Hello! We have a six month old French Bulldog and about a...

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Question by Ali_n_Ernie
Submitted on 1/18/2004
Related FAQ: rec.pets.dogs: Canine Allergies FAQ
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Hello! We have a six month old French Bulldog and about a month ago we started to see signs of allergies. It began the day after Thanksgiving and we thought that someone had just fed him something or he got into something somewhere. The major symptoms are the licking at the paws, his left eye, on the egde, blows up every once in awhile, and his stool is very loose. He has had loose stool for almost two months now. That is my real worry. We have changed his diet and the vet placed him on Prescription Diet z/d allergen and he no longer gets any treats. We do not and have never given him table scraps. We are very worried because other than the bad stool, nothing else seems to be wrong. He is a very happy puppy, always playing and having fun, but he refuses to go to the bathroom after he eats, he could wait the whole day just to go once. We got him from a breeder and none of the other pups, mother, or father have any problems with allergies. I want to know if there is seasonal allergies with animals and what is the next step that we can do? I am very worried and as much as I do not want to take him back to the breeder, I do not want him to live this way either. Please help.

Answer by Guest
Submitted on 1/2/2006
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Lots of bulldog breeds are allergic to corn and other grains. I put my Staffy Bull on raw food, and he stopped licking his paws, has a beautiful and non-itching coat, has lost weight (that he needed to lose), and has more energy. I suggest checking out B.A.R.F. (Biologically appropriate raw food) on the internet or at your local HEALTHY dog food store. Your vet probably won't approve until they see the positive changes in your dog...they were trained to love (and are sometimes paid by) commercial dog food companies. Remember this one fact: dry dog food/commercial dog food didn't even exist until the 1960's. Before that, all dogs ate was people food and prey that they killed. Good luck.

Answer by Josette L
Submitted on 5/2/2006
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I have a Frenchie with allergies and he too seemed to be reacting to his food. Anytime he accidentally got into his friends puppy food he would break out in bumps and his eyes would leak horribly. We tried cortisone shots and that worked for a Little while. I hate using cortisone so I tried Wellness Simple solutions dog food and that helped a lot. Then of course we went to Z/D but On occasion he would experience the breakouts. We had him allergy tested and bingo we finally had answers. He is allergic to several different grasses, pollen, mold and amazingly not allergic to foods. It always helps to have medical testing done. We still feed Z/D because he loves it, but there is no need in this case. If mom, dad or siblings show no signs of this issue it may have just been a trait of the line many generations back. The breeder really had no idea that this would present and in any case the best idea would be just to love your baby no matter what he throws at you. I too was upset about my honey's allergies but if you talk to other owners you see just how common allergies can be. Just stay positive and your vet can be a great help. There is a down side to Z/D it makes them have horrible gas. I hope this helps you.

Answer by joey5056
Submitted on 3/13/2007
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I have a French Bulldog who started displaying allergy symptoms between 6 months and 1 year of age. He began constantly licking his paws (even to the point where he would wake during the night to do it). We took him to the vet, who claimed it was most likely food allergies. We tried several foods for 4 month stretches each, with no treats. We went from chicken, to lamb, to duck, to whitefish, and finally to venison. None of them cured his problems, but the Eagle Pack Holistic Select Duck and Oatmeal did the best for his potty problems and his licking. At one point he had licked until he had ulcers on his paws and we were going to the vet 1-2 times a week. He took an antihistamine and a steroid (prednisone), plus an antibiotic, and his sores cleared up. His licking also stopped, but the vet did not recommend long-term steroids...especially since the steroids caused very loose stools. We are now using the Duck and Oatmeal food, no meds, and an oatmeal with baking soda conditioning rinse (after an oatmeal shampoo) about once a week. He seems MUCH more comfortable, but he is not completely in the clear. He licks his paws, but not as severely or frequently as before, has no actual raw spots, sleeps through the night, and has no intestinal problems. Also: I had been using a carpet powder and kitchen floor cleaner which could have been aggravating the problem. I stopped using the carpet powder (now I just use baking soda, which is an amazing product as it also happens to sooth skin). Little things like cleaners and detergents for the doggy beds can also make a huge difference. For his bed I use Arm and Hammer scent free, dye free, hypoallergenic laundry detergent...its cheap, it works well on whites, and its great for my two young children who have sensitive skin as well! Anyway, I hope some of this helps you out...I would appreciate any other tips that anyone has!

Answer by nicole
Submitted on 4/3/2007
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Our frenchie has been plagued with severe allergies since we got him. We tried everything: special foods, vitamins, shampoos, baths, antihistamines, etc. These things are all great supportive treatments but will not get rid of the allergies. Due to his severe itching and scratching, he has developed a staph infection, which makes him extremely stinky. Antibiotics will clear it up. We've spent thousands of dollars on him, taking him to a dermatologist and paying $900 for an allergy panel, which in the end, told us that he was allergic to just about everything in the air, and on the ground. So, we're now giving him allergy shots once a week. It can take up to a year for them to show improvement. Until then, we continue to have an extremely itchy dog.

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Answer by isabell
Submitted on 4/20/2004
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My French Bulldog exhibited similar symptoms, but without loose stools. My vet suggested we switch his food to Life's Abundance with one pump's worth of Skin Formula 3V Caps liquid mixed in. We also switched his treats to Dr. Fosters All Natural biscuits. Within 3-4 days his skin irritation was gone and the swelling around his eyes went away. He does still lick his paws, but much less frequently than before. He has been free of irritation for over a year now.

Answer by Elvis
Submitted on 10/20/2004
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We have a five year old frenchie and he has the same symptoms, inflamed paws that he licks constantly, rash under his chin and some times a problem with his eye. We have tried changing his diet and now he is on his 3rd course of Prednisone. The medication helps but, the day he goes off he's back to licking his paws. Any suggestions?

Answer by aj harris
Submitted on 12/16/2004
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hi, i have had similar problems with the licking and whelps all over the body,,, the doctor put him on zd and then i decide that would be to expensive so i got him allergy tested and now i give him curried carrots and ground beef , canola oil, flaxseed oil, for dinner and eggs and brown rice for breakfast and have seen no further problems

Answer by frenchie
Submitted on 3/11/2006
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I have a 10 month frenchie. She was scratching at her face and ears for a long time. I went to the vet and did the "food trail" with the Hill's Z/d. She hated it! The vet suggested to do an allergy test. The results came back that she was allergic to house hold dust mites, the food portion of the test came back normal.

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