Dachshund’s Common Diseases
The title is a little misleading since no disease is truly common in Dachshunds. Most Dachshunds are born healthy and live long, relatively disease-free lives.Almost every dog can develop minor health issues even if they receive vaccinations and excellent life-long care. Even dogs that receive their vaccinations and excellent life-long care can develop some minor health issues in their lifetime.
Nevertheless, some conditions do occur more often in Dachshund than in other breeds.
Adrenal Gland Malfunction
One common disease of the adrenal gland is hyperadrenocorticism, or Cushing’s Disease. In Cushing’s Disease, too much of the cortisol hormone is produced, either by a primary tumor or the adrenal gland, or a malfunction of the pituitary gland, which is the master gland that tells the adrenal gland how much cortisol to produce. The elevated cortisol level results in skin conditions, excessive drinking and urination, a pot-bellied appearance, hair loss and occasionally diabetes. Special lab tests are conducted to measure cortisol and the adrenal glands capability to produce cortisol. There are several different drugs that can be used to decrease the level of cortisol. Occasionally, surgery may be needed to remove the adrenal gland if it is cancerous. Cushing’s disease can affect other breeds of dogs as well.
The opposite condition is called low cortisol (hypoadrenocorticism) or Addison’s disease. Cushing’s takes some time to present itself, but Addison’s disease is a sudden episode of collapse due to an imbalance of the electrolytes and too low of glucose (blood sugar). The sudden illness results in an emergency visit to the veterinarian for fluid therapy and cortisone injections to correct the imbalances. With the sudden collapse resembling many disorders, Addison’s is the most difficult disease to diagnose. Specialized blood tests are needed to identify both Cushing’s and Addison’s Disease. Treatment of Addison’s disease is life-long treatment with prednisone (cortisone) and electrolytes.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Several eye diseases can affect Dachshunds, such as cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy. PRA is a degeneration of the retina, the lining in the back of the eye. The deterioration leads to gradual vision loss and eventual blindness. PRA is a genetic trait, and since it is a slow, progressive disease, these dogs are sometimes bred before the disease is diagnosed, thus perpetuating the disease. Regretfully, there is currently no cure or treatment for PRA. Other eye disease that can affect Doxies are optic nerve hypoplasia, glaucoma, cataracts, distichiasis (abnormal eyelashes) as well as other conditions. Regular eye exams can help identify these eye-disorders early.
Intervertebral Disc Disease
By far the most common disease of Dachshunds is related to the discs between the vertebrae (the bones of the spine). The disc is normally gelatinous and provides a cushion between the bones of the back (spine). In Dachshunds, this material sometimes ruptures and sometimes calcifies, or hardens. The protruding disc material causes inflammation, swelling and pressure on the nerves coming from the spinal cord and sometimes presses on the spinal cord itself. The herniated disc causes pain, a reluctance to jump up, partial paralysis and can progress to total paralysis. The majority of them with disc disease can be managed medically with anti-inflammatory medications and pain medication. Holistic medicine, such as chiropractic manipulation and acupuncture, is sometimes used to relieve the pain. When total paralysis is caused from a complete rupture, immediate surgery to relieve the pressure on the spinal cord may help restor full function in the legs. The sooner the surgery is preformed, the greater the chances of full recovery.
Experimental treatment is being tested that uses laser heat to fuse the disc material in the spine to prevent the rupture. Because this is such a common problem, I do recommend purchasing health insurance for your pet. Because surgery to repair the herniated disc is expensive, euthanasia is sometimes the option for the paralyzed pet. Over time, a few of my patients there were partially paralyzed did recover some function of their legs. It is impossible to predict which dogs will recover without the surgery.
Vaccination Reactions
Allergic reactions to vaccinations does seem to occur in the Dachshund more often than any other breed. Usually, the reaction is minor, resulting in swelling of the muzzle and face and occasional hives. Occasional vaccine reactions can occur with any dog so it is always a good idea to observe your pet for a few hours after their shots. Vaccines have improved over the past few years so reactions are fewer and the benefits of protecting your pet against the diseases outweighs the risks.
Dachshunds can lead a very long and healthy life, sometimes upward to 15 years. Preventive health checks, proper diets, vaccinations, heartworm and parasite prevention, and good dental care can help them live longer. You can find more information concerning your dogs health at LuvUrDog.com as well Dachshund breed gifts.
Tags: Dachshund, dog, dog breed, dog diseases, dog health, Dogs, pet health, pets
May 3, 2009 6:31 am 
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