05/06/2026
In a 2023 study, French bulldogs were found to be at above average risk of elbow fractures while young, compared with spaniels, which are predisposed to the injury in adulthood.
https://www.ed.ac.uk/research-innovation/animal-research/news/french-bulldogs-puppies-prone-to-elbow-fractures
CT scans from French bulldogs were compared with those of spaniel breeds, which are known to be susceptible to a similar injury, to understand whether the fractures might have similar causes. They found that both breeds commonly had naturally intracondylar fissures, which may predispose them to fractures in the bone. Both breeds also commonly had scarring, or sclerosis, in the affected bone.
This is one of the reasons we chose to make a medial and lateral elbow anatomical plate that was based on biomedical data for French Bulldogs.
This ‘small’ French Bulldog Lateral Elbow Anatomical Plate (LEAP) and Medial Anatomical Plate (MAP) can also be used in puppies and other smaller breeds. We also have a ‘large’ LEAP and MAP based on English Springer Spaniels, due to their high occurrence of humeral intracondylar fissures and associated fractures. This ‘Large’ MAP and LEAP can be used in medium to large breed dogs.
https://www.fusionimplants.com/product-information/elbow/leap-overview/
https://www.fusionimplants.com/product-information/elbow/map-overview-page/
French Bulldogs pose a unique anatomical challenge to surgical fixation and our plates are based on CT Scan data to ensure they are a close fit to the topography of the bone, saving surgical time, and reducing anaesthesia time; minimizing the need to contour implants for these complicated fractures.