French bulldog head tremors can be described as head nodding, bobbing, and shaking. This occurrence happens due to different reasons, and in most cases, it’s not a life-threatening event. Since it’s usually an idiopathic condition, dog owners are recommended to distract their dogs’ attention by using different interactive dog toys.

What are the types of French bulldog head tremors?

French bulldog head tremors happen due to different reasons and we can set them into 4 categories.

• Toxin tremors

They occur due to the ingestion of toxins such as house-cleaning chemicals, and rat poison.

• Drug intake

Taking drugs for treating separation anxiety such as antidepressants, and amphetamines can lead to head bobbing.

• Intention tremors

It is triggered by damage to the cerebellum that serves for controlling coordination.

• Idiopathic head tremors

The triggers are unknown and can be caused by many factors. It could be a stress that your dog went through, trauma, kidney disorder, ear infection, low blood calcium, and high or low blood sugar. French bulldog head tremors more often occur during the puppyhood due to the irregular body and head proportion. It can also happen due to genetic predisposition and may occur in episodes that can vary from a dog individually. In extreme cases, a dog can continuously shake the head, and in that case, your vet should perform a complete neurologic evaluation.

What are the causes of head tremors in French bulldogs?

As we already mentioned, in most cases, vets and dog owners can exactly find the cause of the idiopathic French bulldog head tremors. However, by performing certain examinations, your vet will be on a halfway to finding the root of the problem.

Canine diabetes

For example, if your dog eats a diet rich in carbohydrates, he’ll be on a higher tendency to suffer from diabetes. It is caused by a lack of insulin in a Frenchie’s body or an inappropriate response to it. As the result, a dog may fall into a low sugar shock which is otherwise called hypoglycemia.

To prevent hypoglycemia and French bulldog head tremors, it’s recommended to avoid feeding a dog with carbohydrates. Besides, switching to multiple smaller meals is also important because in that way you’ll help your dog to maintain his normal blood sugar.

Low calcium level

Low calcium level or hypocalcemia in dogs is a severe condition that requires immediate treatment. Calcium represents an important nutrient that affects milk production, vision, muscles, and many other body functions. Inter alia, the low calcium level can cause head tremors in dogs, so that’s why it’s important to perform a blood test.

Neurological condition

French bulldog head tremors can also occur due to neurological disorders that should be checked by performing magnetic resonance testing. It will relieve you whether the dog needs surgery or it can be treated by using drugs.

Undiscovered trigger

In most cases, it’s difficult to discover the exact trigger of head tremors in dogs. They are not painful, and should not last more than a few minutes if they’re idiopathic. Even though they look disturbing, you should not become worried about it.

Stress or happiness

It might sound weird but a dog can uncontrollably show head tremors due to extreme happiness or stress. Therefore, do not make big scenes when you need to leave the house or when you arrive home from work. It would be enough to say hello to your dog without cuddling, hugging, and falling to knees.

How to treat French bulldog head tremors?

• Distract your Frenchie’s attention

One of the solutions to help your dog with head-nodding is to distract his attention. You can use different interactive Frenchie toys that will keep him occupied, so he’ll reduce the tremors. I recommend you to check the following Tug of War Chew toy or Interactive Chewing Treat Toy.

• Tense the neck muscles

When your dog head tremor episode begins, it would be good to try with tensing his neck muscles by turning side to side.

• Include Calcium supplement

First of all, I need to note that you should first check with your vet whether your dog suffers from hypocalcemia. In that case, you can start rewarding your dog with bones, and add the eggshell powder into his meals. Adding yogurt into the dry kibble diet can also be one of the solutions because it’s not only rich in calcium but also in probiotic bacteria.

On the other hand, Calcium supplements should be used only on the vet’s recommendation. Otherwise, they can cause side effects and issues with kidneys.

• Try to calm your dog

If your French bulldog’s head tremors occur in episodes that last for several minutes, my recommendation is to try to calm him by showing him affection. Place your dog into your lap and gently cuddle him by saying praise words.