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There are several congenital diseases
and conditions that French Bulldogs are prone to, although they are still considered the healthiest of the Bull Breeds. Frenchies can suffer from Von Willebrand's Disease (VWD), a bleeding syndrome similar to to Haemophilia in humans which can impede their clotting. In
conjunction to this, French Bulldogs may also suffer from thyroid condition.
Many breeders follow a program of testing younger dogs for VWD, and only
testing for thyroid at that time if the VWD factor is low. In this program,
the breeder tests thyroid again just prior to using the dog for breeding.
Other breeders test both VWD and Thyroid at the same time.
As a result of the rather cramped
conditions that a Frenchie's flat face creates, one of the most common defects in French Bulldogs is elongated soft palate or cleft palate. Puppies affected with Cleft palate are generally put down at birth, as it is generally
considered to be an almost impossible condition to correct. Elongated soft
palate can manifest as anything from a mild condition causing labored breathing to severe condition that can cause the affected dog to
pass out from moderate exercise. One of the most disgusting
possibilities in a dog affected with elongated palate is passive regurgitation,
in which the affected dog vomits up food or phlegm after eating or exercise. It is generally advisable to ask breeders if either
parent has elongated soft palate, or has ever been operated on for the
condition.
Another result of the compacted air way of the French
Bulldog is their inability to effectively regulate temperature. While a regular
canine may suffer to some degree from the heat, to a Frenchie it may be lethal. It is imperative that they be protected from temperature extremes at all times, and that they always have access to fresh
water and shade.
French Bulldogs can also suffer from
an assortment of back and spinal diseases, most of which are probably related to the fact that they were selectively chosen from the dwarf examples of the Bulldog
Breed. Some breeders feel that only dogs that have been X-rayed and
checked for spinal anomalies should be bred from, but this is a difficult position to take sides on. While it is true that no dog affected
with a spinal disease should be bred from , there is a great deal of variance in the appearance of a French Bulldog's spine as compared
to, for example, a Labrador Retriever. If possible, such decisions
should be left to either a Vet or breeder who has seen quite a few Bulldog Breed Spinal Xrays, to avoid eliminating dogs unnecessarily. |
