Micro bullies are adorable small dogs that have a flat face, muscular body, and loving personality. They love to play with their companions and they’re some of the most jacked-looking dogs you’ll ever come across.
That said, it’s important to understand any health issues that a micro bully might face, especially because it’s a short-nosed breed.
Unfortunately, most short-nosed breeds are prone to brachycephalic health issues that can impact their breathing, skin, eyes, and digestive system.
The good news is that learning about micro bully health issues can make it easier for you to help them when the time comes. Plus, learning to care for your micro bully will help them live a long and full life.
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What Is a Micro Bully?
The micro bully breed has been around for a few decades and it’s a popular one due to its small size and muscular appearance. This breed is a mix between the American bulldog and the Patterdale terrier, so they share many characteristics from both parent breeds.
While this results in many positive traits, it also causes some health problems that you need to understand before adopting or caring for one.
What’s a Micro Bully’s Lifespan?
Micro bullies have a wide range when it comes to their lifespan. On the low end, some micro bullies may only live for six years, especially if they’re dealing with joint problems and breathing issues. However, with proper care and exercise it’s possible for micro bullies to live past 10 years old.
4 Most Common Micro Bully Health Issues
Unfortunately, micro bullies are short-nosed dogs with a small frame. This means that they have an increased risk of several health conditions including brachycephalic health issues, joint problems, obesity, and much more.
Learn about some of the most common micro bully health issues below.
1. Brachycephalic Health Issues
One of the biggest health problems micro bullies will face is brachycephalic health problems. These issues come from their flat faces and flat skulls. Unfortunately, the flatness of their face makes it difficult for them to breathe, eat, and even smell things.
For this reason, micro bullies might make loud noises when breathing and the condition often worsens as they age.
Brachycephalic traits also lead to other health issues as well. They may struggle with digestion, have deterioration in their eyesight, and struggle to chew food due to dental deterioration because of their malformed jaw.
Lastly, brachycephalic traits can also lead to skin disease because of the skin folds and rolls.
2. Joint Problems
Joint problems are also common for micro bullies. Unfortunately, their bodies are too large for their frame, so it’s common for them to become overweight and suffer from joint issues.
The most common joint issues include hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia, which can develop in their early teenage years. These joint problems can be somewhat prevented with regular walks but keep the walks short to make it easy on their joints.
3. Allergies
Like most breeds, micro bullies are also prone to allergies. This isn’t the most common health issue that they will face but there’s a chance that they may run into allergy problems due to pollen, changing seasons, and sometimes dust in your home.
Keep an eye on allergies and their health during these periods to ensure that it’s not the start of breathing problems caused by brachycephalic health conditions.
4. Obesity
A common problem for smaller breeds, obesity is something that many micro bullies have to deal with. Since their body is small, they don’t have to consume many calories to meet their daily needs.
Plus, in old age joint problems and breathing issues can prevent them from getting enough exercise. For this reason, it’s important to monitor and adjust their diet when necessary to prevent obesity problems.
Congenital heart disease and other heart problems are also common in micro bullies.
How to Manage Micro Bully Health Issues
Micro bully health issues don’t have to be a matter of life and death. As long as you take the time to bring them to the vet every year and focus on helping them get exercise they can live a long and healthy life.
While their average lifespan is around 6-10 years, you can change that with a healthy diet, attention, exercise, and treating any health problems early. Therefore, it’s all about being proactive.
