Survey of 574 French bulldogs in Germany reveals widespread breed health problems

French bulldogs in Germany carry a heavy burden of inherited and acquired disease, according to a survey-based cross-sectional study of 574 dogs published in the journal Companion Animal Health and Genetics. Owners completed a detailed questionnaire between April and June 2024, and the resulting data show that only 34 of the 574 dogs — 6 percent — were completely free of diagnosed conditions at the time of participation, with tail malformations excluded. Ninety-four percent of the dogs had been diagnosed with at least one condition affecting the skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal system, spine, eyes, or reproductive organs.

The survey attracted 1,436 owners who began the questionnaire, of whom 574 completed and submitted it. The final sample included 499 living dogs and 75 that had died. The sex split was nearly even, with 49 percent female and 51 percent male, and the median age of the living dogs was 4 years. Most dogs had been born in Germany, with smaller numbers originating from 16 other European countries, and just over half were covered by pet health insurance. The study received ethical approval from the ethics committee at the Leipzig University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and all participating owners gave informed consent.

The single most common abnormality was tail malformation, present in 98 percent of the dogs — a figure that reflects the breed standard itself, which calls for a short, low-carried tail. Beyond that, the most frequently reported conditions were diagnosed or presumed hypersensitivities and allergies at 52 percent, otitis externa or media at 36 percent, stenotic nares at 35 percent, pseudopregnancy at 33 percent, dystocia at 30 percent, elongated soft palate at 26 percent, hemivertebrae at 25 percent, conjunctivitis at 22 percent, underbite at 21 percent, detection of Giardia species in fecal samples at 20 percent, skin fold dermatitis at 20 percent, dental calculus at 19 percent, and intervertebral disc herniation at 18 percent.

Respiratory disease emerged as a defining problem of the breed. Seventy-eight percent of owners reported that their dog snored while asleep, 49 percent reported intolerance of higher temperatures, 13 percent reported exercise intolerance, and 6 percent reported at least one episode of dyspnea. Applying the study’s definition of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, which combines stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, dyspnea, persistently increased respiratory sounds, and heat stress, 64 percent of the dogs showed signs consistent with the condition. Yet only 13 percent had received a formal veterinary diagnosis of BOAS, a gap the authors attribute to the broad definition of the syndrome and to owners and practitioners treating loud breathing as a normal breed feature.

The survey used illustrated reference panels that allowed owners to classify their dog’s nostril width and nose length against graded drawings. Dogs with nostrils corresponding to the three narrowest categories were classified as having stenotic nares, and 33 percent of the sample fell into this group. Dogs with the shortest noses — those in the two most extreme categories of the nose-length panel, about 35 percent of the sample — were significantly more susceptible to hypoplastic trachea, hemivertebrae, intervertebral disc disease, and breathing abnormalities including snoring, persistent respiratory noises, heat intolerance, and episodes of dyspnea. Dogs with stenotic nares also had markedly shorter muzzles than dogs without them, with an odds ratio of 7.9.

Surgical intervention for airway obstruction was common. Twenty-three percent of the dogs had undergone or were scheduled to undergo at least one BOAS correction surgery. Among the 114 dogs that had received a first correction, 91 percent involved shortening of the soft palate and 84 percent widening of the nostrils, with tonsil removal or reduction and laser ablation of the nasal conchae each performed in about 22 percent of cases. In 26 dogs, a second surgery proved necessary, indicating that initial correction did not always resolve the obstruction.

Allergic disease was the most unexpected finding. Food allergy or hypersensitivity affected 49 percent of the dogs, and 72 percent of those diagnoses were made within the first two years of life. The presumed or identified triggers were grain types in 69 percent of cases, chicken in 51 percent, and beef in 19 percent. Dogs with food allergy had significantly higher odds of atopic dermatitis, narrowed ear canals, environmental allergies, skin fold dermatitis, pancreatitis, otitis externa or media, inflammatory anal gland disease, and conjunctivitis, with odds ratios ranging from 2.2 to 5.1. The authors note that this 52 percent combined allergy prevalence is among the highest reported in the veterinary literature and may reflect differences in population age, diagnostic practice, environment, and breeding-related genetic bottlenecks compared with earlier UK studies that reported far lower rates.

Reproductive and spinal problems were also prominent. Pseudopregnancy was the most common condition in female dogs, reported in 33 percent, and affected bitches had 6.5 times the odds of developing pyometra. Among 60 females that had whelped, 30 percent experienced complications during birth and 23 percent required a cesarean section. Hemivertebrae were documented in 141 dogs, most diagnosed between one and two years of age, and dogs with hemivertebrae had substantially higher odds of spondylosis, osteoarthrosis, BOAS, intervertebral disc disease, hip dysplasia, and patellar luxation. Intervertebral disc disease itself affected 18 percent of the sample, most often in the lumbar spine, and was more common in neutered dogs and in males.

Of the 75 deceased dogs, 47 percent had died or been euthanized because of neoplastic disease, with 13 different tumor types identified, and the median age at death was 8.3 years based on 42 reported entries. The authors place this figure in context by comparing it with breed lifespan estimates from kennel clubs and prior studies, noting that reported life expectancies for the breed vary widely across countries and methodologies, from 3.6 years in one UK study to 10.2 years in Japanese crematorium records, differences they attribute largely to study design and data sources rather than true health disparities.

The authors acknowledge limitations of the owner-reported design. Recruitment through 56 Facebook groups, while broad, was not a truly random sample, the questionnaire was not formally validated, and owners’ understanding of veterinary terminology varied. Conditions such as hemivertebrae, which require imaging for definitive diagnosis and may be asymptomatic, are likely underdiagnosed, meaning true prevalences could be higher. The authors conclude that ethical breeding practices, owner education, and breeding regulations remain critical for reducing disease prevalence in the breed, noting that the DVL2 gene variant underlying Robinow-like syndrome appears essentially fixed in French bulldogs and that crossbreeding may be the only viable long-term strategy to improve the breed’s overall health.

Subject of Research: Health status and disease prevalence in French bulldogs in Germany based on an owner survey

Article Title: Health status and disease prevalences in French bulldogs in Germany: insights from a survey-based study

Article References: Hinze, M. A. G., Meyer, K. O. H., Heilmann, R. M., & Müller, U. (2025). Health status and disease prevalences in French bulldogs in Germany: insights from a survey-based study. Companion Animal Health and Genetics, 12(1), Article 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40575-025-00149-8

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s40575-025-00149-8

Keywords: French bulldog, brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, dog health, allergy, hemivertebrae, stenotic nares, intervertebral disc disease, owner survey, Germany, veterinary medicine, breeding, canine genetics