Are French Bulldogs Allergic to Chicken?

French Bulldogs are similar to other breeds. They can be sensitive and even allergic to many types of foods that humans are immune to. Aside from a high protein-rich diet, many dog owners will provide their doggies special human food treats. You may be wondering what French Bulldogs can eat. These Frenchies can eat numerous types of foods similar to other dogs. But this breed is prone to obesity if you’re not vigilant with their diet. They will require a lean diet. You might be asking, are French bulldogs allergic to chicken? Compared to other breeds, Frenchies are likelier to develop food allergies.

Healthy French Bulldog Coat Characteristics

Are French Bulldogs Allergic to Chicken

The coat of a Frenchie is short and fine with loose skin and wrinkles. It is especially wrinkled in the areas of the head and shoulders. The French Bulldog can be easily groomed. Their coat is manageable with proper care. They will only require a light brushing once per week. The French Bulldog is considered an average shedder. Gentle brushing can eliminate and loosen dead hairs. The French Bulldog’s body type makes it effortless for a dog owner to check for skin allergies, including lesions and flaky skin.

How Skin Allergies Manifest in French Bulldogs

Allergies are a typical problem for French Bulldogs. They have a high genetic and environmental predisposition to develop canine atopic dermatitis. Environmental factors and contact with infected pets and food-based allergies can cause extreme discomfort in their lives.

Food-related allergies or intolerances take time and testing to diagnose accurately. Your dog’s diet will need to be examined and adjusted, especially if it is traced to be a cause of your Frenchie’s skin problems.

Typical Skin Allergy Locations – Are French Bulldogs Allergic to Chicken?

Frenchies are vulnerable to develop hives. It is connected to food-based allergies. The presence of dry and flaky skin may occur in patches on body areas. Hotspots, lesions, and crusts may appear on the face and hind areas.

If you find your Frenchie is itchy, scratching, and chewing these areas excessively, they likely have a skin allergy.

What Is the Connection Between Skin Allergies and Food Allergies?

The French Bulldog is susceptible to food allergies. These inflammations show on the skin. It will include dermatitis, crusts, hives, and pruritus.

Commonly the main source of food allergies is intolerance toward a specific animal protein. Often meat as well as chicken are the root cause. But there are dogs who will develop adverse reactions to other allergens such as corn, milk, and eggs.

Treatment for Skin Allergies

Skin allergies are easily managed with proper hygiene. You must bathe your French Bulldog with an organic and sulfate-free shampoo to help manage and mitigate chronic itchiness. Choose shampoos that have special inflammatory ingredients such as hydrocortisone and aloe vera. These ingredients help soothe red and inflamed, itchy skin.

When it comes to food allergies, it will be a bit challenging. Your Frenchie’s vet can help you create a diet that will suit your dog. They will recommend an elimination diet trial. This process will help your vet to identify which protein ingredients are causing discomfort in your dog.

A fresh food diet utilizing real fresh ingredients is an optimum way to resolve your Frenchie’s food allergy. You can begin an elimination trial diet with the following steps:

One

Start by feeding your Frenchie a single ingredient food over eight straight weeks. Utilize a new food source.

The new diet must contain one source animal protein, one vegetable source protein, and carbohydrate calories. An example will be rabbit and peas as well as fish and potato. The diet can be home-cooked or produced commercially. The food must have zero flavorings and unidentified proteins. These ingredients can imbalance the result of the elimination trial.

Two

Are French Bulldogs Allergic to Chicken

Do not provide your French bulldogs any table treats, supplements or flavored medicines. These ingredients can impact the results of the elimination diet.

Three

After the eight weeks is through, carefully and gradually switch your Frenchie back to his typical diet. Be vigilant in the next few weeks to see if allergy symptoms appear.

Four

Probiotics for dogs are another inexpensive tool in fighting against allergies. Probiotics can aid in reducing inflammation related to adverse reactions to allergens. It also supports and strengthens a dog’s immune and digestive system.

How to Solve a Food Allergy in French Bulldogs?

If you have noticed any of the stark signs mentioned, you must consult with your vet, who will prescribe an elimination diet. It should consist of only one source of protein that will help you trace the trigger ingredient.

If you provide your dog with a homemade cooked diet, you should write an ingredient list of everything your dog eats. In the case you feed them with commercial food, the first step you need to do is transition them to the BARF diet for Frenchies.

You can manage the ingredients in your dog’s diet, making it easier for you to discover the main culprit of their allergies. According to experts, this type of diet is the best for their dogs. Your dog will be able to eat a diet without artificial ingredients and byproducts. You will also help boost your French Bulldog’s immune system functioning.

The Key to Managing French Bulldog Skin Allergies

Are French Bulldogs Allergic to Chicken

Changing your French Bulldog to fresh food is an awesome way to mitigate his allergies. Although commercially produced dry kibble and wet foods seem ideal due to their affordability and long shelf life, they do not provide a full spectrum of nutrients and minerals your dog requires.

The heating process kibble may damage wholesome ingredients within the food. In contrast, fresh food only has real ingredients, including those vital to your dog’s health, which are healthy fats and essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and Omega six.

Dietary Needs and Adjustments Based on Health Changes

Changes in coat color

Increase amino acids, which can be sourced from protein. Apply 75 g per 1000 cal. Utilize a calculator to convert label percentage to the caloric amount.

Digestive issues

Steer clear from foods containing tryptamine and histamine. Examples are dairy and fermented vegetables and meats. It will include bacon. Apply a simple ingredient food trial.

Severe itching and dermatitis

Enhance the diet with vitamin E and B vitamins, Zinc and Omega six and omega-3 fatty acid. These can be found in fish oil. Infuse the diet with a probiotic and apply a simple ingredient food trial.

Dull coat with scaling

Enhance the EPA and DHA level of their nutrition. Add fish oil to the diet. Try food with added zinc.

Dandruff and crusts

Enhance your dog’s nutrition with additional zinc and vitamin A.

FAQs – Are French Bulldogs Allergic to Chicken?

Can I Feed My French Bulldog, Chicken?

Yes. A majority of dogs will love chicken. In many cases, it is safe. However, there are a few cautions that you must follow.

There are dogs allergic to chicken. Poultry allergies are a typical allergy for both dogs and cats. Like any new food, you should give your dog a tiny amount and observe their reaction in the next 24 hours.

Aside from the chicken meat, the bones also pose a serious choking risk to dogs.

French Bulldogs especially have smaller airways making them more susceptible to choking hazards.

Because of this, you must make sure all bones are removed before giving them to your dog.

Are French Bulldogs Allergic to Chicken?

Not all French Bulldogs will have adverse reactions to chicken. Some Bulldogs will enjoy chicken once a week. It can be boiled and then mixed with the kibble.

A majority of Frenchies will chow down chicken, whether cooked or raw and have no allergic reactions. Although they will not develop an allergy, it is food that can lead to skin allergies.

If your French Bulldog consumes chicken and develops allergies, then it might be the poultry ingredient causing it. There are times your Frenchie will be eating chicken in his diet without even knowing it. Chicken is a typical ingredient in many dog foods such as kibble, wet foods, and treats.

Why do French Bulldogs develop allergies to chicken?

French Bulldogs have adverse reactions to chicken because of their immune system. It develops a sensitivity with specific food types. But chicken causes a greater than average risk of resulting in allergic reactions, however not for every French Bulldog.

If your Frenchie’s immune structure develops a sensitivity to chicken, his body will react adversely when the meat is consumed. It can result in a wide range of symptoms.

The more chicken pieces your Frenchie consumes, the worse the allergic reactions will be. His body will respond more aggressively every time. Meaning the allergic symptoms will cause more discomfort.

Is every French Bulldog allergic to chicken?

Some dogs will have no problems with chicken. But there are French Bulldogs who will develop adverse reactions due to their genetics. This allergy to chicken can be passed on from their ancestors.

Genetics is not always the culprit. Some Frenchies can develop a skin allergy at any point in their life, even if they have been consuming chicken with zero problems for years. Although your Frenchie is okay consuming chicken right now, they might develop an allergy as they get older.

How will I know if my French Bulldog is allergic to chicken?

There are plenty of ways to confirm your suspicions if you find that chicken is the culprit behind your French Bulldog’s skin allergies. The following are symptoms of food allergy-related to chicken:

  • Patches of bald spots on the skin
  • Diarrhea
  • Itchy and dry skin
  • Infection in the ears and inflammation
  • Licking excessively
  • Scratching excessively, especially around the face and paw areas
  • Hotspots
  • Infections on the skin
  • Vomiting

If your Frenchie suffers any of these symptoms, consult with a vet at once. Your vet will conduct a diagnosis to trace the cause of the allergy.

How do veterinarians treat chicken allergies?

According to veterinarians, the only way you can optimally check for a chicken allergy is through the following method:

Perform a diet trial for 6 to 8 weeks. This is to eliminate all food items in the current diet and feed your Frenchie a totally new and novel diet during the test. It helps eradicate food substances that might be the culprit of the allergic reaction. If there is an improvement in the symptoms by the trial’s end, a food allergy might be present in the normal diet.

When your Frenchie undergoes this process, it is possible to introduce chicken into your Frenchie’s nutrition. If the allergic reaction reappears, chicken might be the problem behind the skin allergy.

What are some ingredients to avoid when planning a diet for a French bulldog?

The food your Frenchie consumes should be well-balanced and contains zero additives as much as possible. Byproduct meats such as chicken skin, legs, as well as kidneys can cause allergies. It is recommended to carefully examine the label on the food you are purchasing for your little Frenchie.

Artificial ingredients should also be mitigated because they are the top culprits for itchy skin in dogs. Itchiness may occur on any body area, such as the dog’s ears, paws, and belly. Because of this, a dog may develop open wounds and bald patches that become a breeding ground for infections.

Final Thoughts – Are French Bulldogs Allergic to Chicken?

French Bulldogs are cute little gremlins, but sadly they are not the healthiest breed around. They are susceptible to numerous health issues, including skin allergies. Typically, these skin allergies can be traced to food ingredients. Some French Bulldogs are especially sensitive to chicken. Because of this, you may need to conduct an elimination diet trial for your Frenchie. If you find that chicken is the culprit, it is crucial to eliminate it from their diet. Check ingredients on food packages and make sure that chicken is not included.

Author

  • Brad

    Hi I'm Brad, the founder of bulldogpapa.com. Having been a vet of 6 years I work alongside our team to provide valuable insight into your dog's health. I have a frenchie myself named Senzu who is my pride and joy!

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