American Bully health: a guide for new owners

Hip dysplasia is the condition the breed is known to be prone to, so it is worth planning for from puppyhood. Of the American Bullies whose hip X-rays were sent to OFA, about 4 in 10 had hips rated abnormal. Those ratings describe the X-rays owners chose to send in, and weight control is key to managing the condition.

Both breed standards call for a muzzle long enough for normal breathing and penalize muzzles so short they impair it. Heat tolerance still varies with each dog's muzzle and body condition, so watch yours closely in hot weather.

Ichthyosis is a skin condition caused by a genetic mutation that keeps the outer layer of skin from developing properly. A DNA test confirms it, and it is managed with skin treatments rather than cured.

Missing teeth and an uneven bite turn up in some American Bullies. In OFA's dental records, about 1 in 5 American Bullies had an abnormal result, so ask your vet to check the bite and count the teeth at puppy visits.

Cheek-swab DNA panels for the American Bully check for several inherited conditions, including a scaly skin condition (ichthyosis), two eye diseases and urinary stones. A carrier has one copy of the gene change and is healthy, and an at-risk result means a higher chance, not a diagnosis.

PennHIP hip X-rays can be taken from 16 weeks of age, if you and your vet want them. Ask your vet when to follow up with more hip X-rays as your Bully grows.

The breeder's licensed vet checks a puppy's basic response to sound before it travels. If there is any doubt, a hearing test called BAER gives a definite answer from 35 days of age.

Keep your Bully lean, favor controlled play while it grows, and watch it closely in hot weather. Ask your vet when hip and elbow X-rays make sense once your Bully is old enough.

At the first visits, your vet listens to the heart and checks the bite, the eyes and, in males, both testicles. Bring the Veterinary Health Report, so your vet starts from the same record.