Puppy First, Health First
MetLife pet insurance1 month included with every puppy†
Real people, daily9AM–11PM EST(888) 729-8812
The big picture
French Bulldogs typically live 10–12 years.
Most Frenchies whose knees and hearts are checked get normal results. Like every breed, they have a few health problems that run in the family, and most are easier to manage when caught early.
A few everyday habits do a lot of the work.
Worth knowing
Each entry starts with a condition the breed is known to be prone to, then what you might notice and what helps.
This list is not exhaustive or official. Keep asking your veterinarian as your puppy grows.
A Frenchie's short face can narrow the nose and throat, a problem called BOAS (brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome).
Signs include snoring, noisy breathing, gagging, foamy spit-up, or tiring fast in heat or play.
Keep your dog lean and cool, walk in the cool hours, and use air conditioning once it is warmer than about 70°F. Your vet can check the airway, and a breathing test with a short brisk walk grades it once your dog is grown.
The cushions between the spine bones, called discs, can wear out early in this breed, a problem called intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).
Watch for sudden back pain, wobbly back legs, or a dog that no longer wants to jump.
Any of these signs needs a vet the same day. Day to day, keep your dog lean and use ramps and stair gates instead of stairs and jumps.
Allergic skin disease (atopic dermatitis) is an itchy reaction to things in the environment.
Look for red, itchy skin on the ears, muzzle, chest or paws, often first in a young dog. Sore skin in the face folds and ear infections are also common.
Wiping and drying the face folds, tail area and ears every day helps prevent fold and ear trouble. Your vet checks folds and ears at each yearly exam.
An inherited cataract, a clouding of the lens, can start in young French Bulldogs.
A cloudy eye, squinting, or a pink swelling in the inner corner (cherry eye) needs prompt vet care.
A DNA test shows a puppy's risk for this cataract, and a yearly specialist eye exam catches changes early.
A slipping kneecap (patellar luxation) and poorly formed hips or elbows (dysplasia) develop during growth.
Watch for a skipping step or a knock-kneed stance.
Your vet checks the knees at puppy visits, and X-rays check hips and elbows. Keep a growing puppy lean, with no hard running or jumping while its joints grow.
Less common
Misshapen spine bones (hemivertebrae) often show up on X-rays, but most dogs never show signs from them.
A heart defect present from birth, called pulmonic stenosis, can cause a murmur your vet may hear at a puppy check.
Bladder stones made of cystine can form in some dogs, mostly males, and a DNA test shows which dogs are at risk.
DNA tests
A cheek-swab DNA test works at any age and checks for several inherited conditions.
Each result is clear (no copies of the gene change), carrier (one copy) or at risk (two copies).
A carrier is healthy, and carrier status matters only for breeding.
An at-risk result means a higher chance, not a diagnosis, and many at-risk dogs never get the condition or get it late.
Checkups your dog will get
Care plan by life stage
Planning for French Bulldog vet costs
These are typical published costs for treating what a French Bulldog vet exam looks at and the conditions the breed is known to be prone to. Each range shows where it comes from and when, and your own vet's estimate will differ.
| Item | Typical cost | Per | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft-tissue surgery workup with advanced imaging | $800–$1,200 | per workup | at one US veterinary teaching hospital (Illinois) | 2023 |
| Breathing (BOAS) surgery: nostrils and soft palate | $3,120–$5,500 | per procedure | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Illinois, Tennessee) | 2023–2024 |
| Item | Typical cost | Per | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist's first exam (consultation fee only) | $198–$350 | per visit | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee) | 2023–2026 |
| Eye tests before cataract surgery (ERG and eye ultrasound) | $500–$1,300 | per workup | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Missouri, Tennessee) | 2025–2026 |
| Cataract surgery, one eye | $3,800–$5,500 | per eye | at one US veterinary teaching hospital (Missouri) | 2023–2025 |
| Cataract surgery, both eyes under one anesthetic | $5,600–$6,700 | at one US veterinary teaching hospital (Missouri) | 2025 |
| Item | Typical cost | Per | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist's first exam (consultation fee only) | $198–$350 | per visit | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee) | 2023–2026 |
Planning for pet insurance
When you are ready to compare plans, here is one option for Pawrade buyers.
Only with Pawrade, you receive a pet insurance policy with no waiting period included for immediate accident or illness coverage, 1 month, with every puppy.† You activate it by calling MetLife; instructions arrive with your travel details. Continuing MetLife coverage after the first month is strongly recommended.
View the MetLife 30-day offer →†NH, NY, RI, SC and TN residents excluded. Activated by calling MetLife; coverage begins immediately following policy activation. See the offer for full terms.
Whichever plan you look at, read the policy before you buy. Check the waiting periods, how it defines a pre-existing condition, and its deductible, reimbursement percentage and annual limit.
A waiting period is how long after you buy a pet insurance policy before a claim counts.
| Policy | Accidents | Illness | Joints |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetLife policy included with your Pawrade puppy† | None | None | None |
| MetLife, bought directly | None | 14 days | Not listed |
| Industry standard | 0–14 days | 14–30 days | 6–12 months |
| Nationwide | 14 days | 14 days | Not listed |
| Trupanion | 5 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Embrace | 2 days | 14 days | 6 months |
| Figo | 1 day | 14 days | Not listed |
What the Veterinary Health Report checks
The breeder's licensed vet checks your puppy before it goes home. The vet follows PetPay's exam standards, and the results go in your puppy's Veterinary Health Report.
Focus
Heart
Heart murmur, and how loud it is (grade)
02 Focus
Breathing
How open the nostrils are · Coughing or congestion
03
Temperature, pulse and breathing rate
Temperature · Pulse · Breathing rate
04 Focus
Eyes
Discharge · Vision problems · Eyelash problems · Cherry eye
05 Focus
Ears and hearing
Debris or discharge · Ear mites · Signs of infection · Hearing
06 Focus
Mouth and bite
Teeth and jaw alignment · Bite (overbite or underbite)
07
Skin and coat
Fleas and ticks · Hair loss · Signs of infection
08 Focus
Kneecaps
Kneecaps that slip, and how much (grade)
09
Hips
Hip pain
10
Hernias
Belly-button (umbilical) hernia · Groin (inguinal) hernia
11
Soft spot on the skull
An open soft spot, and its size
12
Body condition and weight
Body condition score · Weight
13
Reproductive organs
Both testicles in place (males) · Extra skin folds around the vulva (females)
14
History of vomiting or diarrhea
Any history of vomiting or diarrhea (reported, not examined)
15
Stool test for parasites
Fecal flotation test, with any treatment given
16
Past surgery and notes
Any past surgery · The vet's explanation of anything abnormal
The vet listens to the heart for a murmur and grades any murmur it hears.
A murmur can point to a heart problem present from birth, such as a narrowed heart valve (pulmonic stenosis). A murmur is often followed up with an ultrasound scan of the heart (echocardiogram).
The vet checks how open the nostrils are, counts the breathing rate and listens for coughing or congestion.
Nostril size can be judged in a young puppy, but a full breathing grade has to wait until the dog is grown.
The vet checks for cherry eye (a popped-out gland in the corner of the eye), looks at the eyelashes and checks for discharge.
Eyelids that roll in (entropion) and scratches on the surface of the eye are worth watching for as your puppy grows.
The vet checks the skin for signs of infection and looks into the ears for debris, discharge and infection.
Face and tail folds can get sore, and the ear canals are narrow in short-faced breeds, so your own vet checks folds and ears at each yearly exam.
The vet checks the bite and looks inside the mouth.
An undershot bite, with the lower jaw a little longer than the upper, is normal for French Bulldogs.
The vet feels both knees to check that the kneecaps stay in place.
Slipping kneecaps (patellar luxation) run in the breed, so the knees are worth checking at every visit.
The vet listens to the heart for a murmur and grades any murmur it hears.
A murmur can point to a heart problem present from birth, such as a narrowed heart valve (pulmonic stenosis). A murmur is often followed up with an ultrasound scan of the heart (echocardiogram).
The vet checks how open the nostrils are, counts the breathing rate and listens for coughing or congestion.
Nostril size can be judged in a young puppy, but a full breathing grade has to wait until the dog is grown.
The vet checks for cherry eye (a popped-out gland in the corner of the eye), looks at the eyelashes and checks for discharge.
Eyelids that roll in (entropion) and scratches on the surface of the eye are worth watching for as your puppy grows.
The vet checks the skin for signs of infection and looks into the ears for debris, discharge and infection.
Face and tail folds can get sore, and the ear canals are narrow in short-faced breeds, so your own vet checks folds and ears at each yearly exam.
The vet checks the bite and looks inside the mouth.
An undershot bite, with the lower jaw a little longer than the upper, is normal for French Bulldogs.
The vet feels both knees to check that the kneecaps stay in place.
Slipping kneecaps (patellar luxation) run in the breed, so the knees are worth checking at every visit.
Puppies grow and change quickly, and their immune systems are still developing, so no exam can find everything. The Veterinary Health Report is a strong early look at your puppy and a written starting point that your own vet builds on.
Health guarantee
Every Pawrade puppy comes with a health guarantee administered by PetPay, independent of the seller. The terms are on the health guarantee page.
Customers Love Us!
Tallulah · French Bulldog“Had a great experience!”
French Bulldog Puppies for Sale
Frequently asked questions
Some do, because the short face can narrow the airway, a problem called brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Noisy breathing, gagging or foamy spit-up is a reason for an airway check, and keeping the dog lean and cool helps.
The conditions that run in the breed are breathing problems (BOAS), back disc disease, misshapen spine bones, slipping kneecaps, hip and elbow dysplasia, juvenile cataract and allergic skin disease. A lean weight, a cool home and a vet who knows short-faced breeds help you stay ahead of them.
Early wear of the spinal discs (intervertebral disc disease) is the most common spine problem in the breed. Sudden back pain or hind-leg weakness needs a vet the same day, and ramps instead of stairs help protect the back.
A cheek-swab DNA test can check for the gene linked to back disc disease, for juvenile cataract and for several other inherited conditions. A carrier has one copy of a gene change and is healthy, and an at-risk result means a higher chance of the condition, not a diagnosis.
Your vet can look at the nostrils and listen to the breathing at any visit, including the first puppy check. A fuller breathing test, which listens to the airway before and after a short brisk walk, is done once the dog is grown. It shows whether the dog breathes without problems or is affected, which helps you plan care with your vet.
French Bulldogs typically live 10–12 years.
An older French Bulldog does best with vet exams twice a year and a close eye on its mobility and weight. Heat care still matters at every age, and new lumps, hind-leg weakness or changes in breathing are worth a vet visit.
The short airway does add risk under anesthesia. Choose a vet experienced with short-faced breeds who plans ahead for the airway.
Keep your Frenchie lean, cool and on a routine of fold, ear and dental care, and book a yearly exam that checks the airway, eyes and teeth.
