With the big buggy eyes of the French Bulldog, it can be tough for humans to resist them. There can be some eye problems that come along with that cute face if not taken care of properly. Because of the buggy eyes of French Bulldog puppies, they are more susceptible to eye infections and eye problems than other breeds. Knowing what these problems are, how to recognize them and being informed of the treatment process will make you a better Bulldog owner.
French Bulldogs can have many eye problems throughout their lives, some naturally occurring, others caused by accidents or malpractice (more on this below), which can become very detrimental for French bulldogs. Like all brachycephalic breeds (short-muzzle, protruding lower jaw-, bulging eyes), French Bulldogs are susceptible to a range of eye health problems. Most commonly, these eye health problems fall into 4 distinct categories:
- Corneal Ulcers
- Cherry Eye
- Dry Eye
- Entropion
Corneal Ulcers In French Bulldogs
Corneal Ulcers are one of the most common and serious French Bulldog eye problems. The medical name for corneal ulcers in dogs is Ulcerative Keratitis. The cornea, a transparent layer over the iris of the eye in a French Bulldog, loses deep layers of tissue. These ulcers are classified as either deep or superficial. The cornea is composed of three distinct layers, the epithelium, the stroma, and the final and deepest layer, the Descemet’s membrane.
Superficial corneal ulcers only penetrate the epithelium and typically heal with 1-2 weeks with proper treatment. Deep corneal ulcerative keratitis penetrates through the specialized skin cells of the epithelium and the stroma and into the Descemet’s membrane. All of these layers are clear, like a window pane, and because they’re clear, corneal ulcers can only be identified using specialized dyes which react to the damaged cells in the cornea, temporarily coloring the corneal ulcer a bright green color.
Visit – Allaboutfrenchies to know more.
Cherry Eye
Cherry eye is probably the most common bulldog eye problem, and it typically only occurs in young dogs. If you see a red, irritated mass of fleshy tissue protruding from the inside corner of one or both of your bully’s eyes, your dog may have a cherry eye. Cherry eye is a condition involving the prolapsed gland of your bulldog’s third eyelid. Other possible symptoms include excessive tearing, discharge, or draining from the eye. Cherry eye is likely caused by weak connective tissue, eye trauma, or horseplay.
The good news is that cherry eye is usually not painful, and it’s never life-threatening. The bad news is that if the cherry eye is not treated properly, it can lead to more serious eye complications. Cherry eye is not an emergency, but it should be treated as soon as possible to lessen your bully’s risk for future problems.
Some bully owners attempt to treat cherry eye at home by massaging the protruding gland back into place, but an experienced veterinarian is your best option for successfully resolving cherry eye. Vets have two treatment options for cherry eye. One is to suture the gland back into place, and the other is to surgically remove the gland completely.
If you choose to have your vet suture the gland, you should be aware that the gland may pop back out of place and require additional treatment. Surgical gland removal will prevent future incidents of cherry eye, but it could lead to more serious complications. That’s because the gland involved in the cherry eye is responsible for most of your bully’s tear production. Removal of the gland could cause your bully to develop dry eye, which is a much more serious condition than the cherry eye…and more info on this over at – Bulliepost.
Dry Eye
Dry eye occurs when your Frenchie’s eyes are not producing enough tears due to a congenital defect, disease, removal of Cherry Eye, or medication.
The dryness will cause the cornea of the eye and the surrounding tissues to become inflamed. In response, the eyes will produce thick yellow or green discharge. Dry eye can be painful for your pup so if you notice them squinting or blinking a lot, they may need treatment as soon as possible. Treatment will involve the daily application of an ointment or eye drop…to get more information, visit – Askfrankie.
Entropion
An Entropion is characterized by an inversion of the eyelids. As the eyelids rotate, eyelashes scratch at the eye’s orbit, causing pain, inflammation and overall discomfort. A dog with an Entropion will continuously rub his eyes, have difficulties seeing and have an increase in tear production. Recurrent Entropion must be treated surgically to prevent corneal scratches, lesions and conjunctivitis. Treatment options for an Entropion include removal of excess eyelid tissues or securing the tissues in place…get more info on this at – Pawedin.
The eye problems are very common in French Bulldog and a French Bulldog owner needs to be able to take care of these problems and know what causes them. Visiting a vet regularly and knowing about the problems can make your struggle easy and make you a better French Bulldog owner. Visit this French Bulldog breeder from California who breeds healthy and social French Buldogs.
Care Of Frenchie 