What Diseases Do Bulldogs Get?

Bulldogs, sadly, are well-known for having a myriad of health complaints, from skin issues due to the many folds of skin and fat, to breathing issues due to their short noses. I’ve done the research to find out the most common bulldog diseases, what percentage of bulldogs suffer from them, and what you should do if you think your doggo might be suffering from one or more of them.

Are you ready?

If so, I shall begin.

Eczema

Doggy eczema is known medically as canine atopic dermatitis, and vets and experts alike come together to agree that it is the number one health complaint suffered by bulldogs worldwide.

Bulldog eczema can have several different causes, including stress, anxiety, or other mental health-based doggy issues; allergies or allergic reactions; and bites from fleas, ticks, mites, and other bugs.

Symptoms of bulldog eczema can change from pup to pup, but usually includes rashes, hard and scaly skin, lots of itching, redness, and dryness. Your pup is likely to lick, bite, or chew at the affected areas, too.

Bulldogs can also suffer from acute moist dermatitis, which is known to pet parents as “hot spots.” They are just as the name suggests: spots of skin that get hot, moist, and look very much like sores.

Skin Infections

According to research, 8.8% of bulldogs will suffer from one form of skin infection or another, which is unsurprising given the breed’s extensive fat and skin rolls. The most common skin infections for the bulldog breed include things like:

Dermatitis
Staph
Pyoderma
Yeast infections
Ringworm
Mites
Fleas
Ticks
Lice
Allergies

The best way to avoid skin infections and other skin bulldog diseases is to keep the folds of skin clean, moisturised with a good-quality, bulldog-safe moisturiser, and ensure that your dog has a balanced and healthy diet along with plenty of clean, fresh drinking water.

Believe it or not, your pet’s diet can play a huge factor in your pet’s skin health as well as overall health.

Hip Dysplasia

According to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, a whopping 75.4% of all bulldogs tested from 2021 onwards had signs of hip dysplasia, which is when the hip socket doesn’t function properly. This is due to damage to cartilage, and ranges from minimal (no space and/or abnormal movement between the leg ball and hip socket) to severe (leg ball is completely or partially out of the hip socket plus arthritic changes to the bone.)

Hip dysplasia is most definitely a disease that you’ll want to keep an eye out for, if you’re the pet parent of a bulldog. As the OFA states:

“Once osteoarthritis is present on a radiograph, dysplastic changes are irreversible and usually continue to progress over time.”

If a bulldog is diagnosed with hip dysplasia early on, several treatment options are available, which can reduce the symptoms, and prolong quality and quantity of life.

If the condition is left without diagnosis and/or treatment, though, your pet will experience pain, discomfort, loss of mobility, and much more. It’s not pleasant; that’s for sure.

Elbow Dysplasia

Bulldogs hold the number two spot for elbow dysplasia, behind the chow chow and in front of the rottweiler. Out of 965 cases, 39.4% bulldogs showed evidence of elbow dysplasia, which is similar to hip dysplasia, but affects your dog’s elbows instead.

As PDSA states, elbow dysplasia mostly affects larger dog breeds, but heavier breeds, such as bulldogs, are also common victims. The condition is known to be very painful, can cause swelling, and, if left untreated, could lead to severe mobility issues, such as arthritis.

Also known as canine elbow dysplasia, the condition is usually passed down from parents to their pups, and symptoms usually start to appear at around five months of age or after. These include stiffness, limping, swelling, paws pointing inwards or outwards at an unnatural angle, lethargy, and zero enthusiasm for things like walk and playtime.

Sadly, once your bulldog has been diagnosed with elbow dysplasia, they have it for life. There are plenty of treatment and therapy options, thankfully, but your doggo will need ongoing care for life.

BOAS

BOAS is the shortened version of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, and it is an umbrella term, used for when dogs have some sort of condition, genetic or otherwise, that affects their breathing. Sadly, it is thought that virtually all bulldogs have BOAS to some extent.

The condition, just like elbow dysplasia, is lifelong, and it tends to get worse as the pet ages, which is known as a “progressive” condition. It progressively gets worse.

BOAS mostly affects dogs that have small noses, such as flat-faced breeds – all bulldog breeds, pugs, etc. Unfortunately, the condition is almost one hundred percent down to human error. Selective breeding has given dog breeds the features that pet parents want the most, but it all comes at a detriment to the pets themselves.

Yes, bulldogs look cute with that flat ol’ nose, but it affects their life, particularly breathing, so, so much more than you’d think.

Tracheal Hypoplasia

Bulldogs have a higher risk of being born with a condition called tracheal hypoplasia, which is an abnormal narrowing of the windpipe, which increases breathing difficulties and, in turn, bulldog diseases such as BOAS.

Tracheal hypoplasia is a congenital abnormality, or, in layman’s terms, a defect that the pup is born with. Sometimes, other congenital issues will come alongside it, particularly with bulldogs. This includes:

Too small nostrils (stenotic nares)
Long soft palate

As you can probably imagine, having a windpipe, nostrils, or other breathing body parts that is abnormally small affects breathing – and in a very negative way. Alongside noisy breathing, bullies with tracheal hypoplasia will face restricted breathing, severe respiratory distress, and even cardiac issues.

Cherry Eye

Cherry eye is a condition that affects the eyes of dogs, as the name suggests, and it mostly affects breeds such as bulldogs, great Danes, French bulldogs, and beagles. Very rarely, it can also affect cats.

Dogs have slightly different eyes to us humans, in that they have a third eyelid called nictitating membrane. With cherry eye, this membrane moves out of place, popping out or prolapsing, which not only looks unsightly, but also causes great irritation to your doggo.

Itching eyes, dry eyes, and super uncomfortable eyes are initial symptoms, but the condition could cause your pet to go temporarily and even permanently blind.

Ear Infections

According to the Royal Veterinary College, 12.7% of bulldogs suffered from ear infections, mostly due to what experts refer to as “breeding trends,” which basically means that dogs are breed specifically for looks or certain features, often to the detriment of the dog.

Otitis externa is the fancy medical name for ear infections, and they are super painful. If you’ve ever had one, you’ll know!

Several dog breeds commonly experience ear infections, mostly due to things like poor cleaning, small or narrow ear canals, fat/skin folds, allergies, swimming, excessive scratching of the year, and more.

If you think that your bulldog might have an ear infection, look out of the following signs and symptoms:

Repeatedly scratching at one ear – the affected one
Any kind of discharge – pus, blood, etc.
Constant head shaking
Swelling or redness in/around the ear
Increased ear wax
Dry skin, scabs, or flaky skin in/around the ear
Weird smell from the affected ear

Temperature Regulation Issues

Bulldogs have lots of skin and fat rolls, which essentially gives them plenty of thick blubber that will keep them warm in the colder winter months. In the summer months, though, that extra blubber can seriously hinder your bulldog’s health. That’s why it’s really important to keep an eye on your four-legged friend during the warmer months… but also during the colder ones, too.

Bulldogs aren’t as capable of regulating their internal body temperature as other dogs – and it’s all down to that thick layer of fat. It is like they’re wearing thick winter coats at all times, so it’s really easy for them to overheat.

Of course, the shortened nose and breathing restrictions that the bulldog breed has, really doesn’t help. Dogs pant to keep cool, along with a few other tricks. Bulldogs struggle to breathe when they pant, which makes panting counterproductive.

Helpful reading: British Bulldogs and Heat: 10 Tips & Crucial Details

Interdigital Cysts

When cysts appear in the spaces (webbing) between your bulldog’s toes, they’re called interdigital cysts – inter (in-between) and digital (as in fingers/toes.) Bulldogs are actually prone to these painful cysts, for several reasons… all of which are breed related, which you’ve probably already guessed.

The thick coat doesn’t help, nor does the fact that bulldog hairs seem to grow in whatever direction they choose, which can often mean damaging the sensitive skin, particularly in between the toes of their paws.

Between the fur, the heavy dog, the potential for ingrown hairs, the webbing acting as a trap for bacteria and all sorts of debris, and paw-licking, cysts are easy to start, and they’re often a lifelong problem once they do.

Obesity

Pet parents are the number one cause of dog obesity, and 8.7% of bulldogs are said to suffer the devastating side effects of being overweight.

Dogs will eat whatever you give them, as many times as you give it to them, whether they’re hungry or not. This is very often more so the case with bulldogs, who are known for being greedy. As a pet parent, it is your responsibility to make sure that your pet gets enough exercise and has a healthy, calorie-controlled, balanced diet.

If your bulldog is packing on the pounds, it’s time to make sure that they get enough exercise plus a balanced and healthy diet, but you can’t make big chances without first consulting with your veterinarian. You run the risk of harming your pup’s health if you do.

Obesity in bulldogs leads to a literal plethora of secondary health issues, such as diabetes, greater risk of heart conditions and heart attacks, and much more besides. Some vets would go as far as to say that obesity in bulldogs is one of the biggest killers.

I know you want to share all of your human food with your much-loved doggo, but you are, in essence, killing them with love when you do.

Patellar Luxation

Patellar luxation, also known as “trick knee,” is a common complaint for bulldogs, and it’s basically a fancy term for dislocation of the knee. There are four grades of patellar luxation, ranging from grade one, where the knee can be popped back into place with ease, to grade four, where the knee is permanently dislocated and can’t easily be put back into position.

Heavier dogs suffer from patellar luxation more than their skinnier counterparts, which is why the chunky bulldog suffers with the condition so much. Thankfully, there are things you can do to try and keep the condition at bay, such as watching your bully’s weight, making sure that they get enough exercise, and preventing your pup from jumping up on couches, beds, and other higher surfaces. Those big jumps aren’t good for your stocky lil’ bulldog!

Pulmonic Stenosis

According to the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, English bulldogs have an above average risk of suffering from pulmonic stenosis, which affects the pup’s heart. Some studies have shown the risk to be as high as 19 times more! The right ventricle of the heart experiences reduced blood flow due to the pulmonary blood supply being blocked by narrowing. This can happen above, below, and at the level of the heart’s valve.

Like several other bulldog diseases, pulmonic stenosis is believed to have a genetic basis – inherited from mum or dad bully.

Mild cases of this condition will not impact your four-legged friend’s life too much, but severe cases can have wide-reaching negative health impacts, including breathing difficulties, collapsing or fainting, and in very serious cases, death.

Cancer

Sadly, cancer is one of the most common killers of older bulldogs, and experts believe that selective breeding practices could have increased the cancer chances for some types of pedigree pups.

We lost our own bully, George, to stomach cancer – but the most common types for the bulldog breed are:

Mast cell tumours
Lymphoma
Prostate cancer
Brain cancer
Osteosarcoma and other bone tumour cancers
Soft tissue sarcoma
Oral cavity tumours

Bulldogs along with boxers and Burmese mountain dogs have a higher risk of getting lymphoma than other breeds. Bone cancer, on the other hand, tends to affect larger and giant dog breeds more, such as Great Danes and Saint Bernards.

Summary: What Diseases Do Bulldogs Get?

To sum things up, the following are the most common bulldog diseases:

Eczema
Skin infections
Hip dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia
BOAS
Tracheal hypoplasia
Cherry eye
Ear infections
Temperature regulation issues
Interdigital cysts
Obesity
Patellar luxation
Pulmonic stenosis
Cancer

Conclusion: What Diseases Do Bulldogs Get?

Bulldogs bring immense joy and love to their families, but their predisposition to specific health issues requires attentive care and regular veterinary checkups. By being proactive and informed about the diseases that commonly affect bulldogs, you can take steps to prevent or manage these conditions effectively. A healthy diet, proper exercise, and a strong relationship with your vet are key to ensuring your bulldog thrives. With the right care, these lovable companions can continue to enrich your life for many years to come.

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out Planet Bulldog. We’ve enjoyed having you here, and we hope that you come back again soon!

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What Diseases Do Bulldogs Get?