• ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Media
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspective
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 LIVE!™
Insights
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Client Handouts
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Coverage
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Upcoming dvm360 Conferences
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2022 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2022 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

The Most Common Health Problems in French Bulldogs

May 9, 2018
Amanda Carrozza

Their rapid rise in popularity has prompted researchers to examine some of the most common health problems recorded in French bulldogs, many of which are associated with substandard breeding practices.

They might be short in stature, but when it comes to breed popularity, French bulldogs are leaping over the competition. Earlier this year, the American Kennel Club went so far as to declare that the pint-sized pups were poised to take over the top spot—held by the Labrador retriever since 1991—as the most popular breed in the United States.

But what do pet owners, breeders, and veterinarians really know about French bulldogs other than that their photos garner hundreds of likes on social media?

A new study conducted by the Royal Veterinary College in London revealed a number of unexpected facts about the popular breed—most notably that these dogs are susceptible to a myriad of health problems. In fact, 72.4% of the French bulldogs studied had at least 1 recorded disorder.

These findings “are not only helpful to puppy buyers but also to breeders, veterinarians, and welfare organizations, and will feed into the Kennel Club’s wider health work for brachycephalic dog breeds, helping us to build a better picture about the health issues in French bulldogs and how they might be tackled,” said Caroline Kisko, secretary for the Kennel Club Charitable Trust, the group that supported the study.

RELATED:

  • Prevalence of Periodontal Disease in Commercial Dog Breeding Facilities
  • Genetic Screening Reveals Additional Dog Breeds at Risk for Hereditary Disorders

A total of 2228 French bulldogs under veterinary care participated in the analysis, which the college is calling Britain’s largest ever study of the breed. Upon evaluating their data for patterns of disease, the researchers found that the most common disorders recorded in French bulldogs were ear infections (14%), followed by diarrhea (7.5%) and conjunctivitis (3.2%).

Compared with other dog breeds, French bulldogs were particularly prone to skinfold dermatitis (3%), cherry eye (2.6%), and brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (2.4%).

Gender also seems to play an important role in the susceptibility of French bulldogs to developing health problems. Males were more likely to be diagnosed with 8 of the 26 most common breed-associated conditions, whereas no issues were more common in females.

The authors hope their findings provide potential pet owners with information on the issues that they could expect and should look out for in French bulldogs, as well as the importance of researching breeders.

“There has been an unprecedented surge in popularity of the French Bulldog, as well as irresponsible breeders, who want to make a quick profit, are cashing in on this trend by churning out puppies with no regard for their health, temperament or welfare,” Kisko said. “The paper shows that many of the health problems seen in the breed can be caused by low welfare standards, often seen on puppy farms."


Latest News

Making the case for laser therapy in veterinary rehabilitation

LSU Vet Med appoints new associate dean for research and graduate education

Sage Veterinary Imaging appoints new veterinary neurologist

What to know when bringing furry friends into the workplace

View More Latest News