Bulldog Skin Problems: Folds, the Tail Pocket, Allergies and Ears

Bulldogs itch. Fold dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, food allergy, yeast, ear infections, paw-licking, hot spots and cysts between the toes are all common in the breed, often several at once. The good news: most of it is manageable with a routine, and the location of the itch is the best clue to what it is. The usual honest line: we are not vets. This is what to watch and when to ask.

The folds

The nose rope, the face wrinkles, the lip folds, the folds at the vulva and the armpits, and the tail pocket all trap moisture, food and dirt. Left damp they grow yeast and bacteria, go red or brown, smell of corn chips, and hurt. The routine: wipe with a clean damp cloth or a vet-approved wipe every day or two, then dry, with a soft cloth or a cotton pad, until the fold is dry to the touch. Dry is the whole secret. A fold that is wiped and left damp is a yeast farm, however clean it looked.

Red, smelly, sore or weeping folds need a vet, and usually a medicated wipe or cream for a few weeks. Deep folds on a fat dog trap more, which is one more reason for a waist. Start the handling as a puppy so the wipe is a habit and not a fight.

The tail pocket

Under a screw tail there is a dip, sometimes a deep one, that collects everything. Most owners don't know it is there until it smells. Lift the tail, feel for the pocket, wipe it and dry it every few days, weekly at the very least. A badly infected pocket is painful, can abscess, and in the worst cases the only fix is amputating the tail. If your Bulldog scoots, chews at the tail or smells from the back end, that is the pocket.

The ears

Narrow canals under a folded ear, with allergy underneath. Waxy, brown, smelly or red ears, head-shaking or scratching mean a vet visit for the right drops; don't guess with shop cleaners on an infected ear, because some are painful on a damaged eardrum. Repeated infections are almost always allergy. Treat the allergy or the ears never stop.

Paws, belly and the itch that comes in spring

Licking paws, red skin between the toes, a pink belly and armpits, rubbing the face on the carpet, worse in spring and summer: atopy, usually pollen, grass or dust mites. Wipe or rinse paws after every walk, wash bedding hot every week in unscented powder, fish oil daily, and talk to your vet about the modern anti-itch options, which are far better and safer than the old steroid-for-everything approach. Bulldogs also get interdigital cysts, red swollen lumps between the toes, from the way the short, splayed feet bear weight; they need a vet, and often a change in weight and surfaces.

When it's food

Year-round itching, ear infections and gut upset together point at food. Food allergy is real in this breed, and the only test is a strict elimination diet under your vet: one novel or hydrolysed food and nothing else, including treats, dental chews and table scraps, for eight to twelve weeks, then reintroduce one thing at a time. Do it once, do it strictly, and you have your answer for life. Grain-free is not the same thing and rarely helps. Blood and saliva 'allergy tests' from websites are not reliable.

Hot spots and skin infections

A wet, raw, spreading patch that appeared overnight is a hot spot: clip, clean, and a vet the same day. Pustules, crusts and a musty smell across the body are a bacterial or yeast infection on top of the allergy, and need a proper course, often longer than you'd expect. Stopping early means it comes back.

The weekly routine

• Every day or two: folds and nose rope wiped, then dried.
• Every few days: tail pocket wiped and dried.
• After every walk: paws wiped or rinsed.
• Weekly: ears looked at, bedding washed hot, whole dog checked with a light for red skin, lumps and sore spots.
• Every four to six weeks: a bath with a gentle or medicated shampoo, rinsed until the water runs clear, and the whole dog dried, folds included.
• Every three to four weeks: nails.

Half of Bulldog skin trouble is dampness, and half is allergy. The routine above handles the first; your vet and the feeding guide handle the second.