Hair fall is not an extraordinary condition in dogs. It’s a natural process, so nothing to worry about. It normally happens during the early autumn or spring season as a natural coat recycling process. But the problem starts when there’s an excessive hair loss or bald patches occur on your dog. Your dog may also start scratching more often under this condition.
Some environmental factors like temperature, stress and nutrition may also cause abnormal hair fall, but it may be a medical condition as well. French Bulldogs look gorgeous with natural and consistent hair growth like all other breeds. You may not like to see bald patches on your Frenchie. So, you need to keep a close watch on their shedding routine. If any abnormality is observed, you must take immediate action before things get out of control. It may be a medical condition known as Alopecia.
Alopecia in French Bulldogs
Alopecia is a medical condition in dogs commonly known as baldness. It is characterized by abnormal hair fall and inability to regrow hair. Sometimes, dogs may face complete hair loss on the entire body, whereas in some cases, you may notice bald patches in them. Normally, alopecia occurs due to a dog’s body attacking its own hair glands, which results in rapid hair loss in them.
Alopecia may be of two types: temporary or permanent. Temporary conditions can be reversed by timely and effective treatment, but permanent baldness cannot be treated. However, in both cases, Alopecia is not so dangerous to have an impact on the life of your French Bulldogs. But it does have a visual impact, as no one would like to see a dog without its natural hair or bald patches on its coat. Your dog may also feel itchiness, which might be quite uncomfortable for him.
Some conditions may differ in various dog breeds. For example, Greyhound Pitbull Mix may have certain conditions that may not appear in French Bulldogs.
Signs of Alopecia in French Bulldogs
Here are some common signs of Alopecia in dogs:
- Excessive licking and scratching
- Abnormal shedding
- Thin area in the coat
- Loss of hair on the side and thigh of the dogs
- Dry and flaking skin
- Dandruff
- Change of color of skin
- Inflammation of skin with redness and bleeding
- Red spots on the skin of the dog, sometimes with hives and pimples
Reasons for Abnormal Hair Loss in French Bulldogs
Normally, hair fall is a natural and seasonal process of replacing old hair with new ones. Your Frenchie would be losing his current hair to allow the growth of new hair for the next season. Unless it happens just in that way, you need not worry. But sometimes, you will notice that the growth of new hair has considerably slowed down. In some more serious cases, regrowth of hair may completely stop. These are the situations where you need to take immediate action.
Now the question is, why French Bulldogs may be affected by excessive or abnormal hair loss? There may be several different reasons, but most commonly, a dog would be a victim of baldness due to one or a combination of the following factors.
- Less exposure to sunlight – This often happens with the changing weather conditions. It is considered the prime reason for seasonal hair fall in French Bulldogs.
- Age factor – Young Bulldogs are hardly affected by baldness, whereas grownup Frenchies are more likely to catch this disease.
- Hormones Disorder – Under normal circumstances, hormones like thyroxin, melatonin, cortisol, growth hormone and estrogen should remain at a certain level in dogs. If, due to any reason, this level is disturbed, either exceeding or decreasing, your dog may be affected by baldness. The French Bulldogs mostly catch baldness due to hypothyroidism. It occurs when the thyroid gland starts malfunctioning, which results in a low level of this hormone. In this case, hair gets brittle and dry and starts falling rapidly.
- Allergies – An allergy’s major impact reflects on your French Bulldog’s ears and skin. Skin would get itchy which results in excessive scratching in the dogs to get some relief. You need to explore the reasons for this condition, which may be due to food allergy or inhaling of some allergenic stuff.
- Dermatitis – It may be one of the most common reasons for excessive hair fall in dogs. Dermatitis is of different types, such as Atopic Dermatitis, Contract Dermatitis or Allergic Dermatitis. Your dog may be affected by any type of dermatitis due to some antibiotics or poisonous plants or plastics. It may also happen due to deodorizers, dyeing agents or any of the household detergents.
- Abnormal functioning of organs – Internal organs like the liver or kidney may start malfunctioning, which may result in various diseases such as cancer, kidney failure or inflammatory bowel diseases. In any such conditions, your dog may start losing hair quickly.
- Mange – It is often caused by the mites, which are frequently present in the follicles of your dog. Mange can be either demodectic or sarcoptic. Demodectic mange appears locally on a particular spot on the skin, whereas sarcoptic mange is more generalized on the body of the affected dog.
Apart from the above, hair loss may also occur due to medication and treatment of various diseases such as cancer. It may also happen due to a reaction against the rabies vaccine or steroids or exposure to any chemicals.
Remedies and Treatment of Hair Loss in French Bulldogs
Before you jump on to the remedies and treatment of hair fall in your French Bulldog, first, you need to know the actual cause behind this situation. You may need to set an appointment with a nearby veterinarian, who may take some blood tests, physical examinations or, worst cases, biopsies. Once the cause is determined, it will be easier for you to control, prevent or eradicate the baldness of your dog.
The most common remedies include the following:
· Humidify the Environment
Hair fall is generally caused by dryness. If your dog is suffering from dryness, you may opt for using humidifiers in your home. It will soothe the itchiness on the skin of your dog. Try this near his bed so he can get the best of its benefits.
· Brush the Hair of your Dog
The hair of the dogs naturally has an oil that moisturizes their skin. Normally, this oil cannot reach the entire coat. Brushing can do the trick. It will distribute this natural oil throughout their coat, keeping it moisturized and protected from dryness.
· Try Natural Antifungal and Antibacterial
Apple cider vinegar is a natural antifungal and antibacterial agent. Try it to get rid of fungus or bacteria from your dog’s skin. It may go a long way in controlling the hair loss. Similarly, lemon juice can also help reduce hair fall problems. Applying olive oil to the affected skin may also help you fight against hair loss.
· Remove Allergens from your Dog’s Diet
Food plays a vital role in any kind of illness in your dogs. Take a look at what you are giving your dog. Remove allergens from his diet if he is susceptible to any of them. Allergies can be a major cause of baldness in dogs. Removing any such allergen from his diet may be a good option to reduce the chances of baldness.
· Try Supplements
Sometimes, hair loss may occur due to a deficiency of vitamins. Giving supplements, in this case, may be a good option to fulfill the deficiency of vitamins, which will help reduce hair loss.
· Medical Treatment
In case of serious baldness, you may have to go for medical treatment. In such an event, never try self-medication. Always consult an experienced vet and get your French Bulldog treated properly under his supervision.
Conclusion
Loss of hair is a normal and natural process in most dogs, including French Bulldogs. Normally, it is a seasonal event where dogs get rid of old hair to make room for the regrowth of new hair for the next season. Unless it remains so, there’s no need to worry. But when hair regrowth becomes slow or, in worst cases, hair growth is discontinued, it might be a medical problem. In such an event, you need to consult the vet immediately.
As discussed above, you can try some home remedies and tricks to control excessive hair loss or baldness in your French Bulldogs. But in some cases, you may also take the assistance of a qualified vet for proper medical diagnosis and subsequent treatment.
