French Bulldog Health: What Owners Should Know

French Bulldogs are wonderful companions, but their unique structure and genetics can make them more susceptible to certain health problems. After more than two decades with this breed, I believe prospective owners should understand those risks before bringing a Frenchie home—not be surprised by them later.

On this page, I cover some of the more important French Bulldog health issues, including breathing problems associated with BOAS, allergies and skin problems, and spinal conditions such as IVDD. Having an increased risk does not mean every French Bulldog will develop these conditions, but understanding them can help owners make informed decisions about their dog's care.

Health is also an important part of how I make breeding decisions at Must Be Frenchies. I health test my breeding dogs and consider health, structure, temperament, and genetics when planning a breeding. My puppies are also backed by my 4-Year Genetic & Congenital Replacement Guarantee.

What Is BOAS in French Bulldogs?

French Bulldogs are a brachycephalic, or short-faced, breed. That distinctive head shape can also affect the amount of space available in the nose, throat, and upper airway. Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) is the term used for breathing problems caused by obstruction within these airways.

BOAS is not one single problem. A French Bulldog may have narrowed or collapsed nostrils, called stenotic nares, an elongated soft palate, or other changes within the airway. These problems can occur alone or together and can vary considerably from one Frenchie to another.

Signs of BOAS in French Bulldogs can include unusually noisy breathing, increased effort when breathing, difficulty exercising, gagging or regurgitation, and poor tolerance of heat. More seriously affected dogs can experience significant respiratory distress. Not every French Bulldog is affected to the same degree, which is one reason I believe it is important to evaluate the individual dog rather than assume breathing problems are simply part of being a Frenchie.

Breeding French Bulldogs with healthy respiratory function is important, but two parents that are clear of BOAS cannot guarantee that every puppy they produce will also be clear. BOAS has a genetic component, but inheritance is not completely predictable.

That distinction matters to me. Responsible breeding is about reducing risk wherever we reasonably can, recognizing problems when they occur, and making thoughtful decisions based on the individual dog—not pretending that any breeder can eliminate every possible health problem.

There is now an official Respiratory Function Grading Scheme (RFGS) available through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) in North America. The assessment evaluates respiratory function before and after exercise and assigns a grade from 0 to III. Grades 0 and I are considered clinically unaffected, while Grades II and III are considered clinically affected.

The test gives breeders another tool for evaluating respiratory function and making breeding decisions. It is also important to understand its limitations. OFA specifically notes that because BOAS inheritance is not fully understood or entirely predictable, the breeding recommendations are intended to reduce the chances of producing affected puppies, not guarantee that every puppy will be unaffected.

Intervertebral Disc Disease, usually called IVDD, is one of the health concerns prospective French Bulldog owners frequently hear about. It deserves to be taken seriously, but having an increased risk does not mean every Frenchie is destined to develop clinical IVDD.

In more than two decades with French Bulldogs, I have never had a dog in my breeding program diagnosed with IVDD. I have had a couple of dogs experience problems associated with hemivertebrae, and those dogs recovered. That is my personal experience, not a claim that French Bulldogs cannot develop IVDD.

Research does show that French Bulldogs are predisposed to intervertebral disc degeneration and herniation, and affected French Bulldogs can develop serious neurological problems. 

One reason IVDD can become confusing for puppy buyers is genetic testing. The FGF4 retrogene on chromosome 12 (12-FGF4RG) is associated with chondrodystrophy and premature degeneration and calcification of the intervertebral discs.

Chondrodystrophy is also connected to the shortened-limb skeletal characteristics seen in breeds such as the French Bulldog. In other words, the genetics associated with IVDD risk are intertwined with physical characteristics that have helped make these breeds what they are. That makes breeding decisions much more complicated than simply eliminating every dog that carries the variant.

A 2025 study of French Bulldogs found the 12-FGF4RG allele at a high frequency and found that each additional copy was associated with a greater number of calcified intervertebral discs. However, the researchers also noted important limitations in using this information to predict which individual dogs will actually develop clinical IVDD.

That distinction is important to me:

A genetic predisposition to IVDD is not the same thing as a diagnosis of IVDD.

Research is continuing into the genetics of disc degeneration and how well genetic and radiographic findings can predict clinical IVDD in an individual French Bulldog. I believe we should use the science we have without pretending it can tell us more than it actually can.

This is another subject I feel strongly about. When a French Bulldog develops back pain, weakness or neurological symptoms, I don't think owners should automatically assume the dog has IVDD.

French Bulldogs can experience several different spinal conditions. These include intervertebral disc extrusion or protrusion, hemivertebrae, spinal arachnoid diverticula, inflammatory disease, constrictive myelopathy, discospondylitis and other disorders. A large 2025 study of French Bulldogs and Pugs referred for spinal disease documented this range of diagnoses using advanced imaging. 

Hemivertebrae are particularly relevant in French Bulldogs. They are congenital vertebral malformations and are common imaging findings in the breed, although many never cause clinical problems. Research has found hemivertebrae even in neurologically normal French Bulldogs. I have personally had a couple of dogs develop problems associated with hemivertebrae, and both recovered. 

Because different spinal conditions can produce similar symptoms, I believe an accurate veterinary diagnosis matters, particularly before an owner assumes that a French Bulldog has IVDD or makes major decisions based on that diagnosis. Depending on the dog's symptoms and severity, a veterinarian or veterinary neurologist may recommend advanced imaging such as MRI or CT to determine what is actually happening in the spine.

IVDD and other spinal problems can cause anything from pain to serious neurological impairment. Signs that deserve prompt veterinary attention can include:

• A suddenly painful or tense back or neck
• Reluctance to move or jump
• Crying when picked up
• An unusual or wobbly gait
• Weakness in the legs
• Dragging a limb
• Difficulty standing or walking
• Loss of bladder or bowel control

Owners cannot change their Frenchie's genetics, but there are sensible things they can do to protect the dog's overall health and spine. I believe in keeping French Bulldogs at a healthy weight, providing regular appropriate exercise, maintaining good muscle condition, and avoiding unnecessary repetitive high-impact jumping.

I also like ramps for getting on and off furniture, especially when a Frenchie would otherwise repeatedly jump from a significant height. These are reasonable precautions, but I don't want to tell owners that ramps, supplements, harnesses or any other single measure can prevent IVDD. The evidence simply isn't strong enough to promise that.

This is one area where I encourage Frenchie owners to plan ahead.

If a dog develops a serious spinal problem, determining exactly what is wrong may require referral to a veterinary neurologist, advanced imaging, hospitalization or surgery. Those expenses can become significant very quickly.

For that reason, I think pet insurance is a wise investment for a French Bulldog, particularly when coverage is obtained while the puppy is young and before any spinal condition becomes a pre-existing condition.

Read the policy carefully. Coverage, exclusions, waiting periods, hereditary-condition provisions and reimbursement limits vary considerably between insurers.

My puppies are backed by my 4-Year Genetic & Congenital Replacement Guarantee.

If one of my dogs is accurately diagnosed with IVDD and the condition meets the requirements of my written guarantee—including a prognosis showing that the dog has no chance of recovery—then the provisions of my guarantee become applicable.

French Bulldog allergies are something I have dealt with quite a bit over the years, and my thinking about them has changed with experience. When I first started breeding Frenchies, I thought I had a lot of dogs with food allergies. The signs I saw most often were foot licking, scratching or digging at the ears, and bumps between the toes, commonly called interdigital cysts.

Over time, I learned that allergies and skin problems are not always as simple as blaming the dog's food. Environmental allergies can be triggered by pollens, grasses, molds, dust and dust mites, and veterinary sources report that food allergies are less common than airborne allergies.

I have had good results using foods based on proteins such as beef, pork and venison. That does not mean those proteins are safe for every dog. Dogs can develop an allergy to a number of dietary proteins, and veterinary references list beef and chicken among the more commonly reported food allergens in dogs. 

Hydrolyzed-protein diets are another option a veterinarian may recommend when a food allergy is suspected. With these diets, the protein is broken into much smaller fragments to make an immune reaction less likely. Some dogs can still react depending on the protein and degree of hydrolysis, so I would discuss an appropriate diet trial with your veterinarian rather than simply switching foods repeatedly.

If you would like help choosing the right food for a French Bulldog visit my Best Food for French Bulldogs page.

Changing food improved many of the problems I was seeing, but it didn't eliminate them all. That was when I began to appreciate how much the dog's environment matters.

For example, I removed a number of dogs from my breeding program that appeared to have problems with cedar. But eventually I realized there was a limitation to what I could accomplish through selection alone. A puppy that leaves my Missouri farm may grow up in California or another completely different part of the country, where it will encounter plants, pollens and other environmental allergens that aren't present here.

Environmental allergies can be especially difficult to avoid because exposure varies by location, and genetics can also influence how individual dogs respond.

This is an important distinction. If a French Bulldog is licking its feet, scratching its ears or developing irritated skin, I don't think owners should automatically assume it has a food allergy.

Yeast, particularly Malassezia, can be involved in itchy and irritated skin and ears. Yeast and bacterial infections can also occur secondarily in dogs with allergic skin disease and make the itching considerably worse. French Bulldogs can develop problems in warm, moist areas of the skin, including around facial wrinkles, so the underlying cause needs to be identified rather than everything simply being labeled an “allergy.”

When I have a dog with persistent signs that truly appear to be allergy-related, I remove that dog from my breeding program. I don't believe I can eliminate every possible environmental sensitivity—especially when my puppies eventually live all over the country—but I can make breeding decisions based on what I see in my own dogs.

For an owner dealing with persistent itching, I recommend working with their veterinarian to determine the cause before assuming it is the food. A veterinarian may need to rule out parasites, infections and other skin conditions as well as food and environmental allergies. 

After more than two decades with French Bulldogs, I have learned that responsible breeding is not about pretending health problems don't exist. It is about understanding the risks within the breed, paying attention to what I see in my own dogs, and using that information when I make breeding decisions.

I health test my breeding dogs, but I don't believe a list of test results tells the whole story. I also consider the dog's overall health, structure, breathing, temperament, genetics, and health history. What I observe over a dog's lifetime matters to me too.

If I have a dog that develops a health problem that concerns me as a breeder, I take that into consideration when deciding whether that dog should remain in my program. As I explained above, I have retired dogs because of breathing problems and removed dogs that showed persistent allergy symptoms.

Health testing gives breeders valuable information, but it is a tool for making better breeding decisions—not a guarantee that two healthy parents will produce puppies that never develop a health problem.

Genetics can be complicated, and some conditions are also influenced by environment. My goal is to combine health testing with what I have learned from years of breeding and living with French Bulldogs to make thoughtful decisions that give my puppies the best start I reasonably can.

Even with careful breeding, no breeder can honestly promise that a puppy will never develop a genetic or congenital condition. That is why I believe a written guarantee matters.

Every Must Be Frenchies puppy is backed by my 4-Year Genetic & Congenital Replacement Guarantee.

The guarantee explains what is covered, what documentation is required, and what happens if a qualifying genetic or congenital condition is diagnosed. I encourage prospective puppy owners to read the complete guarantee before choosing one of my puppies.

I want my puppy families to feel comfortable contacting me when they have questions about their Frenchie. Sometimes that means sharing what I have learned from my own dogs. Other times, it means encouraging an owner to speak with their veterinarian.

I can't eliminate every health risk that comes with being a French Bulldog, and I won't tell puppy buyers that I can. What I can do is breed thoughtfully, pay attention to the health history behind my dogs, be honest about the issues I have encountered, and stand behind the puppies I produce.

That is the standard I have tried to follow throughout my years with this breed.