Subgingival Hair in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs

Subgingival Hair in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs is the medical term for hair stuck in the gums, or  hair packed between the teeth, and at times hair implanted in your bulldog’s soft palate tissue.

WARNING: Many bulldog owners and surprisingly many veterinarians are unaware of this condition thus overlook it.

Subgingival Hair in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs PRESENTATION

TUFT OF HAIR: The most common location is hair stuck between the incisors and canines teeth of the upper jaw (mandible).
REDNESS & PERIODONTITIS: rosy discoloration of the gums.
DRAINING TRACTS: at times the deep tracks that lead all the way to the nasal cavity
SWELL & INFMALMATION: the gums will be puffed, red-purple and inflamed.
PERIODONTAL DISEASE: infection and abscessation.
DECAY & LOSE TEETH: left untreated the teeth and their supporting ligaments and bone will disintegrate.
PAIN: chronic subgingival hair will lead to advanced dental disease a condition associated with intense pain.

TIP: to find the subgingival hair, you must pick the upper gum

Subgingival Hair in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs CAUSE

The hair found impacted in your bulldog gums and palate is secondary to licking and grooming of hair body parts 

There are a number of medical and emotional bulldog medical conditions that can lead to excessive obsessive licking and grooming, I listed below the most common ones:

BULLDOG GINGIVAL HAIR EXCESSIVE GROOMING & LICKING

Bulldog excessive grooming, licking, and biting of the paws or/and other hairy body parts can be due to:

Bulldog Subgingival Hair due to SKIN MITES:

• Bulldog demodex red mite: can lead to excessive itching.
• Bulldog Sarcoptic Mange: those mites are less common but cause severe pruritis.

Bulldog and French Bulldog Subgingival Hair due to ITCHING ALLERGIES:

Some of the most common bulldog and French bulldog allergies are listed below

• Bulldog Atopic Itch Allergic Dermatitis
• Bulldog Flea Allergy
• Bulldog Food Allergy
• Bulldog Contac Allergies

Bulldog and French Bulldog gingival hair due to ANXIETY:

As in humans, depression,  stress, and anxiety can lead to a wide range of medical problems and abnormal behavior.

• Separation Anxiety bulldogs: anxiousness can lead to abnormal grooming activity
• Boarding & Daycare: both can be stressful and frightening experiences that lead to nervous grooming activity
• Bordom: lack of exercise and playtime can lead to anxiety to boredom, which could trigger excessive compulsive grooming.

TIP: BULLDOG COMPULSIVE OBSESSIVE BEHAVIOR: often lead to excessive grooming.

Subgingival Hair in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs DIAGNOSIS

TIP: An exam is critical, lab tests and imaging are usually not necessary.

BULLDOG GINGIVAL DENTAL  EXAM:

PHYSICAL EXAM BY YOU: picks the upper gums and visually examine the incisors, canine, and the gingival section between them.

DENTAL EXAM WITH SEDATION: often sedation is required for proper exam and evaluation because the hair might be in areas that is difficult to observe. Also, your bulldog might be painful and unwilling to open his/her mouth.

Once sedated, the mouth can be wide open, allowing hair to be found even when embedded deep in the gums, when hidden behind the teeth, or stuck in the palate tissue in the roof of your bulldog mouth.

DENTAL PROBING: A probe can be used to evaluate and measure pocks and areas under the gum line but it usually requires sedation.

DENTAL RADIOGRAPHS: dental radiographs might be necessary to evaluate the health of your bulldog teeth and viewing of diseased sections under the gumline (bone, pulp). Again, this procedure is performed under anesthesia

BULLDOG NASAL DISCHARGE: chronic sinusitis and purulent nasal discharge primarily localized to one naris should be a red flag suggesting a possible draining tract.

When a draining tract is connected to the nasal cavity, the flushing of the oral tract with a colored antiseptic solution will leak out of the respective naris.

Subgingival Hair in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs PREVENTION:

Bulldog Subgingival Hair is a secondary disease thus you must prevent the primery condtion. 

BULLDOG GINGIVAL HAIR ALLERGY CONTROL:

Preventing biting, itching, and licking due to allergies should alawys begin with non-pharmaceutical, non-prescription, topicals and supplements therapeutics. 

Bulldog Subgingival Hair Itch relief MEDICATED SHAMPOO & CONDITIONERS

Dr. Kraemer’s V4B BULLY ITCH RELIFE TOPICALS:

1. V4B BULLY ITCH RELIEF SHAMPOO & CREAM RINSE CONDITIONER
2. V4B BULLY ITCH RELIEF SPRAY
3. V4B BULLY OATMEAL ALOE SHAMPOO & CREAM RINSE CONDITIONER

Bulldog Gingival Hair Infection Relief ANTISEPTIC SHAMPOO & GEL

1. V4B BULLY ANTIBACTERIAL & ANTI YEAST MEDICATED SHAMPOO 
2. V4B BULLY MEDICATED WATERLESS ANTISEPTIC YEASTY  GEL
3. V4B BULLY ANTISEPTIC XS SHAMPOO

Bulldog Teeth Hair ITCH & ALLERGY RELIEF SUPPLEMENTS

1. Dr. Kraemer’s BULLY FISH OIL OMEGA-3 EFA CHEWS

Bulldog Gingival Hair ANXIETY & STRESS RELIEF SUPPLUEMTNS

1. Dr. Kraemer’s V4B BULLY STRESSLESS CHEWS
2. Dr. Kraemer’s V4B BULLY HEMP CALM CHEWS

Bulldog and French Bulldog Gingival Hair ANXIETY & STRESS RELIEF

• EXERCISE: proper activity helps relieve stress
• PLAY: sufficient play & love will reduce stress and anxiety

Bulldog and French Bulldog  Dental Care EXAM & PROPY:

1. ROUTINE EXAMS HOME: pick the lips, check the gums and teeth
2. BRUSHING: teeth wiping and brushing can help remove hair and maintain healthy gums
3. ROUTINE DENTAL PROPY: preventive dental scale & polish,  dental exam, and dental radiographs should be done once annual or every 2-3 years (depending on the pet)

Bulldog and French Bulldog gingival hair Dental Care CHEWS, RINSE & Wipes

1. Dr. Kraemer’s V4B BULLY DENTAL PLAQUELESS CHEWS
2. Dr. Kraemer’s V4B BULLYAQUA WATER ADDITIVE & RINSE
3. Dr. Kraemer’s V4B BULLY DENTAL WIPES

Wipe and rinse the gums daily, to help remove any trace of hair and debris from the teeth and gums.

Bulldog and French Bulldog gingival hair Dental Care DRUGS

RX ITCH CONTROL: there is a wide range of oral and injectable mediation such as Convinia, Apoquel, Cyclosporins, Antihistamines, and Steroids

RX ANTISEPTICS: oral and injectable medication for secondary bacteria and yeast dermatitis

RX ANTI ANXIETY: Benzodiazepines, Tricyclic, and SSRI

Subgingival Hair in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs TREATMENT:

DENTAL PROPY: performed under general anesthesia and includes scale, polish,  and radiographs.
HAIR REMOVAL: manual removal that often requires instrumentation.
ANTIBACTERIAL: topical and oral
PAIN RX: NSAID anti-inflammatory and other analgesics might be required.
EXTRACTION: irreversible damage to the ligaments, bone, and teeth require an extraction

“An Ounce Of PREVENTION Is Worth A Pound Of CURE”

*This guide was compiled courtesy of Dr. Kraemer, a “must-read” manual for any current or future bully owner