What diseases are French Bulldogs prone to?

1. Brachycephalic Syndrome: This disorder is found in dogs with short heads, narrowed nostrils, or elongated or soft palates. Their body structure causes breathing obstructions to varying degrees and can result in anything from noisy or labored breathing to total collapse of the airway. Dogs with brachycephalic syndrome commonly snuffle and snort.

1. Hip Dysplasia: Hip dysplasia is very common and occurs when the femur doesn’t fit snugly into the pelvic socket of the hip joint. It is possible for a dog to have hip dysplasia without signs. Some dogs exhibit pain and lameness on one or both rear legs. As the dog ages, arthritis can develop. 

1. Heat stress: French Bulldogs are susceptible to experiencing symptoms of heat stress, or when a dog overheats for a short period of time. Frenchies are also susceptible to the more serious heat stroke; signs of heat stroke include vomiting and diarrhea, which can progress to bloody vomiting and diarrhea. To avoid both, do not let your pet outside for more than 10 or 20 minutes when the temperature is over 90 degrees, and be careful and monitor your pup when the temperature is over 70 degrees.

1. Allergies: Allergies can occur in any dog breed, but Frenchies are especially prone.

1. Skin fold dermatitis: As cute as Frenchies’ many wrinkles and folds are, they can often cause discomfort via skin fold dermatitis, which results from inflammation and/or microbial overgrowth when moisture and bacteria are trapped in a dog’s skin folds. Treatment normally involves cleaning the affected area with an antiseptic solution and/or applying antibiotic ointment.

1. Entropion: Entropion is a hereditary disorder in which the eyelid rolls inward, causing a dog’s eyelashes to rub against their cornea, it is also found in Frenchies; the condition can result in eye irritation and, if not treated, corneal ulceration.

1. Corneal ulcers: The erosion of the epithelium (the outermost layer of the cornea) and into the stroma (the level below the epithelium) also occurs in French Bulldogs. Corneal ulcers cause fluid to accumulate in the stroma, which gives the eye a cloudy appearance.

1. Dry eye: Frenchies can experience eye problems, including dry eye, which is characterized by chronic inflammation in the eye.

1. Cherry eye: They are also prone to cherry eye, which occurs when a dog’s third eyelid (an additional protective layer for the eye) gland prolapses and appears as a red, swollen mass on the lower eyelid.

1. Von Willebrand’s Disease: This is a blood disorder found in both humans and dogs. It affects the blood clotting process, so dogs with it are very likely to have nosebleeds, bleeding gums, prolonged bleeding from surgery, and heavy or prolonged bleeding during heat cycles or after whelping. Occasionally, blood is found in the stool. This disorder is usually diagnosed between the ages of three and five and cannot be cured but is manageable with treatment.

1. Thyroid issues: Frenchies can inherit thyroid issues, including congenital hypothyroidism French Bulldog type, an enlargement of the thyroid gland that can cause decreased secretion of the thyroid hormone. The thyroid controls a dog’s metabolism and can cause slow physical and mental development.

1. Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD): Intervertebral disc disease causes a bulge or rupture in the discs between the vertebrae. When that happens, it can cause pain, nerve damage, and paralysis. Sometimes, IVDD is mild and may be relieved through crate rest and medication, but dogs with severe cases could need surgery or the use of a wheelchair cart.

1. Other: Hemivertebrae, patellar luxation, and cleft palate and/or elongated soft palate. A cleft palate is a birth defect that appears as an opening between a dog’s mouth and nose that occurs when the tissues separating these cavities don’t grow together properly. Purebred dogs generally have a higher incidence of cleft palates, and brachycephalic breeds, including Frenchies, are most commonly affected.