Anxiety
- Severity: Mild
- What To Do: Determine the cause of stress and remove it
Stress can cause many unwanted symptoms in both humans and dogs. If your Frenchie is experiencing a lot of stress and anxiety, its bowel movements will be one of the most obvious signs. Some common causes of stress in dogs include being frequently alone, introducing new pets to the home, or moving.
You’ll need to determine the cause of your dog’s stress or anxiety. From there, try to make the home as peaceful and relaxing as possible. Once the Frenchie feels normal again, the diarrhea will subside.
When To See Your Vet
If your Frenchie is having prolonged diarrhea, contact your veterinarian. Although some causes of diarrhea are harmless, others can be dangerous. Long-term diarrhea is especially dangerous and often a sign of something more serious.
Likewise, contact your vet if the diarrhea is accompanied by other symptoms, such as lethargy and moodiness. These symptoms further suggest something more serious is the cause of your Frenchie’s uncomfortable bathroom habits.
How Diarrhea Is Treated
The treatment for diarrhea ultimately depends on the cause. Diarrhea caused by a change in diet is not treated the same way as diarrhea caused by inflammatory bowel disease. Ultimately, the root cause will be treated, which should then make the diarrhea subside.
However, any Frenchie that is experiencing diarrhea would likely benefit from a probiotic and a lot of water. That way, the Frenchie gets all of the healthy bacteria and water it needs to be healthy during this time. Your vet will be able to provide further recommendations based on your dog’s unique needs.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, the question, “Why does my Frenchie have diarrhea?” is not one easily answered. There are quite a few potential causes. You will have to determine the root cause of your dog’s diarrhea in order to treat it appropriately.
Talk to your vet to get your Frenchie checked out. Your vet will help determine the root cause and provide the treatment plan based on your Frenchie’s needs.
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