The spine database is a pilot study maintained at the request of the French Bulldog Club of America but also applies to the Bulldog and Boston Terrier breeds to track prevalence of vertebral anomalies which have an inherited component.

There are numerous vertebral anomalies that occur during the embryologic development of the spine, are present at birth and do not alter shape during growth over the course of the dog’s life.

The types of vertebral anomalies are: hemivertebra, butterfly vertebra, block vertebra, transitional vertebra and spina bifida.

The radiographic evaluation of the spine requires both a lateral and a ventral dorsal view of the entire spine (C through L) on dogs over 5 months of age.