Table of Contents
ToggleJust like humans, our four-legged friends can also suffer from dry skin. Flaky, itchy, and dry skin on your Frenchie may point out a wide range of conditions. From allergies to seborrhea and other severe disorders such as hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease… the reasons for a French bulldog’s dry skin could be many.
What can cause a French bulldog’s dry skin?
Weather changes
During the cold months, French bulldogs can develop dry skin due to indoor heating and dry air in the house. Therefore, regardless of the season, your pooch should drink enough water to stay away from issues like this. Dull-looking coat, dry and flaky skin may point out dehydration, so we recommend you make sure your Frenchie always has free access to fresh water during the day.
Allergies in French bulldogs
French bulldogs can suffer from food and environmental allergies. Ingredients such as by-products, food rich in artificial colors, flavors, and grains such as soy and corn. In case your dog shows other symptoms such as skin itchiness, diarrhea, and stomach flatulence, then there’s a high possibility that he suffers from a food allergy.
Environmental allergies in French bulldogs are often caused by pollen, dust, inappropriate dog cosmetics, and mites. If your dog suffers from flaky, dry skin and excessively loses his fur, then you have to immediately search for help from your vet.
Infections
Fungal and bacterial infections can often cause dry skin in French bulldogs. If your vet suspects a skin infection, he will perform a skin scrap to determine the cause. Ringworm is one of the most common fungal infections that is transmissible to humans, so you have to be very careful.
Health conditions
Unfortunately, sometimes your French bulldog’s dry skin can point out to a much larger problem. Cushing’s disease, cancer, diabetes, and hypothyroidism could be only some of them. Brittle and dry hair and hairless spots on a dog’s body are often signs of serious conditions.
Inappropriate dog cosmetics and house-cleaning chemicals
Since Frenchies are notorious for their sensitive skin, you have to carefully choose a French bulldog shampoo, paw balm, and other products. Your dog can even develop dry skin from your laundry detergent, softener, and floor cleaning products. Therefore, if you’re not sure what products to buy, our recommendation is to always choose organic cleaning products.
How to treat French bulldog’s dry skin?
Dry skin on your French bulldog’s paws
French bulldogs’ paws are daily exposed to different harmful elements such as street salt, hot concrete, sand, and sharp terrain. Therefore, we need to regularly clean them and soothe them with appropriate French bulldog paw balms. Frenchie World™ Paw Protection Stick features completely natural ingredients, so it’s completely harmless even if your dog licks it. The practical package allows you easy carrying and usage.
Another French bulldog paw balm is specially formulated for extreme weather conditions. Walking on hot pavements and icy terrains can cause painful burns, so this balm can heal damaged skin. You can even use it on your dog’s dry nose and dry elbows throughout the year.
French bulldog’s dry skin on the nose
You’ve probably seen dogs with crusty and dry noses in your vicinity. Unfortunately, many dog owners don’t pay attention to those symptoms, so their dogs severely ruin their sense of smell. To treat dry skin on your French bulldog’s nose, we recommend you check the following Organic French Bulldog Nose & Paw Balm. It heals the cracked nose and paw skin, it’s completely harmless and can be used for hyperkeratosis treatment.
Seborrhea on your Frenchie’s body
Seborrhea usually occurs in areas that are rich in sebaceous glands. It is followed by itchy, red, flaky, and scaly skin that produces an excessive amount of sebum. There are two types of seborrhea, called seborrhea sicca (meaning dry seborrhea), and seborrhea oleosa (meaning oily seborrhea). Seborrhea in French bulldogs is often triggered by allergies, parasites, fungal infections, obesity, humidity changes, and hormonal imbalance. To treat this condition, your vet will prescribe you Omega-3 supplements, antiseborrheic shampoos or sprays, retinoids, corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone), and antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections.
Home remedies to treat dry skin in French bulldogs
-
Coconut oil
Coconut oil can provide many beneficial effects on your dog’s skin. Besides it soothes itchiness and flaky skin, it can also improve the dog’s overall coat, provide elasticity to the skin, and make it smooth. You can even add a spoon of extra virgin coconut oil to your dog’s meal because it improves digestion and kicks bad breath.
-
Olive oil
Olive oil is another magical ingredient that you can directly put on your French bulldog’s dry skin. Besides, you can also daily add a spoon to your Frenchie’s feeding bowl to improve his digestion and immunity. Extra virgin olive oil represents an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, and omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. It even helps in preventing cancer and cardiovascular disease and improves joint mobility and blood vessel health. Therefore, those are enough reasons to include it in your French bulldog’s diet. We need to note that it could take up to 30 days to see the results of including olive oil— however, a healthy, shiny coat is well worth the wait.