French Bulldog: A brachycephalic dog breed under close veterinary supervision in the United Kingdom

The French Bulldog, recognized by the Kennel Club in 1906, has become very popular in the United Kingdom. In terms of registrations, it was the second most registered pedigree dog in the UK last year, just behind the Labrador Retriever. However, despite their popularity, French Bulldogs are prone to a number of health problems, particularly eye, respiratory, skin, and neurological disorders. To advance epidemiological research, the VetCompass program collects anonymous clinical data from veterinary practices in the United Kingdom. This data collection supports research aimed at improving the well-being of these brachycephalic animals and the health of the breed. Based on this clinical data, a study examined the demographics, lifespan, and common health issues of the French Bulldog population monitored by veterinarians in the United Kingdom.   Ownership of French Bulldogs continues to rise in the UK: registrations have increased thirtyfold over the past decade (from 692 in 2007 to 21,470 in 2016). By the end of the year, the breed is even expected to overtake the Labrador Retriever, which has held the top spot since 1990. Births rose from 0.02% of the annual VetCompass cohort in 2003 to 1.46% in 2013. British owners of small brachycephalic breeds (including the French Bulldog) are primarily drawn to these dogs’ appearance, their size—which suits today’s lifestyle—and their behavioral traits (affectionate and good with children) rather than by criteria related to the breed’s health or longevity. The most popular colors are brindle (32.3%) and fawn (30%).  

In 2013, 2,228 French bulldogs were under veterinary care, out of a total of 445,557 dogs treated at more than 300 veterinary clinics nationwide.

  The study estimated the prevalence of the most frequently diagnosed conditions over a one-year period. Of the 2,228 French Bulldogs monitored, 1,612 (72.4%) had at least one health issue during the year, most commonly otitis externa (14%), diarrhea (7.5%), conjunctivitis (3.2%), claw injuries (3.1%), and dermatitis (3%). The most frequently reported problems were dermatological (18%, primarily cutaneous and atopic dermatitis, pyoderma, and pododermatitis), intestinal (16.7%, with enteropathy being the most common), auditory (16.3%, otitis), respiratory (12.7%, mainly brachycephalic syndrome, upper respiratory tract infection, and nasal stenosis), and ophthalmological (10.5%, mainly conjunctivitis, nictitating membrane prolapse, and ulcerative keratitis). With a median age of 1.3 years (range 0.6 to 2.5) among the dogs monitored, the 2013 health profile reflects a young population, which explains why spinal disorders—such as intervertebral disc disease, which affects 81% of these dogs starting at age three—are not among the most common conditions in the study. This profile is therefore likely to shift toward the diagnosis of age-related diseases as the breed’s popularity increases. Furthermore, French Bulldog puppies grow rapidly during their first year but continue to gain weight until the age of three, and they are under two years old when they receive their first veterinary treatment (compared to about five years for other dog breeds). The results of this large-scale study, which included more than 2,000 dogs and also highlighted differences in the prevalence of health issues between males and females, could provide a reliable framework for identifying health priorities for French Bulldogs in the United Kingdom, and help dog breeders reform current dog breeding practices to ultimately contribute to improving the health and well-being of this dog breed, which has fallen victim to the trend toward dogs with extreme conformation. In particular, the breed standard should be amended to encourage the selection of less hypertyped physical characteristics.