Drooling may be a big problem for certain dogs. Although some dog owners don’t mind it, some owners don’t want to deal with the continuous slobbering.
In fact, many people actually avoid having some breeds, such as French Bulldogs, because of how much they drool. However, dribbling and drooling are common in many dogs, it’s simply part of the dog package.
French bulldogs are typically clean dogs, but they do tend to drool a lot. Plus, there are a lot of things that may be causing your French bulldog to drool or drool more than usual.
Understanding why your French bulldog drools and identifying why your French bulldog is drooling so much may help you to reduce the drooling or at least understand why they are drooling.
Is It Normal or Excessive Drooling?
Because of their skull shape, French bulldogs do drool very easily. Like other bulldog breeds, drooling may be induced by a number of different things, such as being stressed, excitement for food, or after exercising.
So, although it may be annoying for some owners to deal with their French bulldog’s drooling, it is completely normal for the breed and there is really isn’t too much you can do about it.
It is important to keep in mind that the amount your French bulldog drools will be different from other French bulldogs, because none of them drool the same amount.
The amount your dog drools depends on their level of activity, their thirst and hunger, and their overall health, so it can be brought on by a number of different things.
However, knowing how much they generally drool will allow you to be aware of excessive drooling and too much drooling may be an indication of a potential problem.
8 Reasons Your French Bulldog Drools More than Normal
If you are noticing that your French bulldog is drooling more than usual, it may mean there is something wrong.
There could be many different causes of excessive drooling in your French bulldog, including serious, underlying health problems, so excessive drooling should not be ignored.
Keep in mind; however, that simply because your French bulldog is drooling a little more than usual, it doesn’t mean there is an immediate problem. In many situations, it may just be due to over-exertion or hunger.
However, in some situations, excessive drooling may mean there is an underlying problem that warrants a visit to the vet. Here are some causes of why your French bulldog is drooling more than usual:
1. Stress, Fear, or Anxiety
When any dog breed is anxious or stressed, it’s completely normal for them to breathe heavier and produce more saliva, which causes excessive drooling.
An uncomfortable situation may change their behavior as well as make them drool a lot more than usual.
If stress is the cause of excessive drooling, try to avoid putting them in a situation in which they aren’t comfortable, for instance, avoid walks in unfamiliar places.
Doing your best to help your French bulldog feel safe will help them to be relaxed and drool less.
2. Eating
When it’s time to eat, whether it’s before during, or after a meal, dogs, like humans produce saliva. So, when it’s time to eat, your French bulldog will naturally salivate and if they create a lot of salvia, they’ll start to drool.
Salvia is created to help with their process of digestion; it begins to break down food in their mouth before swallowing.
There’s not anything you can do to prevent your French bulldog from drooling when they are eating.
3. Heat stroke
Because of the shape of your French bulldog’s face, they aren’t able to pant very well, so they aren’t able to cool themselves down as easily as other dog breeds can.
To make matters worse, French bulldogs are full of energy and they will exhaust themselves even if they are extremely hot.
The characteristics of your French bulldog make them susceptible to overheating and potential heatstroke, so when they become overheated, drooling helps to cool them down.
Try to avoid taking your French bulldog outside for long periods of time on hot days and be sure to give them plenty of water and shade.
4. Mouth, throat, and teeth issues
An injury or any other type of issue in the throat or mouth can cause excessive drooling while they are struggling to swallow.
Because they are struggling to swallow but can’t so the salvia builds up in their mouth causing them to drool more than normal.
If your French bulldog gets an injury in their mouth, such as from chewing on a sharp object, salvia production will help heal the injury.
Check your dog’s mouth for any sign of inflammation, redness, or cuts and if they have a deep laceration, contact your vet for information on how to proceed.
A problem such as an infection, excessive plaque, or an object stuck in their teeth can also cause excessive drooling.
To help prevent plaque buildup and to ensure your dog’s teeth are in good condition, make sure to have a dental cleaning and examination as often as recommended by your vet.
5. Respiratory issues
If your French bulldog has a sinus infection, a respiratory infection, or another type of infection in their nose or throat, it can cause them to drool more than normal.
French bulldogs have a higher risk of getting a respiratory infection if they have been around other animals or if they live with other animals.
If your French bulldog does have a respiratory infection, there isn’t anything you can do at home, so it’s important to visit your vet for advice.
6. Consuming toxins or poisonous foods
When dogs ingest poisonous foods, it causes them to salivate a lot, which then leads to drooling.
For this reason, it’s extremely important to understand what foods are poisonous for dogs, which often includes a lot of human foods.
Do not feed your dog any foods that may be harmful to them. To learn more information about what foods and plants may be harmful to your French bulldog, be sure to talk with your vet.
7. Stomach problems
French bulldogs are like all other breeds, when they eat something that doesn’t settle in their stomach, it may cause extra production of salvia.
This may be because they are eating too much or because they are chewing on something that was dropped on the floor; if their stomach doesn’t like it, they will produce more salvia.
8. Excessive exercise
If French bulldogs overexert themselves, it can lead to overheating, which naturally causes the production of extra salvia, because they are attempting to cool themselves down.
French bulldogs may struggle with swallowing the excess salvia, which then leads to excessive drooling. The best way to prevent this is by not overexerting your French bulldog.
Instead, just allow them to exercise at a slow rate and be sure to provide them with plenty of water and rest when needed.
Final Word
In a perfect world, your French bulldog wouldn’t make a mess or drool, but this isn’t reality. The reality is that French bulldogs naturally drool and it’s completely normal and common in each of them.
Drooling isn’t something you can train them to not do and you can’t get them to simply stop.
But the good news is, if you are aware of the potential cause of excessive drooling or drooling more than normal, you’re likely to find the solution that may help reduce the amount of drool.
Discussing your concerns with your vet and asking for advice will be beneficial in helping you make the best decision for the health of your French bulldog.
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