Food allergies are quite common among French bulldogs. Some are mild and often we don’t realize the symptoms are related to the foods we’re giving our Frenchie’s. We’ve written this article to to help owners recognise French bulldog food allergies and eliminate the side effects that are making your pup miserable.
Learning how to spot the signs of these allergic reactions and avoiding the types of foods causing these issues will help your French bulldog enjoy a happy, healthy and long life.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the common French bulldog food allergies, and the reaction to food allergies in this dog breed. We will also walk you through the best foods for French bulldogs with allergies.
Common French Bulldog Food Allergies
Food allergies in French bulldogs occur when the antibodies inside their intestine experience a reaction with an allergen in the food. Once this occurs, the dog will experience a histaminic response, similar to that of humans. Consequently, their body will respond with visible symptoms. However, these symptoms can also be caused by other allergies common to French bulldogs that are caused by environmental triggers.
The most common French bulldog food allergies are related to particular proteins. Simply put, some core ingredients present in dog food are the main cause of these allergies.
Some of the foods that are likely to cause allergic reactions in French bulldogs include dairy products, wheat, beef, soy, chicken, corn, lamb, some types of fish, eggs, pork, and rice, as well as various additives and food colorings. Sounds like every single ingredient in dog food right?!
If your French bulldog is displaying symptoms after eating, there’s a high chance one of these ingredients is the culprit. While it can feel a little overwhelming, a simple change in food or protein source can help to identify the problem and prevent allergic reactions.
Reactions to Food Allergies in French Bulldogs
French bulldogs can react to food allergies in a range of ways. The symptoms or the reaction will vary based on the nature of the allergic reaction. But in most cases, the reactions to food allergies will present through gastrointestinal issues and skin conditions.
Gastrointestinal Problems from Dog Food Allergens
Gastrointestinal problems are the most common reaction to food allergies in French bulldogs. These can include issues like vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stool and non-stop gas.
Your French bulldog may also have issues digesting its food properly, leading to other serious conditions like severe dehydration, pancreatitis as well as other life-threatening medical problems.
So, if you happen to notice these reactions regularly or after you feed your French bulldog, there’s a high chance that the reactions are being triggered by allergens present in the food.
Skin Problems from Dog Food Allergens
Besides gastrointestinal problems, French bulldogs can also experience serious skin issues, caused by food allergies. For instance, the dog may start experiencing itchiness on its skin.
As the dog scratches and bites trying to alleviate this itchiness, the skin may eventually develop painful hives, sores, and hyperpigmentation, as well as bumps, among other skin problems. As you probably know, broken or exposed skin is also prone to developing fungal or bacterial infections.
Another lead on side effect due to the continuous biting and scratching of the skin due to itching is patchy hair loss, flakey skin or dandruff and even emitting undesirable odors.
The Best Foods for French Bulldogs with Allergies
The most effective means of dealing with food allergies in French bulldogs is by completely removing the ingredient or type of food that’s triggering the allergies. But to achieve this, you will need to first figure out the exact ingredient or food type causing the allergy – which is not easy.
One option is to start an elimination diet. Similar to humans who are experiencing allergies to food, you start out pup on a very simple diet . This involves preparing homemade food with very few ingredients, it’s important to discuss this with a certified vet to make sure that the diet is nutritionally complete.
However, there is a simpler way to get started. This is by buying dog food that has been specially formulated for bulldogs with food allergies. To help with this, we’ve identified the best foods for French bulldogs with food allergies. Here are the top three.
#1 Jiminy's Hypoallergenic Dog Food
Jiminy’s is a lesser known dog food brand that is making huge changes in the industry. As you now know, many common meats used as the core source of protein in dog food such as fish, beef and chicken can be the trigger to your Frenchie’s allergic reactions. Jiminy’s uses insect protein powder which is being touted as a new-found super-food.
This dog food has been scientifically tested in digestibility studies and, thanks to the insect protein powder, received a score above 80 which is a very good result.
Unlike many common dog food brands, Jiminy’s oven bakes their product. This may sound like a nice cliche but this is important because many manufacturers apply high pressure and extreme heat which actually destroys the natural nutrients.
#2 Purina Pro Plan : Sensitive Skin and Stomach
This hypoallergenic dog food is developed without any wheat, soy or corn which are common fillers that can trigger allergic reactions.
While this food lacks certain ingredients, it is specifically designed to contain all the key nutrients that your French bulldog needs to live a healthy, happy and active life.
As well as supporting French bulldogs with food allergies, this dog food can help to support muscle tone, reinforce the skin barrier, support healthy skin and contains live microorganisms to battle gastrointestinal issues common with French bulldogs!
#3 Hill's Science Diet Dog Food for Sensitive Stomach & Skin
Hill’s Science’s sensative dog food has been formulated using a minimal ingredients, making sure to avoid any type of food that may trigger or cause food allergies.
This dog food is grain-free, eliminating the risk of indigestion or other gastrointestinal problems caused by grains like frequent bowel movements or diarrhea.
Despite the minamilist approach, you can be confident that this food will support your little accomplice with all the vital nutrients they need for proper growth and development. Sometimes less is more.
This blend also contains a couple of natural prebiotics, designed to support a healthy digestive system and antioxidants for a thriving immune system as well as omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat.
The Wrap Up on French Bulldog Food Allergies
Food allergies can cause pain and discomfort to your Frenchie friend. The good news is that, getting rid of foods known to cause these allergies can easily address this issue. As you can see, there are a few quality hypoallergenic French bulldog food options out there to make treating your pup’s allergies easier.
So, if your French bulldog has been exhibiting any of the food allergy symptoms we’ve highlighted here, a simple change of diet may be all that they need.