Health and welfare of Brachycephalic dogs: Skeletal and orthopaedic conditions

spotlight topic:

Skeletal and orthopaedic conditions

Published 10 February 2023 | Updated 13 March 2023

Congenital vertebral malformations are commonly diagnosed in brachycephalic dogs.

  • Leu, D. et al. (2023) Recurrence rate of intervertebral disc disease in surgically treated French Bulldogs: a retrospective study (2009–2019). Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, 65, no. 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-023-00667-0
  • Wachowiak, I.J. et al. (2023) Thoracolumbar myelopathies in pug dogsJournal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16639
  • Lackmann, F. et al. (2022) Epidemiological study of congenital malformations of the vertebral column in French bulldogs, English bulldogs and pugs. Veterinary Record, 190 (1), e509 https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.509
  • Ryan, R. et al. (2017) Prevalence of thoracic vertebral malformations in French bulldogs, Pugs and English bulldogs with and without associated neurological deficits. The Veterinary Journal, 221, pp. 25-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2017.01.018
  • Bertram, S., Ter Haar, G. and De Decker, S. (2019) Congenital malformations of the lumbosacral vertebral column are common in neurologically normal French bulldogs, English bulldogs, and pugs, with breed‐specific differences. Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound, 60 (4), pp. 400-408. https://doi.org/10.1111/vru.12753
  • Ryan, R. et al. (2019) Relationship between breed, hemivertebra subtype, and kyphosis in apparently neurologically normal French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, and Pugs. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 80 (2), pp. 189-194. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.80.2.189
  • De Decker, S. et al. (2019) Comparison of signalment and computed tomography findings in French Bulldogs, Pugs, and English Bulldogs with and without clinical signs associated with thoracic hemivertebra. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 33 (5), pp. 2151-2159. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15556
  • Conte, A. et al. (2021) Thoracic vertebral canal stenosis associated with vertebral arch anomalies in small brachycephalic screw-tail dog breeds. Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 34 (3), pp. 191-199. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0040-1721375
  • Gutierrez‐Quintana, R. et al. (2014) A proposed radiographic classification scheme for congenital thoracic vertebral malformations in brachycephalic “screw‐tailed” dog breeds. Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound, 55 (6), pp. 585-591. https://doi.org/10.1111/vru.12172
  • Bertram, S., Ter Haar, G. and De Decker, S. (2018) Caudal articular process dysplasia of thoracic vertebrae in neurologically normal French bulldogs, English bulldogs, and Pugs: prevalence and characteristics. Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound, 59 (4), pp. 396-404. https://doi.org/10.1111/vru.12609
  • Wyatt, S.E. et al. (2019) Gait analysis in French bulldogs with and without vertebral kyphosis. The Veterinary Journal, 244, pp. 45-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2018.12.008
  • Anderson, O.J., Langley‐Hobbs, S.J. and Parsons, K.J. (2023) Humeral condylar fractures and fissures in the French bulldog. Veterinary Surgery, 52 (1), pp.  134-145. https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.13907
  • Genetic welfare problems of companion animals. French Bulldog: Hemivertebrae [UFAW][online]. Available from: https://www.ufaw.org.uk/dogs/french-bulldog-hemivertebrae [Accessed February 2023]
  • Genetic welfare problems of companion animals. Pug: Hemivertebrae [UFAW][online]. Available from: https://www.ufaw.org.uk/dogs/pug-hemivertebrae [Accessed February 2023]
  • Genetic welfare problems of companion animals. English Bulldog: Hemivertebrae [UFAW][online]. Available from: https://www.ufaw.org.uk/dogs/english-bulldog-hemivertebrae [Accessed from February 2023]

Online full-text available to Library members

A range of library membership packages is available and MRCVS vets and RVNs can join the library for a heavily subsidised, annual fee.

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ERROR: si-captcha.php plugin: GD image support not detected in PHP!

Contact your web host and ask them to enable GD image support for PHP.

ERROR: si-captcha.php plugin: imagepng function not detected in PHP!

Contact your web host and ask them to enable imagepng for PHP.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.