Frenchies are simply one of the most adorable dog breeds, and this is mostly thanks to their little face wrinkles that make them so stinking cute. However, those wrinkles are both a blessing and a curse.
Because of those wrinkles, Frenchies are prone to a variety of skin infections. If they are not treated properly, the situation can get really serious, and might even require surgery.
In order to prevent this from happening, it is highly important that you, a French Bulldog owner, learn how to clean French Bulldog wrinkles and skin folds correctly. So, let’s get right to it!
Learning How To Clean French Bulldog Wrinkles Like A Pro
Cleaning your French Bulldog’s wrinkles is not a difficult task – it is actually pretty easy once you get the hang of it. It still requires a certain dose of knowledge in order to execute it correctly and efficiently.
Just a small heads up… Frenchies usually don’t like having their face cleaned, so be prepared for resistance. In those couple of minutes, you will not be your Frenchies’ favorite person for sure, but don’t give up because this is something that simply has to be done.
Start With A Simple Wipe-Down
Skin folds or wrinkles are the perfect place for dirt and debris build-up. Due to its formation, all moisture, dirt, food particles, and bacteria get trapped beneath them, which causes skin infections if the wrinkles are not cleaned regularly.
There is no way around it except to maintain a healthy skin-care routine. You should try to clean their face at least a couple of times a week. If your Frenchie is prone to allergies and tears up a lot, you will need to do it quite often.
The first step in cleaning your French Bulldog’s wrinkles is simply wiping his face down with a soft washcloth that has been dipped in warm water. Make sure that you wash your hands before and after cleaning as well to prevent the bacteria from spreading to other parts.
Use a slightly moist cloth to remove all the dirt and debris that can be found trapped beneath those wrinkles. Pay attention to each wrinkle, and clean it thoroughly.
You can also use a clean Q-tip and go up and down your dog’s wrinkles, or some unscented dog wipes if you don’t have a lot of time at hand. Dry paper tissue will also do the trick, and it might be even a better solution because it does not add any unnecessary moisture.
Read also: 9 Things Frenchies Love: Understanding Your Pooch 101
Beware Of Moisture
Moisture, combined with any leftover dirt, creates the perfect conditions for bacterial or yeast infections, so it is absolutely necessary that you make sure that there is no moisture left in the wrinkles.
Gently rub your dog’s face and his wrinkles with a dry and soft cloth to remove any lingering moisture, and double-check all the nooks and crannies afterward.
A Little Skin Care Routine At The End
Cleaning your dog’s wrinkles regularly is necessary, but it is also bound to leave your pup’s skin a little bit irritated and dry. Frenchies have a lot of problems with their skin in general, and leaving your pup’s skin and nose too dry can only worsen the situation.
So, after you wash and dry your pup’s wrinkles, you can use any kind of wrinkle balm or a paste that works for your pooch. This will just keep them moisturized, so they don’t get dry and crusted.
Vaseline is also something that you can try, as well as Aquaphor or some general antibiotic ointment.
*Some French Bulldogs (not all of them, though) have a fold underneath their tail, which also needs to be cleaned in the same safe way as the wrinkles on their face.
Recommended reading: 5 French Bulldog Health Facts Future Owners Should Know
Common Signs Of A Wrinkle Infection
As your dog grows older, he will be more prone to wrinkle infections, which only means that you need to be at the top of your game when it comes to cleaning his wrinkles and skin folds.
Unfortunately, infections do sometimes happen, and can cause discomfort and even pain to your pooch. There are some signs that you should be paying attention to that can help you detect an infection early on, and thus, treat it accordingly.
Here is the list of the most common signs of a wrinkle infection:
Redness
When you own a French Bulldog that has a lot of face wrinkles, you need to clean those wrinkles regularly, but also check them in case of any redness.
Don’t be afraid to take your dog’s face gently in your hands and examine his wrinkles because more often than not, if there is any redness, it will not be visible without moving the folds of the skin around.
Additionally, you might see some dryness, and even flakiness.
Odor
Dogs like to get dirty, or even roll on dead animals… as disgusting as it sounds. They often don’t have a problem at all with rolling around in smelly or dirty things. It’s just the way they are.
When things like these happen, you simply give them a bath, and they should be fine – fresh, clean, and smelling delicious. However, sometimes it can happen that even after the bath, your dog has a certain odor that simply doesn’t seem to go away.
If the odor is coming from their face, your dog might have a wrinkle infection. Please note that your dog’s breath can also be the cause of the odor, so make sure that this is excluded.
A significant odor that appears suddenly is one of the most common and accurate signs that something is not alright, and that there is a great possibility your dog might have a bacterial infection.
Scratching
A dog scratching his face is a quite normal and frequent occurrence. Dogs scratch their face because of many reasons such as occasional itchiness, discomfort, dirty fur, or simply because it feels good. This is not something that you should be worried about at all.
However, if your dog is constantly scratching and rubbing his face, there might be something happening, such as an infection. Usually, you will see your pooch scratching his face with his paw, or even rubbing his face on furniture, carpet, and also… you.
Related: Is Your Dog Rubbing Its Face On The Carpet? — 15 Possible Reasons
Prevention Is Better Than Cure
The best way to deal with wrinkle infections is to actually prevent them from happening. If you take good care of your Frenchie, and clean his wrinkles and skin folds thoroughly and regularly, there shouldn’t be any problems.
If it comes down to an infection, and you notice some of the symptoms that we have mentioned above, the best thing you can do is contact your veterinarian. He will know exactly what to do, and will be able to find a treatment that is suited the best for your little pooch.
Your vet will most likely prescribe saline water or antimicrobial shampoo for cleaning the infected wrinkles. When using these products, it is highly necessary that you completely dry the dog afterward.
If there is any moisture left, the infection might get worse or even spread to other places, so please be careful. If you want to make sure that the folds are completely dry, you can try putting cornstarch inside them after cleaning, which will absorb the moisture completely.
In case of severe infections, such as those that include bleeding wounds, your vet might even prescribe some antibiotic treatment that will be able to fight off the infection much easier and more effectively.
While dealing with an infection, your dog will very likely be tempted to lick or scratch the sore spot. This is a very normal dog behavior, but you should try to prevent this from happening since it can affect the treatment or even make things worse.
That being said, if you listen to your vet’s advice and clean your French Bulldog’s wrinkles correctly like we described, you should have a happy and healthy wrinkly pup that looks as adorable as ever.
Read next: All About The Long-Haired French Bulldog & Taking Care Of It