Frenchie Health Screening: What Every Breeder Should Test

Responsible breeding starts with health. French Bulldogs are a brachycephalic breed with known genetic vulnerabilities, and the best breeders screen for the most common heritable conditions before ever producing a litter.

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)

DM is a progressive spinal cord disease that leads to paralysis in older dogs. It is caused by a mutation in the SOD1 gene. The good news: it is recessive. If both parents are clear (N/N), no puppy in the litter can be affected. If one parent is a carrier, there is still no risk of affected puppies, but some pups may carry the gene.

Hyperuricosuria (HUU)

HUU causes dogs to produce excess uric acid, leading to painful bladder stones. Like DM, it is recessive. Two carriers should never be bred together, because 25% of the litter would be affected. Our DNA Calculator flags risky pairings automatically.

Juvenile Hereditary Cataracts (JHC)

JHC causes clouding of the lens in young dogs and can lead to blindness. It is another recessive trait that can be avoided entirely through proper screening. Every reputable breeder should test for JHC and share results openly with buyers.

Canine Multifocal Retinopathy (CMR1)

CMR1 is an inherited retinal disorder that causes lesions in the back of the eye. Most dogs remain vision-compromised but not blind. Still, breeding two carriers together risks producing affected puppies.

The rule is simple: never breed two carriers of the same recessive health condition. Our DNA Calculator shows you exactly which health risks a pairing produces so you can adjust your breeding plan before it is too late.