French Bulldog Health Screening
Recommended Breeding Practices for the French Bulldog
- In line with the breed standard, it is not recommended to breed from any dog exhibiting severe respiratory distress.
- X ray spines for major defects prior to breeding : defects include hemivertebrae, kinks and distortions of the spine. Screen for long term stability of the spine.
- X ray for hip dysplasia prior to breeding.
- X rays should be submitted and scored under the French Bulldog scheme or by a nationally recognised scheme. For breeding purposes spine and hip x rays should be taken when the dog is over 12 months of age.
- X ray and screen puppies spines prior to sale.
- DNA test for hereditary cataracts.
Why spine and hip X ray puppies?
We X ray / screen puppies for several reasons:
- To establish whether the spine and hips are relatively normal.
- To obtain an idea of the relative quality of the spines and hips between litter mates as an extra selection tool in selecting the best future breeding stock.
- To eliminate bad backs (and to a lesser extent at this age – hips) from breeding programs and to prevent severe abnormalities from being on-sold to the general public.
