Dachshund back, weight and aging: what to watch and when

A Dachshund owner should watch the back first, and weight second because it loads the back. Most back trouble in this breed shows up in middle age, often suddenly, and early signs are easy to miss.

What is a Dachshund built for?

"Dachshund" is German for "badger dog." The breed's history goes back about 600 years, and the long, low body was developed to dig into a badger den.¹ The American Kennel Club recognizes two sizes: standards, usually 16–32 pounds and 8–9 inches tall, and miniatures, 11 pounds and under and 5–6 inches tall.¹

The short legs come from a known genetic change. The same change, called chondrodystrophy (CDDY), also causes the discs between the vertebrae to degenerate early.⁴ So the shape that makes a Dachshund a Dachshund is also what puts the spine at risk.

Which back and joint problems are Dachshunds prone to?

One condition dominates: intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). A disc swells or ruptures and presses on the spinal cord.⁶

The numbers that apply to your dog:

• The American College of Veterinary Surgeons says Dachshunds alone account for 45–70% of all IVDD cases.⁶
• The UK Dachshund screening programme estimates that 1 in 4 Dachshunds will have some degree of back disease in their lifetime, about 10–12 times the rate expected in dogs generally.⁷
• In an owner survey of 2,031 Dachshunds, 15.7% had veterinary-diagnosed IVDD. Standard smooth-haired dogs were highest at 24.4% and standard wire-haired lowest at 7.1%.⁵ In 41.7% of cases, signs came on in under 24 hours.⁵
• At the UC Davis genetics lab, more than 1,000 Dachshunds tested had a CDDY allele frequency of about 0.92. In dogs with CDDY, the disc centers begin to calcify between birth and 1 year of age.⁴

In other words, nearly every Dachshund carries the risk. Most never have a serious episode.

How long do Dachshunds live, and when is one a senior?

A large UK analysis put median life expectancy at 13.2 years for Dachshunds and 14.0 years for Miniature Dachshunds.² AKC states 12–16 years.¹ UK and US dogs may differ.

AAHA defines senior as the last 25% of estimated lifespan.³ By our arithmetic, that starts at about 10 years for a standard and 10.5 for a miniature. Note that the peak years for disc trouble come well before that, in mid-life.

What else should a Dachshund owner watch?

• Weight. AKC calls it extremely important that a Dachshund not become overweight, because extra weight strains the long back.¹
• Ears. Like most dogs with drop ears, Dachshunds can get ear infections if the ears are not kept clean.¹

Dental disease is often mentioned for small breeds. We did not find a Dachshund-specific figure, so ask your veterinarian to look at the teeth at each visit.

What can you do at home?

Keep your Dachshund lean and well muscled. AKC recommends two walks of moderate length a day to build the muscles that support the back, and advises against letting a Dachshund run up and down stairs or jump on and off furniture.¹

The survey data point the same way on exercise: dogs walked more than an hour a day had lower odds of IVDD, and dogs walked under 30 minutes had higher odds.⁵ That is an association from owner reports. It cannot show cause, and dogs with back trouble may simply have been exercised less.

What should you ask your veterinarian?

• "Is my dog at a lean body condition, and what weight should we aim for?"
• "What early signs of disc disease should I watch for, and what do I do out of hours?"
• "Are stairs, jumping and my current exercise routine right for this dog?"
• "Should we check knees, heart and eyes?" The breed club's listed tests are a patella evaluation, a cardiac exam and an eye exam.¹