The BigBulldog’s Take: Take a Deep Breath!
First of all, don’t be upset. Honestly, it sounds like a “Bulldog thing” to me! It’s easy to get steamed when you see a list of medical terms, but let’s look at the reality of the breed.
1. Those Patellas & Growing Pains Unless your Bulldog is having real-world mobility issues, I wouldn’t lose sleep over the patellas. If she’s limping, it’s often just growing pains, not the subluxation. A lot of vets who don’t know the breed will try to sell you on a surgery you don’t need. Bulldogs aren’t marathon runners; many live their entire lives with Grade 3 patellas and never have a day of pain. Time—and a vet who isn’t trying to rip you off—will tell the true story.
2. The Hip Dysplasia “Myth” I have heard “Severe Hip Dysplasia” diagnosed a hundred times, and more often than not, it’s a misdiagnosis. (Check out my article on Growth & Development at BigBulldogs.com).
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Muscles vs. Bone: Bulldogs rely on heavy muscle to hold their hips in place, and almost all of them have shallow joints. Some don’t even have the ball in the socket and they run around just fine.
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Slow Down the Growth: At 6 months, she’s in a massive growth phase. I recommend switching to Adult Food (I use IAMS Adult Mini Chunk) rather than puppy food. The lower protein count slows down their growth, which gives those joints and bones time to settle properly. Give her until she’s 2 years old before you panic.
3. Cherry Eye & Demodex These are completely normal for the breed.
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Cherry Eye: It’s a common cosmetic issue. Nothing to get upset about—I have a full article on my site that explains exactly how to handle it.
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Demodex Mange: Also very common. I’d bet she had a Rabies shot within a month of those symptoms showing up, right? I give my dogs Ivermectin monthly to keep this under control. It’s a standard “Bully” hurdle, not a tragedy.
The Bottom Line Why isn’t your breeder telling you this? This is exactly why people come to me—because you get 100% education along with your puppy. People love to blame the breeder before they have the facts. In my opinion, you are in okay shape. Calm down, wait for her to grow up, and I bet your Bulldog ends up just fine.
Hope this helps!
Todd Howard “The Big Bulldog”