French Bulldogs, Easy to Love, Lots to Fix, Common Health Problems of the Frenchie

The French Bulldog is rapidly becoming the most common dog breed in sophisticate urban settings, including New York and San Francisco. Explosive growth of the breed makes sense when you consider the Frenchie is adorably sweet if homely, with its flat little face, slightly exophthalmic eyes, and large round head. Throughout North America, dogs with these more puppy-like characteristics (neotony) are rapidly outpacing dogs with more adult, wolf-like characteristics, and outpacing the other small, short-coated breeds. And why not. The Frenchie is less likely to be a barker than the Papillion; less likely to bite than the Chihuahua; less likely to have a collapsing trachea than the Yorkshire Terrier; less likely to run off than the Beagle; and less likely to dig in the yard than the American Eskimo. The Frenchie is also less likely to have heart disease, diabetes or syringomyelia than the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

With the absence of so many of the undesirable characteristics, the Frenchie sounds like the ideal urban dog—but the Frenchie has its own set of problems. Here is a partial list of problems the Frenchie is genetically prone to developing:

·       Brachycephaly with elongated soft palate with the potential for breathing difficulty (dyspnea) and overheating (hyperthermia)

·         Hemivertebra with the potential for scoliosis, pinched nerves, and arthritis

·          Luxating patella

·          Hip dysplasia

·          Cleft palate

·          Difficulty mounting and inseminating the female necessitating artificial insemination

·          Birthing difficulty requiring C-section in 80% of the breed

·          Allergies           

·          Skin fold infections

How significant are Frenchie genetic problems?

Some genetic problems are potentially fatal, while others are simply painful nuisances. 

First, let’s consider the potentially fatal problems starting with those caused by the flat face and short airway characteristic of brachycephaly.

Brachycephaly, Hyperthermia and Dyspnea

Brachycephaly is the condition of having a round skull, flat face, and short nose. In all brachycephalic breeds, from Boston Terriers to Pekingese, the distance from the front of the nose to the back of the mouth is too short to allow cooling through panting; because these dogs can’t pant, they overheat (hyperthermia). In addition to being prone to hyperthermia, most brachycephalic dogs have breathing difficulty (dyspnea) because the roof of the mouth, called the soft palate, extends far back into the throat where it obstructs air moving down to the lungs.

Taken individually, hyperthermia and dyspnea are each serious health concerns, but when combined as they are in brachycephalic dogs, they are easily fatal. In fact, hyperthermia and dyspnea are so commonly fatal in Frenchies that most airlines will not allow French Bulldogs to be transported in cargo space. Airlines learned this lesson the hard way, but airline suffering was miniscule in comparison to that of the Frenchie or of the family that unpacked dead cargo.

The difficulty Frenchies have with temperature regulation is not limited to overheating—Frenchies also chill easily; their short, single coat provides little protection from rain or snow. Fortunately, Frenchies are adorable in their stormy weather gear.

Hemivertebrae, Scoliosis, Arthritis, and Nerve Pain in French Bulldogs

Now, let’s consider some Frenchie genetic problems that are not fatal: scoliosis, arthritis and nerve pain. These three problems arise from the same source, misshapen vertebrae in the spine. Normally, the individual bones in the spine, the vertebra, are linked together like railroad cars, with the regular uniform shape of each vertebra contributing to the structure of a straight, strong spine. Hemivertabrae have an irregular (butterfly) shape, so they cause a crooked spine (scoliosis). The irregularly shaped vertebrae don’t provide normal protective outlets for nerves that enter and leave the spine. Unprotected, the nerves are pinched either occasionally with sudden acute pain, or pinched constantly causing chronic pain. The long-term consequences of hemivertebrae, while not fatal, areresponsible for significant suffering.

Screw Tails

Not having a straight spine is associated with having a “screw” tail. Because the screw tail was the breed standard, Frenchies with hemivertebrae inadvertently became the backbone of dogs selected for breeding. Recently, the European standards have changed regarding the Frenchie tail, calling for a dropped tail. Members of the American Kennel Club are advocating changes for AKC standards.

The Pelvis, Hip Dysplasia, Insemination and C-Sections in Frenchies

In addition to the spine and tail, the hips are also prone to skeletal abnormalities. The hip socket (acetabulum) is often poorly formed so the leg bones (femurs) don’t seat properly, leading to hip dysplasia. Whether or not the pelvis is dysplastic, in Frenchies, the pelvis is much narrower than the shoulders and the strong, stable front end of the dog. The narrow pelvis causes problems for both males and females: males are unable to stand and inseminate females, and females are unable to deliver pups without surgery. Up to 80 percent of male Frenchies require assistance with artificial insemination, and up to 80 percent of female Frenchies require Caesarean sections. C-sections are especially likely when the bitch carries only one, two or three pups because small litters allow each pup to develop to its maximum size, with a characteristically large head. The large head won’t fit through the pelvis. If, which is uncharacteristic, the female has a large litter, each pup would receive slightly less placental nutrition, leading to a lower birth weight and smaller head circumference. Bitches with large litters make up the 20 percent not requiring C-sections.

The Knee Problem, Patella Luxation

Moving from the pelvis down to the knees, there is another genetic problem, patella luxation. The patella is the little bone that sits over the knee joint in the hind leg and slides up and down with each step. When the knee joint is poorly formed, the groove the patella ligament slides in is too shallow, and the patella slips sideways. When bones like the patella don’t sit where they should, they are said to be displaced or luxated. While patella luxation is not initially painful, it leads to chronic wear and eventually painful arthritis.

Are Allergies Significant in French Bulldogs?

In light of the serious structural problems in knees, hips, and spine, allergies might seem insignificant. Often they are, but when a Frenchie has an acute allergic reaction, it is more likely to be fatal than is an acute allergic reaction in a dog with a normally long nose and short soft palate. The Frenchie, with its short airway and elongated soft palate, is at greater risk of asphyxiation with an allergic reaction causing facial swelling (bee sting, spider bite, vaccine reaction) than is a dog with a normal airway. Frenchies, with their short airways and elongated soft palates, are also more likely to experience breathing difficulty and death during recovery from anesthesia, regardless of how well the surgery has gone.

 

Caution Is Best, So Choose Your Frenchie Wisely

Should these potentially fatal problems prevent you from adopting a Frenchie? No! Choose your pup, but check out the sire and dam to ensure serious genetic problems haven’t manifest in their matings. If adopting from a rescue group or Humane Society, ask which medical problems are likely to surface in the dog you’re interested in adopting. Ask if the rescue group works with a veterinary surgeon who offers a reduced fee for adopted pets. When you get your Frenchie, start a savings account for medical expenses or buy pet health insurance from companies like Embrace, Figo, Nationwide or Total Planning Veterinary Service.

Heartworm Medications for the Frenchie

If you live where heartworm is endemic, give heartworm medications. Heartworm infection can kill any pet, but is more easily fatal in dogs with the potential for dyspnea. Heartworm is carried by mosquitoes, so if you live where mosquitoes are present year round, give heartworm medication year round. If you live where mosquitoes have a season, give your Frenchie heartworm medication while mosquitoes are out and for two months following the last mosquitoes. Use heartworm medication even if your Frenchie spends most of its time inside and only a little time outdoors. We still have mosquitos inside, and one mosquito can make the difference between health and disease.

Feeding a French Bulldog, What's Best?

What you feed your Frenchie is as important as the medications you give. The more natural the food you provide, the healthier your pet. Natural food means you can look at what you’re feeding and know what it is. If you must read the label to know what you’re feeding, the food has been too processed to make your pet truly healthy. It is not that dried, cooked kibble will kill your pet, but kibble cannot keep your Frenchie truly healthy.

Natural Foods Are Best

When choosing what to feed your Frenchie, start by selecting foods they have historically done well eating: lamb, beef, beets, wheat, oats, barley, corn, flax, and potatoes. The French bulldog thrived eating the local diet from England and France. They were not offered exotic foods from far away places: avocado, rice, citrus fruits, fish or soy beans. So start by offering what the breed ate while it was being developed, then see how your pet does with small amounts of more exotic fare.

Grains for Frenchies

While some advocate a non-grain diet, I do not. The problem with grain is dried grain, especially dried grain incorporate into kibble. Dried grain is associated with the Dermatophagoides mite, the most common cause of food allergies in pets and in people. Dried grain purchased for pet foods is also the cheapest grain and the most likely to have a high level of mold, such as fusarium and aspergillus. So when feeding grain, always use human-grade grain , and use fresh when possible. For example, scrape a tablespoon of fresh corn on the cob into your pet’s meal when corn is in season. Routinely give a teaspoon of ground flax seed, especially flax found in Missing Link, as this promotes normal sized feces, fully emptying the anal sacs when your pet defecates.

How should you exercise your sturdy little pet?

Frenchies have little legs, but they still like to take walks. Don’t ask them to take fast walks, especially in the heat. Don’t ask them to run up and down stairs like a Jack Russell, or to whip through agility poles like a Sheltie. Instead of agility, design games like hunting for food around the yard. Teach your dog to swim, but go slowly—their necks are short so it can be difficult for them to carry their heads above a choppy wave. If your Frenchie is anxious in water, put it in a lifejacket and swim with it. Swimming or cooling off in the pool will provide lots of fun in the summer when it is so easy for this breed to overheat.

Frenchies Are Worth It
Does it sound like a lot of work to keep a Frenchie healthy and happy. Maybe so, but this breed is worth every effort we take to give it a healthy lifestyle. May your French Bulldog be the best dog ever, giving you 10-13 years of love and joy.

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