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As your Partner in Pet Health, the team at Hillside Animal Hospital would like to provide you with as much information as possible regarding your role in keeping your dog happy and healthy. With this in mind, we have developed new Breed-Specific Wellness Programs. These programs are intended to increase your awareness on health conditions that have been found to be commonly associated with your dog's breed. While many dogs live a long, healthy life without facing major health issues, we feel that educating pet owners about possible health conditions is the best way to be proactive in detecting health issues before they become a problem. You'll find important recommendations for scheduling physical exams and diagnostic tests which we encourage you to discuss with the doctor throughout your pet's care. Please contact us at 480-391-7297 if you would like further information or to schedule an appointment.
English Bulldog - Specific Wellness Program
Cardiovascular Conditions
 Aortic Stenosis
About the condition:
- Inherited condition that, if undetected and untreated, may cause weakness, collapse and even sudden death.
How to detect this condition:
- Annual exam - your doctor will provide a thorough physical examination and can listen for any heart murmur, which may indicate this condition.
- If a heart murmur is detected, an ultrasound, a type of non-invasive imaging, or an ECG is recommended.
Pulmonic Stenosis
About the condition:
- This is a condition usually caused by a malformation of the pulmonic valve. Due to this defect, the heart has to work harder to pump deoxygenated blood to the lungs. Depending on the severity of the condition, some dogs may develop congestive heart failure due to the additional workload on the heart.
How to detect this condition:
- Annual exam - your doctor will provide a thorough physical examination and can listen for any heart murmur, which may indicate this condition.
- If a heart murmur is detected, an ultrasound, a type of non-invasive imaging, or an ECG is recommended.
Dermatological Conditions
Generalized Demodicosis
About the condition:
- This is a severe skin disease caused by the Demodex mite. In severe cases, the hair follicles may become deeply infected and begin to produce pus. The Demodex mite is not contagious and cannot be transmitted from one dog to another dog or to humans.
How to detect this condition:
- The most common sign of demodicosis is patches of hair loss, usually all over the body. If you notice any hair loss, an exam is recommended.
Endocrine Conditions
Hypothyroidism
About the condition:
- A deficiency in the secretion of thyroid hormone.
How to detect this condition:
- A blood test can determine whether your pet is within the normal range of thyroid hormone; it should be performed at 6 years of age and every other year thereafter.
Musculoskeletal Conditions
Hip Dysplasia
About the condition:
- A deficiency in the secretion of thyroid hormone.
- Caused by various deformities of the hip along with the development of degenerative joint disease.
- Nutrition and exercise can help in prevention.
How to detect this condition:
- It is important to have X-rays taken to find any deformities or degeneration of the hip joints. This is recommended at the of spaying/neutering (or at age 2 for breeding dogs) and then again at age 6.
This list is not intended to cover all possible diseases and/or conditions found in English Bulldogs, but instead lists those that we have found to be most common at Hillside Animal Hospital. Please let your doctor know if you have further questions regarding these or any other conditions.
Wellness Recommendations
An annual physical exam is recommended for the life of your pet so that any problems can be detected. In addition, we recommend the following diagnostic evaluations in order to provide more thorough veterinary prevention and care:
| At time of spay/neuter |
X-rays of hips to check for hip dysplasia disc disease |
| Age 6 |
42 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays of hips |
| Age 8 |
51 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays of chest, abdomen and hips if needed |
| Age 10 |
60 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 12 |
69 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 14 |
78 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
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