French Bulldog drooling: Drool is simply spilling saliva and is common amongst dogs, especially around mealtime. While some dog breeds are known to drool excessively, French bulldogs don’t drool a lot. That is why you need to be concerned if you realize that your Frenchie starts drooling excessively. However, if you notice that your Frenchie has started drooling more than normal, it could indicate something is wrong.
There are many possible reasons why your French bulldog could suddenly start drooling. Frenchies usually drool at predictable times like when around mealtime or while sleeping. However, a common reason your French bulldog began drooling is to lubricate the mouth to aid in eating and digestion.
Another possible reason for his drooling is due to the shape of their jaw and the arrangement of the lips. Unlike other dogs, the French bulldog’s snout is wider and shorter. Additionally, their lips are thick and tend to drop downwards, making them susceptible to drooling, especially while sleeping. Therefore, if your French bulldog starts to drool excessively all of a sudden, then he is probably sick.
| Below are common reasons why your Frenchie started drooling all of a sudden |
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| Food excitement: The most common reason French bulldogs drool is food excitement. That is why they mostly drool around mealtime. Even humans salivate when delicious food is brought in front of them, and they are hungry. So if your Frenchie is hungry and then spots you with a plate full of his favorite food, he may start drooling because of food excitement. |
| Heatstroke: Another possible reason why your French bulldog could be drooling all of a sudden is heatstroke. Heatstroke is a serious concern for bulldogs, especially those living in hot areas. Excessive heat may force your Frenchie to drool to cool the body. If the drooling is accompanied by heavy panting, irregular or fast heartbeat, and frequent lying down, your dog may suffer heatstroke. If that is the case, then you should take him to the vet immediately for a checkup. Heatstroke in Frenchies is life-threatening and should be taken seriously. |
| Tooth decay or mouth disease: Another possible reason your French bulldog could be drooling is tooth decay and mouth diseases. Excessive buildup of tartar, mouth tumors, mouth ulcers, injuries, and gum disease may cause excessive drooling in dogs. If you notice that your Frenchie is drooling excessively and feels uncomfortable in the mouth, you should inspect his mouth and check if there are any red, swollen, bleeding gums or decayed teeth. If that is the case, you should take him to the vet for treatment. |
| Anxiety: Your Frenchie is also likely to drool suddenly if it is anxious or unease. Like excitement, fear and nervousness could also trigger him to drool excessively. |
| Organ disease: Excessive drooling could also indicate that your Frenchie is suffering from a serious disease like liver or kidney disease. If your Frenchie seems uncomfortable, loses appetite, and becomes dull, you should immediately take him to the vet for a checkup because he could be suffering from organ disease. |
| Motion sickness: Motion sickness can also make the dog drool excessively. Therefore, if you notice that your dog starts drooling excessively all of a sudden while riding in the car, motion sickness could be the culprit, especially if the drooling is accompanied by symptoms such as yawning and constant licking of the lips, vomiting, crying, and immobility. |
| Rabies: Another possible reason you Frenchie could be drooling is that it has been infected by rabies, a deadly viral disease that causes brain inflammation. Dogs usually get rabies when bitten by an infected animal, such as raccoons, foxes, and coyotes, among many others. It is important to ensure your Frenchie is vaccinated for this deadly virus. However, if you suspect rabies, you immediately take it to the vet if it has not been vaccinated. When symptoms of rabies start to show up, the chances of survival are usually very slim. |
| Mouth injury: Mouth injury can also make your French bulldog drool excessively. Therefore, if you notice that your dog is drooling excessively and has difficulty swallowing food, it could be because of an injury. Inspect your dog’s mouth to see any signs of damage. |
| Ingestion of toxins: If your Frenchie starts drooling excessively all of a sudden, then it may have ingested a toxic substance such as a poisonous plant. Toxins can cause serious damage to vital organs and, in some cases, death. If you suspect your dog has swallowed something deadly, you should immediately take him to the vet. |
What is typical drooling for a French bulldog?
Like other bulldogs, Frenchies drool a lot around mealtime. If your French bulldog drools around mealtime, that should not worry you because he is probably drooling because of the smell of a delicious meal. However, unlike other dog breeds like Great Danes, Bernese mountain dog, black and tan coonhound, English bulldog, Sussex spaniel, and boxers that drool a lot, French bulldogs don’t drool excessively.
The only time when the drooling is completely normal is when they are drooling during mealtime. If meals do not trigger the drooling, then excessive drooling could signify that your pup is sick.
How do I stop my French bulldog from drooling?
Drooling is a natural process and is difficult to stop fully. It is just like humans salivating when they smell delicious food. However, you can prevent excessive drooling on your Frenchie by doing the following:
| Treat any condition that may cause drooling, including cleaning the teeth, extracting the decayed tooth, treating gum problems, and healing mouth injuries. | Store any poisonous product away from your dog’s reach. You should also ensure that you don’t have plants around your yard that may poison your Frenchie. |
| Limit traveling with your Frenchie unless you have to if he suffers from motion sickness | Avoid exposing your dog to excessive heat, especially if you live in hot areas. |
| If your dog’s drooling is caused by fear or nervousness, you should try to calm it and provide protection, care, and love. | Ensure you take your Frenchie to the vet for a regular checkup as recommended. This will help detect and treat underlying health conditions such as mouth injury and organ disease, among others that cause drooling on time. |
Does French bulldog underbite add to the drooling?
Although it has not yet been proven, some experts suggest that the shape of French bulldog jaws and their lips’ arrangement could also contribute to their drooling. French bulldog underbite is natural and inevitable due to the nature of their skull.
The prognathism in the jaw (the lower jaw coming in front of the upper jaw) combined with their thick lips that tend to drop downwards are believed to contribute to drooling in French bulldogs.
If you own a French bulldog, you probably know this breed suffers from breathing problems. Frenchies suffer from the syndrome known as brachycephalic, which causes their nasal passages to be super thin. This makes it difficult for French bulldogs to breathe. Their breathing problem combined with underbite condition usually makes them drool excessively while sleeping.
When to take my dog to the vet over drooling
If your dog is drooling mostly during mealtime or sleeping, that should not worry you. However, if the smell of food does not trigger the drooling, that should concern you. You should take your Frenchie to the vet over drooling if excessive drooling arises suddenly and it is severe. This could be a sign that your Frenchie consumed a poisonous substance.
You should also take your Frenchie to the vet if the drooling makes him uncomfortable and sluggish. Additionally, suppose the drooling is accompanied by other symptoms such as loss of appetite, excessive sweating, vomiting, and shaking, among many others.
In that case, you should take him to the vet immediately because it could be an indication that your dog is suffering from other serious health conditions.
Conclusion
Like other dog breeds, French bulldogs also drool, especially during mealtime. They also drool a lot while seeping due to the nature of the jaws. If your Frenchies drool because of these two scenarios, you should not worry because you can do nothing about it.
However, drooling can also be caused by other factors such as prolonged exposure to heat, diseases such as rabies, kidney and liver disease, fear, motion sickness, and ingestion of poisonous products, among many others. In most cases, drooling caused by other factors is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting, irregular heartbeat, and heavy panting.
If your French bulldog drools excessively due to these factors, you should take them to the vet immediately for a checkup because he could be suffering from a serious health condition.