Q: I bought my first dog a few years ago. He is a French Bulldog, and I’m ashamed to say I didn’t do enough research into the breed before I bought him. Now that I know more, I’m worried about all these health issues that Frenchies are supposed to be prone to. Is it worth taking him to the vet more regularly for checks, even if he seems healthy now?

A: French Bulldogs have received some bad press recently, and this is mainly due to the breed growing in popularity in recent years, leading to many unscrupulous breeders starting to breed dogs to fulfil demand without performing the necessary health checks or taking the precautions that responsible breeders do.

The health problems associated with brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds have become common problems for vets because of the sheer number of these dogs out there. There are now even vets that specialise in brachycephalic surgeries to help open the nares (nostrils) or rectify soft palate issues that can affect breeding.

You say that your dog is healthy, which is a great sign! Of course, if you do develop any concerns, you should take your dog to the vet immediately. Particularly worrying signs in these dogs include struggling to breathe, collapsing, choking, or fainting. In general, however, if you do not see these signs or any others that worry you, you can simply take your dog to the vet for his annual vaccinations and check-up. During the annual check-up, your vet will check his physical body condition, weight, heart and lungs. This should be sufficient in most cases!