French Bulldog Runny Nose Treatment

Page Contents

French Bulldog runny nose is quite common. It is nasal infection that are not too serious and can be treated.

A simple explanation of why your French pooch is prone to a runny nose is their flat skull and very narrow passage in their nasal area. Their brachycephalic skulls make them susceptible to dust allergy and pollens.

This runny nose is sometimes accompanied by reverse sneezing, watery eyes, and even nose bleeding. As you read on, you will know what to do and when to contact the professional veterinarian.

Symptoms of Runny Nose

Runny nose in your French Bulldog may either be triggered by allergens like dust and pollen, or it can be due to a chronic runny nose. Keep a check on the following symptoms of a nasal infection.

Watery nasal discharge
Difficulty in breathing
Breathing heavily
Sneezing
Halitosis or bad breath
Bad oral health

Causes for Runny Nose

From blocked nose to serious nasal infection, there are a series of reasons why your Frenchie is suffering from nasal drainage.

1. Excitement or Nervousness

Often, when a dog is excited or nervous, its nose will be runny, but it clears up when they are calm. Normal nasal discharges are usually clear and without odor.

When you notice a drippy nose on your excited dog, wait for them to calm down. If it dries up, you have nothing to worry about. If their nose continues to run, maybe it is time you consult your veterinarian.

2. Nasal Infection

Identifying the type of infection your Frenchie has maybe a big deal in treating them. Some nasal infections that are common are:

Kennel Cough: You will notice persistent cough accompanied by sneezing, slight fever, loss of energy, and appetite.
Canine Distemper: The nasal discharge will appear yellow, and the texture will be thick and sticky. When your dog has this type of infection, it will have a fever and will also twitch.
Dog Flu or Canine Influenza: The common symptoms of this infection are fever, coughing, and sneezing followed by difficulty in breathing. You will also notice that the nasal discharge is white, yellow, and green.
Parainfluenza: When your dog has this type of infection, they will have a persistent cough along with sneezing and fever as well. Nasal discharge is usually thick here.
Aspergillosis: Some common symptoms of this type of infection include swollen nose, sneezing, and slight bleeding as well.

Fungal infections are generally treated with drugs and special treatments. When your dog has a chronic infection, surgery is a good option.

3. Allergies

The flat nose of a French Bulldog makes it prone to allergies to various environmental elements. If your dog has an allergic reaction, the discharge will appear transparent, thin, and odorless. Besides these symptoms, you may also notice reverse sneezing, itching, and red eyes that may appear watery. To keep your dog away from allergies, it is essential to keep their face clean to prevent the development of any infection in their snout area.

Usually, an allergic reaction will go away in a short period. Still, if nasal discharge persists in going away while developing a strong odor and the color is turning yellow or green, you may contact your veterinarian.

4. Blocked Nasal Passage

When you notice only one side of the nostril discharging fluid, it means the other passage is blocked with a foreign object. When this happens, you may see your dog pawing at the nose and sneezing. In some cases, it is accompanied by slight bleeding.

Initially, this may not be a severe problem, but prolonging it may worsen to become cases like sinusitis or even tumor.

If you can see the object that is clogging their nose, you can remove it gently with tweezers. And if there is bleeding, it is best to take them to the vet.

5. Nasal Polyps and Tumors

Some indications that your Frenchie pup has nasal tumor or polyps are mucus formation with pus or blood in their nasal discharge accompanied by difficulty in breathing. To determine whether your dog is struggling in breathing, look for the wheezing sound as they inhale and exhale.

When a dog has a tumor, it will lose its appetite, and you will also notice swelling on one side of the nose. When this problem gets worse, the treatment will be more painful. In such cases, you will need to take your dog to the vet on seeing the first signs. Most probably, they will have to go through radiation therapy for the tumor.

6. Cleft Palate or Oral-Nasal Fistula

Purebred French dogs are more prone to cleft palates where the roof of the mouth is split due to underdeveloped tissue. This condition separates the nasal passage, which is quite uncomfortable for your dog.

Oral-nasal fistula is a condition where there is a gap between the oral and nasal passages resulting from infection, tooth decay, or congenital disability.

When your dog has one of these problems, they will frequently have runny noses because any liquid or food enters the nasal cavity that causes infections. While you can see the occurrence of cleft palate, fistulas usually go undetected.

In any case, when you see that your dog is struggling to eat, coughs while drinking water, and is sneezing continuously, it is time to take them to the vet. Under one of these conditions, your dog may have to undergo surgery.

7. Distemper

Distemper is a common viral disease that affects dogs mostly, causing fever and coughing. This condition is characterized by a runny nose with sticky and yellow discharges.

Its symptoms vary from fever and tremors to pneumonia. To treat this condition, antibiotics and painkillers are usually used.