Dachshund Health
As responsible breeders, we do everything in our power to breed healthy, strong and happy puppies. As a responsible owner, we suggest keeping your Puppy insured for all of its life; better safe than sorry.
We DNA test all of our parent dogs for PRA and work closely with our vets to ensure they are free from any known issues.
We strongly recommend doing your research into the breed to help familiarise yourself to the more common health problems associated to Dachshunds.
PRA – CORD 1
Progressive Retinal Atrophy or simply “PRA” Is a degenerative eye disorder. As this hereditary disease progresses, it eventually leads to blindness. Unfortunately there is no known cure for this eye disorder.
Thankfully there are DNA tests available to determine the PRA status of a dog. This coupled with responsible breeding, eliminates the risks to ever produce affected puppies.
Below I will list the three statuses of which your dachshund can be:
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Clear
This is where the dog has 2 normal copies of the gene. Clear dogs will never be affected by PRA nor will they pass it on to any future progeny. -
Carrier
This is where a dog has one normal copy of the gene and one affected copy. Again this dog will not be affected by the eye disorder but will pass the affected gene on to 50% of any offspring on average. Carriers are often called “UNAFFECTED” as they are in no danger at all of ever going blind from PRA.Only when breeding from carriers can things become an issue and should only be done so when partnered to a CLEAR.
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Affected
This dog has inherited 2 affected copies of the gene. This means they have a very high chance of developing PRA at some point in their lifetime. As a result, they will develop partial to full blindness.
Affected dogs will always pass on 1 copy of the affected gene to their offspring, should they ever be bred from.
LUXATING PATELLA
Patella luxation occurs when your dog’s knee cap pops out of position. Dachshunds unfortunately are susceptible to this condition and this is mainly due to their short dwarf legs.
Veterinarians advise to keep your dachshund from getting overweight as this can be a contributing factor to its onset and indeed its general management.
PES VARUS
Pes Varus is a bone condition where the tibia turns inwards towards the body. Puppies that have developed Pes Varus are often seen to have poor movement and/or abnormal gait, when viewed from behind.
Pes Varus can lead to lameness in one or both legs and is caused by the shin bone ( Distil Tibia ) closing prematurely; similar to bow leggedness in humans.
IVDD
Dachshunds are notoriously associated with having “Bad Backs”. Their spinal issues are from a degenerative condition known as IVDD. IVDD is a shortened term for Intervertebral Disc Disease and affects the discs of the dog’s spine. Statistics suggest that as many as 1 in 4 dachshunds are said to encounter mild to severe IVDD within their lifetime. Prognosis differs from case to case and whilst many recover nicely some have lasting permanent damage, resulting in paralysis.
Veterinarians advice should be sought immediately if you believe your dog has began to suffer from IVDD, as he/she will need pain relief and anti inflammatory medication along with a plan of action from your vet.
As you can imagine, the cost of treatments for this condition can become very costly which is another reason we strongly recommend a good insurance provider, with lifetime cover.
Exercise and weight control is said to hold very strong links with preventing IVDD. Keeping your sausage lean and healthy with frequent exercise is without doubt part of the battle.
Another key tip is to use a well fitted harness for walking and not allowing your sausage use the stairs and jump on/off the furniture.
