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The most common diseases among French bulldogs are ear and eye infections, as well as dermatitis. This was found out by dog experts who analyzed data from British veterinary clinics for 2013, an article with the results of a study published in the journal Canine Genetics and Epidemiology.

The French Bulldogs, despite their name, were first bred in England at the beginning of the 20th century. Pets were popular with English seamstresses, and received worldwide fame after their appearance in France, where they became a favorite breed among the elite: the cost of a puppy sometimes even exceeded the average price of a car. Due to their compact size and friendly character, French bulldogs are still popular: according to the most influential dog societies, the English Kennel Club, in 2017, they rank fourth in the ranking of the most popular breeds in Britain , giving way to retrievers (golden and Labrador) and German shepherds.

Like any other purebred dogs, bred by inbreeding, the French bulldogs are prone to the presence of various hereditary pathologies, among which are diseases of the visual and respiratory systems, as well as neurological diseases. So far, however, it is unclear exactly what pathologies differ in the average representative of this breed.

In the new work, scientists under the leadership of Rowena Packer from the Royal Veterinary College analyzed data from British veterinary clinics for 2013.Of the almost half a million hits, 0.49 percent (2,228 cases) were made by owners of French bulldogs (the average age of the observed dogs is 1.3 years).

After analyzing the diagnoses posed to dogs, the scientists identified the most common diseases for this breed. So, most often bulldogs suffered from otitis (inflammation in the ear), diarrhea, conjunctivitis and dermatitis (especially in the folds of the skin). At least one of the most common diseases was found in 72.4 percent of the pets that came for inspection, and the males were significantly sick (p = 0.022) more often than females.

Scientists also noted that from 2003 to 2013, the number of born French bulldog puppies increased from 0.02 percent of the total number of puppies to 1.46. Increasing the popularity of the breed can lead to a greater spread of diseases in the course of further breeding, which is why their search is an important step towards further effective prevention and treatment.

The English bulldogs, akin to the French Bulldogs, are distinguished by great health problems: the representatives of this once very popular breed now rarely live longer than six years, they are characterized by hip dysplasia, respiratory disorders and malignant neoplasms. Recently, scientists have concluded that genetic diversity is not enough to bring out more healthy individuals.

Source: https://nplus1.ru/news/