Spondylosis Vertebral Arthritis

Your vet X-rayed your bulldog for something else entirely and came back talking about his spine.

Spondylosis is arthritis of the vertebrae: chronic degeneration that throws up bone spurs along the edges and can eventually bridge one vertebra to the next. It sits mostly in the lower back, at the lumbar and lumbar sacral level.

Most bulldogs with it show nothing at all. That is why it is usually found by accident, and why finding it is not the same as needing to treat it.

Jump to:3 causes5 signs to watch4 ways to prevent it7 owner questions

Shop Back & Spine Support →

From Dr. Kraemer’s inbox

“Dr. Kraemer, my eight year old English Bulldog Sunny is showing signs of back pain. Could it be arthritis of the vertebrae, given his age and breed? And are there supplements or preventive measures that would help?” 

A typical message from a Bulldog owner, shortened, with the name changed.

 

Dr. Kraemer’s reply

At eight, spondylosis is a fair guess, and the lower back is exactly where it lives. But I would not let anyone settle on it without ruling out the others first, because several bulldog problems produce back pain and they are managed very differently. The diagnosis I care about is the one that explains the pain, not the one that shows up on the film. A physical exam should work through IVDD, vertebral malformation, hip dysplasia, an ACL injury, ordinary arthritis and a luxating patella before spondylosis gets the credit. That matters because spondylosis is frequently subclinical: plenty of bulldogs have obvious bony bridging on radiographs and no symptoms whatsoever, so finding it does not prove it is the source of Sunny’s discomfort. If it does turn out to be the cause, treatment is symptomatic rather than surgical. Get the weight off him, keep him moving for muscle support and blood flow, use an NSAID or an analgesic such as gabapentin when he needs it, and keep joint and comfort supplements going daily. Cold laser, PEMF and stem cell therapy all help with pain and inflammation without adding another drug.

Dr. Roy Kraemer, DVM

Bulldog spondylosis is a form of vertebral arthritis characterized by chronic degeneration of the spinal column and tends to occur more frequently in the lower part of the spine.

1. Spondylosis in bulldogs is often subclinical and diagnosed during unrelated routine X-rays.
2. Like common arthritis, it is often caused by degeneration due to chronic bone-on-bone injury
3. Spondylosis is more common in the lower vertebra (lumbar-sacral)
4. Treatment often requires pain and anti-inflammatory medication
5. Prevention and care include weight management and Dr. Kraemer’s Bulldog Spondylosis and Back Care Bundles.

Members of this bulldog community prefer prevention over RX

Spondylosis Vertebral Arthritis / CAUSE:

The exact cause of spondylosis in bulldogs is not well understood, but it is believed to be related to aging and the natural degeneration of the spinal discs. Factors that may contribute to the development of spondylosis include:

1. CHRONIC INJURY: Similar to osteoarthritis in other joints, vertebral spondylosis is attributed to repeated injury, typically in areas of the vertebrae that undergo the most movement, leading to “bone on bone” friction.
2. GENETIC: There might be a genetic underlining.
3. CONFORMATION

Spondylosis Vertebral Arthritis AGE

Spondylosis vertebral arthritis in bulldogs is a chronic condition more common in middle-aged and older senior bulldogs. Younger bulldogs can also be affected, especially if they have a predisposition due to genetics or if they’ve experienced spinal trauma.

Vertebral Arthritis in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs SYMPTOMS

Many bulldogs and Fr. bulldogs with spondylosis do not show any symptoms, especially in the early stages. When symptoms do occur, they can include:

• Stiffness or reduced mobility
• Pain in the back and hip area
• Difficulty standing up, lying down, or climbing stairs
• Limping or changes in gait
• Visible discomfort when the spine is touched

Vertebral Arthritis in Bulldogs / DIAGNOSIS:

Vertebral arthritis in bulldogs is frequently subclinical, meaning it doesn’t always show obvious symptoms and is discovered incidentally during routine spinal radiographs intended for other purposes. Diagnostic tests are needed to recognize spondylosis deformans and to help exclude other diseases. Tests may include:

1. EXAM: a physical exam should be conducted to help rule out other back and orthopedic problems, such as
   • IVDD
   • Vertebral Malformation
   • Hip Dysplasia
   • ACL Injuries
   • Arthritis
   • MPL: medial patella luxation
2. IMAGING:  Radiographic 
3. OTHER IMAGING:
   • myelogram
   • CT
4. JOINT TAP: for analysis, cytology, and culture

BULLDOG AND FR. BULLDOG VERTEBRAL ARTHRITIS LOCATION

The arthritic fusion resulting from vertebral arthritis can occur in a single location, most frequently affecting the lower lumbar vertebrae or the lumbar-sacral region. However, it’s common for multiple vertebrae to be involved in the condition.

BULLDOG AND FR. BULLDOG VERTEBRAL ARTHRITIS BONE SPURS:

Vertebral arthritic changes often entail the development of bone spurs, medically referred to as “osteophytes.” These spurs can form along the edges of the vertebrae. Additionally, the condition can lead to the fusion of adjacent vertebrae across the intervertebral space, a process aimed at stabilizing the affected area but which can also contribute to pain and limited mobility.

Vertebral Arthritis in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs PREVENTION:

• WEIGHT CONTROL: lean body weight
• EXERCISE AND ACTIVITY: for muscle support and blood flow
• BULLY THERAPEUTIC SUPPLEMENTS
  • V4B Bully Comfort Plus AcheLess
  • V4B Bully Joint and Bone Total Care
  • V4B Bully Arthritis Pain and Ache Basic Bundle
• Stem Cell Therapy and Cryobanking

Vertebral Arthritis Spondylosis in Bulldogs: TREATMENT

Treatment is mostly symptomatic pain control, surgery is rare.

• ANALGESICS:
  • Gabapentin
  • Tramadol
• ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)
• STEM CELL THERAPY
• LASER THERAPY
• PEMF: pulse electromagnetic field therapy
• THERAPEUTIC SUPPLEMENTS:
  • V4B Bully Comfort Plus AcheLess Formula

From Dr. Kraemer’s exam room

A bulldog-focused vet, hands-on for decades

Insider tip

Spondylosis is the most over blamed finding in bulldog medicine. It shows up on a film taken for a pre anesthetic check or an abdominal problem, it looks dramatic, and from that moment every stiff morning gets pinned on it. Meanwhile the actual source of the pain is very often somewhere else entirely, and usually somewhere treatable. In this breed that is most often the knee. So when a dog with radiographic spondylosis comes in sore, I still examine both knees, both hips and the neurological system before I accept the spine as the answer. The practical test is simple. If the pain is genuinely lumbosacral, it hurts on direct pressure over the lower spine and on extension of that region. If pressing the back does nothing and the dog is still limping, keep looking.

 

🐾 Dr. Kraemer’s disc and back bundles

For the back that has started to complain

Nothing dissolves a bone spur. What daily joint, comfort and omega 3 support does is manage the inflammation and pain of an arthritic spine and hold the muscle that carries the load around it, which is most of what non surgical management actually consists of. Three tiers, two sizes. Bundle & save

Disc, Back & Nerve Essential, 59lb and under →

Found on a routine X-ray, no symptoms? Start with Basic →

Sore and stiff already? See the Ultimate →

✔ Vet-formulated · ✔ Owner-favored · ✔ Ships fast

Veterinary Care and Supportive Products

Spondylosis on a radiograph is a finding, not a diagnosis. If your bulldog is genuinely sore, the examination matters more than the film, because IVDD, hip disease, a cruciate injury and a luxating patella all produce back and hind end pain and all need different handling. No supplement reverses bony bridging. What supplements do is manage the inflammation and pain, and support the muscle that takes the load off the spine.

• Request an appointment
• Ask Dr. Kraemer
• Explore Bulldog back and spine support

The Disc, Back and Nerve bundles, 59lb and under

• Disc, Back and Nerves Basic Care Bundle
• Disc, Back and Nerve Essential Bundle
• Disc, Back and Nerve ULTIMATE Bundle

The Disc, Back and Nerve bundles, 60lb and over

• Disc, Back and Nerves Basic Care Bundle
• Disc, Back and Nerve Essential Bundle
• Disc, Back and Nerves ULTIMATE Bundle

More Help from Dr. Kraemer

These are the conditions I rule out before I let spondylosis take the blame:

• IVDD and disc disease in Bulldogs
• Vertebral malformation back problems
• Hip dysplasia in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs
• ACL tear in Bulldogs and French Bulldogs
• Medial patella luxation (MPL)
• Bulldog arthritis and arthritic pain

About the Author

Roy Kraemer, DVM, is a veterinarian with extensive clinical experience caring for Bulldogs and French Bulldogs. His educational work emphasizes examining the dog rather than the radiograph, ruling out treatable causes first, weight and mobility management, and prevention over prescription.

Trusted by Vets ~ Recommended by Owners ~ Approved by Bulldogs

Shop Back & Spine Support →

References

• Merck Veterinary Manual. Spondylosis Deformans in Animals
• American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Lumbosacral Disease
• American Animal Hospital Association. 2022 AAHA Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats