Healthy Bulldogs and Health Testing

First of all, Bulldogs of today are generally much healthier than they were twenty to thirty years ago. Bred correctly, they lead a healthy, active and normal ‘dog life’.

We are fortunate that in today’s times we have the opportunity to take advantage of health testing within canines and I wanted to list the most common health tests which Breeder’s can use within the UK for their Bulldogs.

If you are new to the breed or do not understand what the health tests actually mean, then hopefully this page will help you to understand and know what to look for when requesting to see health certificates from the owners/breeder.

Health testing in dogs helps to eliminate certain conditions and diseases but also knowledge and experience within breeding is very important. Unfortunately, we have too many inexperienced people, puppy farms and unethical breeders out there who choose not to health test or simply do not care about the future of the Bulldog and will breed with dogs that should not be bred from. I strongly believe the Kennel Club should make certain health testing a compulsory requirement for anyone breeding and litter registration denied if such health testing has not been carried out.

Although health testing is a valuable tool to breeders and their dogs, sometimes nature can take over (just as in humans) and we simply can’t provide a test for every known disease or ailment. But with that said, ethical and caring breeders will do all they can to ensure every step has been taken to avoid this.   

An important point to raise is when checking health tests/certificates – the microchip is the unique personal identification of the dog. All test forms should show the microchip number and KC registration number. The microchip number is a good way to check all paperwork matches.

A point to remember is if you see a dog is ‘health tested’ or HUU Clear  – ask to see the official vets assessment paper (not just a certificate). You can check a lot of information on those forms    

Hyperuricosuria (HUU) - Dogs with this genetic mutation metabolize waste products as uric acid in their urine. The uric acid forms into hard stones in the bladder, and sometimes kidneys causing pain and inflammation as the stone moves through the urinary tract. there are three main labs within the UK which most breeder’s use for testing and they are – Laboklin, Animal Health Trust & Animal Diagnostics.  

Bulldog Breed Council Health & Conformation (Bronze, Silver, Gold) – I have included a link for you to view the official Bulldog Breed Council information on the three tier test that has been developed. The Gold certificate can not be awarded until the dog is aged two or over and taken the further health tests that are required. Remember there is an informative test sheet that the vet has filled in so request to see it (not just the award certificate given). Microchip and KC number of the dog is checked and recorded by the acting vet.

https://www.bulldogbreedcouncil.co.uk/i/health-scheme

BVA Heart Testing – This test is performed by a registered Cardiologist (must be a specialist vet) and the results are recorded on an official form. The results are forwarded to the BVA, KC, normally your registered vet also, and the owner is provided with a copy. Before testing, the KC registered details of the dog must be recorded on the forms by the Cardiologist and the microchip of the dog is scanned to ensure all details match on the KC registration certificate. The form is easy to understand and it clearly states the result (grade 0 is no heart murmur).

DNA Profiling – The DNA profile is the ultimate in individual identification and offers a 'tamper-proof' means of identity. The profile need only be produced once and the DNA sample used to produce it can be stored as a permanent DNA record throughout the dog's life. This is something I think should be made compulsory by the Kennel Club.  Identification could be essential in a number of instances. For example, the availability of a profile could be used to identify an animal that may have been lost or stolen, and subsequently recovered. The profile could also be used to check the authenticity of a DNA sample being used to screen for the presence of disease-causing genes. Provided that the DNA profiles of both parents are available, pups in a litter can also be profiled and their profiles checked with their parents' profile to verify that the correct parents have been registered, eliminating any dispute of fraudulent information being recorded.

RFGS (formally BOAS testing) – This stands for Respiratory Function Grading System. Bulldogs are known as a Brachycephalic breed (Shorter skull/ flat faced dog) and the Cambridge University have developed over recent years a grading system designed to detect compromised breathing in Bulldogs, Pugs and French Bulldogs.

The Kennel Club now recognises the RFGS test as an official health recommendation and they officially launched the scheme in February 2019.

The test is carried out by a specially trained vet who will listen to the dog's breathing while they are calm and relaxed. The dog is then exercised at a trotting pace for a minimum period of three minutes. Immediately after exercise the vet will again listen to the dog's breathing and use a list of criteria to determine a grade.

Grade 0 - Clinically unaffected

Grade 1 - Clinically unaffected

Grade 2 - Mildly affected

Grade 3 - Clinically severely affected

The Kennel Club has also designed a useful table for Breeder's to understand and is a useful tool when deciding to breed. It can be seen along with further information about the RFGS & BOAS on the Kennel Club website. 

BVA Eye Test or ECVO Eye Test – This test is performed by a specialist ophthalmologist. The specialist will look for inherited and non inherited diseases, also scarring, defects and conformation of the eye lids. Both tests are almost identical (ECVO is European recognised), the only difference being the form is worded slightly differently. The form is easily read with the most part being ticked boxes showing clearly effected or unaffected.

Dutch KC Fitness Test – This is a fitness & tolerance test designed to check for any health issues which would become apparent under physical exercise, for example heart & lung function, breathing difficulties, lameness etc.

Requirements to pass this test are as follows –

*The Bulldog must complete 1km within twelve minutes.

*The vet will assess the dogs heart, pulse, respiratory and temperature

  at rest and record (air temperature & humidity is also recorded)

*Once the dog has completed the test, the vet will assess and record the

  dogs stats  immediately afterwards, five minutes afterwards, ten

  minutes afterwards and then fifteen minutes afterwards.

*The dog must completely recover within fifteen minutes to normal

  resting stats and show no difficulty or health concern throughout the

  procedure.

The dogs microchip and kc details are recorded along with it’s height, length and weight.