Health Concerns in Dachshunds

Intervertebral Disk Disease - back problems in long bodied dogs. Signs of a disk problem range from being painful to being unable to move. Animals with the worse spinal cord damage from disk disease lose the ability to move and to feel (conscious sensation) their limbs. To know if an animal can consciously feel, we have to pinch the toes and see if the animal vocalizes or tries to bite us. If an animal has lost the ability to feel in the legs, its chance of walking again is about 50%. If an animal can still feel in the legs, even if they can't move, there is a 75% chance or greater that the animal can walk again if surgery is performed.

How is disk disease diagnosed? The diagnosis of disk disease is based on clinical signs initially. To prove that a disk is pressing on the spinal cord, a special X-ray study known as a myelogram is often necessary.

Mildly affected animals (animals with pain alone or mild weakness but able to walk) may be managed with cage confinement for at least two weeks. Strict confinement is very important to allow for healing of a partially damaged disk. If after 2 weeks signs are not improved, diagnosis and surgery should be considered. If the animal worsens during this time, surgery should be considered sooner.

Acanthosis Nigricans - The primary form of the disease occurs in dogs less than one year of age. In this form the skin darkens and thickens, seborrhea develops, and secondary infections with bacteria or yeast can occur. It can affect large areas of the body.

Primary acanthosis nigricans is not treatable, but the condition can be controlled with steroids, melatonin injections, and frequent anti-seborrheic shampoos.

The secondary form of the disease is much more common. The darkening of the skin occurs because of one of three underlying conditions.

1. Friction caused by obesity or conformational abnormalities.
2. Endocrine imbalances including hyperthyroidism, Cushing's disease, or sex hormone imbalances.
3. Hypersensitivities due to food, inhalant, or contact allergies.

The treatment for secondary acanthosis nigricans usually consists of treating the underlying condition, e.g., through weight loss, thyroid medication or allergy relief. In more severe cases, steroid therapy at low doses has helped to reduce inflammation in the skin. In addition, Vitamin E supplementation has shown to help in the recovery of some cases. The majority of time the condition will improve once the underlying condition has been identified and properly treated.

Hypothyroidism - causes a wide variety of symptoms, but is often suspected in dogs that have trouble with weight gain or obesity and suffer from hair loss and skin problems. Hypothyroidism is easy to diagnose with a blood test that checks the level of various thyroid hormones including T3 and T4. Most hypothyroid dogs respond readily to treatment with synthetic thyroid medication such as Soloxine..

Cataracts - are one of the most common problems affecting the eyes of the dog. There are many different forms and causes of cataract formation. They affect all breeds and ages of dogs, but certain types show up more commonly in certain breeds. Despite the fact that they are very common, there is still a lot that we do not know about canine cataracts. The only current treatment option is surgery, but with correct patient selection the outcome is very good.

Glaucoma - is increased pressure within the eye. Cells inside the eye produce a clear fluid ("aqueous humor") that maintains the shape of the eye and nourishes the tissues inside the eye. The balance of fluid production and drainage is responsible for maintaining normal pressure within the eye. In glaucoma, the drain becomes clogged but the eye keeps producing fluid.

Epilepsy - Canine Epilepsy. Dachshunds are a susceptible breed, and canine epilepsy is similar to human epilepsy. It can be inherited/genetic or caused by an unknown cause or by being hit on the head, medications, a fall, or some other type of trauma. Treatments can vary according to the type of seizures and the severity. Various Medications, depending upon the dachsie, can control the seizures. When a dog seizes, it can be a scary thing to see. However, remain calm. Make sure the dog is in a safe environment where it won't hurt itself. Managed by various drugs.

Cushing's Syndrome - The most common symptoms include: • increased/excessive water consumption (polydipsia) • increased/excessive urination (polyuria) • urinary accidents in previously housetrained dogs • increased/excessive appetite (polyphagia) • appearance of food stealing/guarding, begging, trash dumping, etc. • sagging, bloated, pot-bellied appearance • weight gain or its appearance, due to fat redistribution • loss of muscle mass, giving the appearance of weight loss • bony, skull-like appearance of head • exercise intolerance, lethargy, general or hind-leg weakness • new reluctance to jump on furniture or people • excess panting, seeking cool surfaces to rest on • symmetrically thinning hair or baldness (alopecia) on torso • other coat changes like dullness, dryness • slow regrowth of hair after clipping • thin, wrinkled, fragile, and/or darkly pigmented skin • easily damaged/bruised skin that heals slowly • hard, calcified lumps in the skin (calcinosis cutis) • susceptibility to infections (especially skin and urinary) • diabetes, pancreatitis, seizures

Elbow and Hip Dysplasia - Hip Dysplasia, is a malformation of the hip joints that causes arthritis. Dogs with Hip dysplasia are often genetically predisposed but environmental influences factor heavily into whether a dog will develop the disease (and the severity). Depending on severity, CHD can be treated with surgury, drug therapy, weight reduction (to lessen the strain on the hip) and lessening of exacerbating physical activities (such as using a Dog Ramp to prevent your pet from jumping up and down into/out of vehicles, beds, etc.