This breed's documented cardiac risk profile spans two genuinely distinct conditions, Subaortic Stenosis, a structural defect that can be present from birth, and Dilated Cardiomyopathy, which can develop later in a dog's life, both serious enough that a baseline cardiac screening, often including an echocardiogram, is a real, recommended part of responsible ownership rather than something to wait on until symptoms appear.
Birmingham's genuinely low general cost of living, one of the lowest metros this site tracks, makes budgeting for that recurring cardiac monitoring meaningfully more manageable than the same routine would cost in a premium coastal market. That's a real, practical financial advantage specific to this breed's documented health profile here.
Birmingham otherwise ranks among the lowest general cost-of-living metros this site tracks, offset by a long humid season that keeps parasite prevention close to year-round.