On another note, regarding the difficulty of keeping a dog crated and on bed rest in the early stages of healing a back problem, Oscar coincidentally had a back flare-up right when I was scheduled to drive with him cross country. The total was about $3500, totally worth the recovery of her quality of life. If i would have to walk far away to get to a good vet i would.This vet that ive been going to lately is ok, but i can see that she wants to make money no matter what(overpriced). The condition is strongly linked to the genes that cause Dachshunds to have short legs but other genes may also be involved (dwarfism). Shes very special to meI know lots of doxie owners feel the same. I am sorry you dont have the resources you need. That means your dog was born with it and whether your dog has no symptoms, mild pain, or becomes paralyzed is largely out of your control. About 6 months now. Thats really important so you dont give up and quit with the crate rest too soon. Im glad it looks like hes on the mend! We also used CBD oil and VetriScience Composure chews to help keep Gretel relaxed when needed. Unfortunately, no, its not possible to assure it wont happen again. I would say that 80% and thats being conservative of the people are surprised by what Im going to tell you. I have a 6 year old doxie that has hurt his back. Good luck. There are certainly Dachshunds that have undergone surgery and not recovered remained paralyzed and unable to potty without assistance. He is a lot better than what he was but I dont think hes as good as he was since this last incident. Sone of the pieces of the disk were pressing on her spinal cord on the left so she is much weaker at this point on her left side. Im going to give you just the highlights. That was the source of his injury. Im so sorry to hear about your pup. It makes me cringe but they dont have any issues with getting around or their backs/hips. New kennel, new bed, old blankies and toys,,,we can do this. He had a herniated disc on the neck two years ago. I try and apply pressure but its not happening. Took her to vet and said it was IVDD, she is on meds and they are doing the laser treatments. She has done so well that the surgeon released her to do what she wants around the house with the exception of jumping. The next morning she was completely paralyzed on her bottom half. Now he is peeing when he is laying and sitting. She had Laser treatment and is doing better every day. Thanks again and good luck to Charlie. Post-op crate rest should be balanced with a certain amount of exercise immediately following surgery (within the first week) or there is the risk that muscles will heal in their constricted position, which can interfere or even prevent a return to full mobility as much as the IVDD itself. Very good info unfortunately I learn the hard way with one of my two Dashound which had to get two back surgery and yes they were expensive but well worth it but we had to put him done last month KAOS was almost 16 and are other Dashound JAKE past away at the age of 16 and never had problems with is back because we always caried him up the stair and we installed ramps everywhere in the house and just got a rescue Dashound female approximately 5 years old name LU-LU and now we are aware how we can prevent back problems to a point. Size IS the main difference between a standard and mini Dachshund. Hello, my 10 and a half yo dachshund has just had his 2nd surgery. In regards to my last post, after hearing that the vet said putting blu down was a considerable option i still just dont feel right about that, i was wondering what you would think about a chiropractor? Sorry to hear about your pup but glad she is doing better. Hi Lynette. Whether a dog gets surgery or not, they need a minimum of 6 weeks strict crate rest (confined to crate unless carried out to go potty) and rehabilitation treatments/exercise (like controlled physical exercises, massage, passive-motion exercises, etc.) Sincerely, Randall. Many people care for a paralyzed dog who goes on to live a happy life. A medium fits dogs that are 12-20 lbs and at least 13 inches long from shoulder blades to base of tail. If Im understanding your correctly, he had some feeling in his (I assume) back feet but now he has lost that. Such a cute breed, so sad they have the issues. The third, most common way, a Dachshund sustains a back injury is a result of spinal disk degeneration that causes ruptures in the disks of younger dogs Hansens type I Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) commonly referred to as simply IVDD. But dont lose hope! Approximately 25% of Dachshunds will have some sort of back injury in their lifetime where IVDD can be pinpointed as the cause. The majority of stories Ive heard about Dachshund back injuries say something like my Dachshund was perfectly fine and couldnt walk when they woke up.. Im also going to make an acupuncture appointment for her. I took him immediately to the doctor and they gave him steroid shot. Smooth coats are friendly and energetic. Its something to be proud of. A couple weeks ago she was sick and listless, diagnosed with diabetes. Some good resources about this are K9BackPack.com and Dodgerslist.com. It never hurts. I have just read most of the post .we are at the vet and our eight-year-old Rudy is dragging his back legs. As with anything, its not a guarantee. What a great tip! Otherwise, as far as I know, treatment and rehab is the same for the neck as the back (crate rest, meds, complimentary treatments like acupuncture and cold laser, etc.). Good luck! All of the genes that influence IVDD have not been identifiedso a reliable genetic test is not available to detect Dachshunds susceptible to the condition at this point. The crates on the sofa, next to me, stress is minimized. ATTENTION: If you found this article because your Dachshund is suddenly having trouble walking and you need help, go read my article about what to do if your dog is suddenly paralyzed right away. Our dog is scheduled for surgery tomorrow and we are hoping and praying that his hind legs start moving again ( all of a sudden, he could not move his hind legs day before and we had an MRI Done yesterday .. ) and start peeing and pooping on his own.. curious to understand your experience. Shes a joy. there is a animal chiropractor here in portland and i read some good things. I wrote an article about surviving crate rest (hint: It bothers you more than him) you can check out here: http://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/dog-crate-rest-tips/. Surgery is expensive though. Hi Val. (Source). There area also other breeds affected by this disease, although to a lesser extent. 8 lbs and 7 years old and cant keep her from jumping before the accident. However, in everything Ive read, the two terms are used almost interchangeably with IVDH being caused by IVDD. Does this problem seem to be more prevalent in dachshunds as compared with other breeds? HI, just wondering if you recommend the dog back braces, if those help or not? She is my 3rd Dachshund. We have had 3 dachshunds and a dachshund mix. Im thinking good thoughts for ya. BUT the big thing is that in my country there is so little a vet can do and sometimes (most times) vet doesnt even care. Good thin you had it. I am now experiencing this with my almost 13 year old doxie. Im aware of that study and many others. Being that I was 13 I felt that that was not a Life that would have been fitting for her in our particular situation. So we picked up an expandable cage at walmart and setup a small area in the living room for him. In Great Britain they made it law that you cant breed defects in dogs and that includes backs that are too long, noses so short they cant breathe, dogs that cant give birth naturally so they have c sections. I have adapted stairs to ramps and we are avoiding jumping as much as possible. He does twist a lot to scratch himself and unfortunately I cannot keep him from jumping on or off furniture or following me upstairs in a quick moment he is way faster than I am able to stop him. If you or your vet have any research on that, Id love to read it. Thanks, Bill. He does pee and poop on his own. I asked our rehab vet about the brace when Gretel hurt her back and she didnt have a strong option one way or another. Breed them with shorter backs and maybe longer legs. He is responding well & seems to have some normal pep in his step which he hasnt had for weeks!! I will say that you should always keep an eye on his breathing from now on. Luckily my doxie is recovering well.Ive put stair gates in my house so no more stairs for her & a gate in my garden so she cant use the steps to & fro from the house. Check out this web site, Dodgers list.com, for IVDD and everything you need to know about how to take care of your Doxie. Once the scar tissue is present, that particular disk is unlikely to be an issue in the future. She was only 3 years and 10 months when her disc ruptured from everyday running, jumping and chasing. I am able to rub her back and her legs and she doesnt seem to be feeling pain. She occasionally has brief period (5-10 min) where she experiences weakness and loss of control of her back legs. I know its hard but strict crate rest is the single best thing you can do with an IVDD dog. Thanks so much for the information!! Be diligent about his crate rest. Admittedly, before this we had no idea. Let me know what you find out. They will whine, cry, and give their owner the saddest eyes until they are let out. The Lil back bracer is on its way to me, hopefully he can regain more mobility and his independence. Ive taken him to the doggie chiro for a couple of adjustments, seems to be better and then one jump off the bed and hes back to issues. In all of the research Ive done, Ive never heard of pancreatitis worsening the disease. She could also injure it, as a I said, from jumping up from her bed. I suspect that cold laser and/or acupuncture might help. Its heart breaking. My vet didnt sound enthusiastic about chiropractic medicine for IVDD. That was a great article and I loved reading all the stories. Back injuries related to IVDD often happen suddenly they go from fine to in great pain or paralyzed. Filed Under: Dachshund Health, Popular Posts. We currently have 2 dachshunds and the doxie mix. Hi Jaimie. It was very clinical (instead of warm and friendly) but not a bad experience. They are both really great resources on this issue. That will go a long way to delay an episode, minimize the severity an episode, and make recovery easier if you dog has the genetic disease and ever has an back issue. Thanks for the information Karen. Hello. I am in a panic about my dog and my inability to get him medical treatment he needs asap. The best guarantee you can hope for is like your neighbor described get a puppy from a breeder that knows the history of several prior generations. First, as you read, a Dachshunds back issues are caused by a disease (unless they are hit by a car or something). Its very important that you do the 5-8 weeks of strict crate rest tough in order for your pup to have the chance of recovering fully. Like I said above, most of the back issues in Dachshunds are genetic and linked to the drarfisim gene. Buddy was our first doxie and he was the best dog. Veterinarians have differing opinions about using a brace but the main argument is that they think it can weaken core muscles which, in the end, puts your pup in a worse position than they were to begin with. Bottom line: Its has its risks but also its benefits and prohibiting your pup from playing ball isnt going to prevent a back injury if they have IVDD. She had 2 herniated disks. I read about it in your article. Any answers would be greatly appreciated. Long haired Dachshunds are said to be sweeter and calmer. Hang in there! Unfortunately, I am not aware of any resources to help you. Whether you want to play ball with your other pup is a personal choice. Hi Jessica . Fine one day and hiding under a bed crying the next. Hi Claire. That makes sense. If youve already discussed that and cant afford it, you still have a chance of making your dog better which COULD also take a good amount of money to have the best chance. I have only had him home for 24 and it has been A LONG 24HRS. I am curious as to whether it will flatten back down. If you can afford it, you should do it. We found out my doxies spine is narrowing by accident when the VET took a x-ray of his heart (nothings wrong with his heart THANK GOD!). However, I would search for surgery clinics up in Everett and give a couple a call. This is definitely something you should discuss with your vet. Any information would be welcome, I had no idea this could happen to our pups, we fell in love with them instantly, never thinking about breed issues thank you ?? They made a full, or almost full, recovery with crate rest and meds alone (the alternative treatments I list in my article are a huge help too). I have been trying to learn how to help her relieve her bladder. If you havent already, you might also want to check out Dodgerslist.com as they are a great resource for IVDD. Hi Amy. They told us she would likely need surgery, but would have a better idea with an MRI, which we did for about $2200.00 As an animal ages, its normal for the body to go through negative or degenerative changes. My beautiful daschund has a shorter back as her mum wasnt a pure breed, her Dad was. Thank you for your article. Except: She said that, if used before a dog is healed and has regained their own strength, it can cause the supporting muscles to be lazy and that a brace could help prevent another injury if worn when a dog is playing rough or otherwise at risk of severely twisting their spine. Shes one of the best in the country. My question is about the Lil Back Bracer shown. But your information gives me hope. Hi Normand- my dog Bixby just had surgery and I was wondering what the cause of the second surgery was and how long after the first one yours occurred. Of course, all such exercise needs to be designed and supervised by the dogs medical team. There are a lot of other breeds that can get it but its not as common. Thank you for the post. While all dogs are different, there is an excellent chance of full recover IF you can do the strict crate rest (basically, as immobile as possible at all times) for as long as he needs (some dogs also need you go do rehab exercises with them once they are improving you can find videos on YouTube). Like I said, you cant PREVENT your dog from having a back injury if they have IVDD. Dachshunds ARE dwarves. Not all do. Although not solely predicted by it, IVDD is related to the dwarfism gene (the Dachshund is a dwarfed breed). Hi Kathy. Weve actually been considering getting her one, I saw it on facebook. There ARE precautions you can take to stack the cards in favor of a dog with IVDD but, again, you cant control whether they will need medical treatment or not. The four options presented were all potentially life-threatening and the MRI confirmed that it was a very traumatic disc rupture. You can find plenty of resources online to tell you how. However, these kind of injuries are caused by IVDD and if your pup has that there is a possibility that another disk will rupture and cause pain in the future. Im glad to hear that you can confirm/agree. i rub his back a lot and he doesnt bother him, he likes it a lot. If you dont want to, I wouldnt be quick to put your dog to sleep as a first option. We dont know what Maggie is mixed with. Their prices are a little on the higher end though. I need to buy or build ramps to couch and bed and back door. This is a question more than a reply. I believe PetPlan also does. Any suggestions would be great. If you research pictures of our current breeds from 50 years ago you will see quite different dogs. Hi Holly. She is resting willingly, not crying out, but a little shaking after she walks a little. Ive been a bit angry and sad about the whole thing, thinking there was something else that could have been done. I feel terrible about not getting him surgery, but at $5-10,000, for a half-blind, half-deaf 15 year old dog who could die on the table, or 3 months, 6 months, a year after, when Im also putting a child through college and have another one coming up (and spent $2,300 on Oscar this summer for anaphyactic shock), I just cant swing it. However, I am curious how they are handling the Dachshund breed because of what I mention above? Its tough that you had to learn the hard way though. ! Im not a vet so I cant tell you what it is but, from what I understand, yes, it could be IVDD. Hi Kayla. I know several dogs that may nave needed it but werent able to get surgery for one reason or another. I would definitely take your pup to the vet to diagnose or rule out IVDD. Weve had fix doxies over the years, and I will always have at least one. Im sorry about what happened to your pup. One is not more prone to back issues than the other. Thats a long road though. Because I was only about 13 at the time and had absolutely NO knowledge of IVDD, we took her to the vet and all he did was give her steroids and keep her overnight. Please be sure to check out my other resources on minimizing any future episodes. So they have removed that in the surgery and he is curently in the recovery room. YouDidWhatWithYourWiener.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. Your email address will not be published. Our Chica is on four to six weeks crate rest. Im not 100% sure as I havent had as much experience with Standards as Minis. In those cases, the long back may make them more susceptible so perhaps a shorter back would help there. Is there a more helpful/educated vet within 2 hours of you? Wednesday she could not bare weight on hind legs. Hi Jeannie. So has been heavy to carry around. I encourage all dachsund people to read the facts about degenerative disease. Thanks bunches! In fact, its usually a pretty urgent matter here in the US. I am sorry about your situation. Your article gave me hope, Cooper helped me get through my husbands cancer and death and I cant bear to think of loosing him. You can read more about the progress they have made in identifying the gene mutation responsible for IVDD HERE. : Texas A & M, University of Wisconsin-Madison, etc), fees are somewhat cheaper. Also, the Dodgerslist.com and K9BackPack.com websites are the best resources on the web for dealing with IVDD. She had to have major surgery for IVDD when her back legs became paralised. Thank you for your articles. They put him on an antibiotic in case he had an infection. Something that I thought might twist her spine and re-injure her. Its actually not super uncommon (unfortunately) for a Dachshund to have more than one back surgery. Nails that are a little on the long side are not going to cripple a dog though. I've owned 3 of my own, shared in the lives of thousands of others through their owner's stories, and have been studying the breed for over 10 years. I knew that recovery without surgery was possible but didnt have a specific example I could point them to. They are just so small and unstable. He can go potty but I have to carry him in and out. My dog is a 14lb Dachshund who was seemingly in his prime. Hi Eva. The vet also mentioned the restrictive movements but not the crate rest. We love the breed. Our family is heart broken and dreading the thought of possibly having to put our second one down. Unfortunately the younger one is having back problems that we have been trying to treat with conservative methods (crate rest and pain meds, just completing a course of steroidd). They often do if they also completely recover, or at least partially (the nerves that control the bowels and bladder), the nerves in their back end. My mom took him to the emergency vet later that night because he still hadnt peed, she said that we might have to put him down but to me that just seemed so sudden. She is suppose to have 4 more lazer tx. She has been at the vet since last Saturday. Hi Rae. I am sure you know a lot about back problems. The hardest part is he never wants me to leave his side. What he has sounds like classic IVDD. No Doxie owner wants to go through it. Cant bear the thought of him suffering or losing him:(. The vet informed us that she was out of that window for surgery to be of ANY help, and we got the necessary medications and started her on them. One at 10, the other at 6. Do you have any information about using a back brace as a prevention measure to help with alignment? Its my understanding that, in those cases, surgery is often recommended. However, Ive heard of some Dachshunds make a partial or full recovery without surgery whether it was initially recommended or not. Take her back tomorrow as he has started treatment with a lazer and I thought it was heat not cold, Is the heat bad after one week..I just take it it is heat deep heat? I was wondering if it would hurt him if I take him for a long walk(like a mile). Wire hairs (which are more closely related to terriers) are spunky and clownish. When he attempts to run, he bunny hops mostly. I am very sorry to hear about Bailee. Please let me know if I should proceed to teach her to roll over or if that would result in any further injury. This makes sense to me. Rolling over wont cause a Dachshund that doesnt have IVDD to hurt their back though (unless there is some freak accident). Unfortunately it seems like options are somewhat limited so I just thought Id ask if anyone has personal recommendations they might share. The one thing I dont see mentioned in the article or the responses is chiropractic care. Anyway, my thoughts are with you guys. You might want to discuss it with your vet and perhaps they might prescribe more pain medication. By midnight she was totally paralyzed in the back. IVDD afflicts about 25% of Dachshunds. Just like all the dogs we own, he was truly an angel, who touched to many hearts, and thought us many lessons. I also walked a dog in college that needed two surgeries in 3 years. Its what causes the unmistakable long and low Dachshund look. Within about 4 hours, our 6 year old dachshund went from completely normal, to unable to walk, only standing for short periods of time. Jo Ann, how long after surgery did your dog regain use of her back legs and ability to pee on her own? UC Davis continues to study this disease in dogs. Shes gorgeous, funny, loving & devoted. My baby Bailee is 11 years old and out of the blue is just now paralyzed from her hips down! Ours had surgery on L2/L3 13 days ago and he still cant move his back legs or tail and has no bladder control. There are strict breeding programs in several European countries that screen Dachshunds for breeding based on back x-rays and number of calcifications present (assessed by highly trained professionals, not regular veterinarians). As I said in this article, back injuries in younger Dachshunds are almost always caused by the IVDD disease. Good luck. Hi Jenny. But there is hope. She walks with a waddle and runs again. Im having thoughts as am I making things worse for him or am I doing the right thing and not being selfish over time with him. She is 11 and when she was a pup she injured her neck which healed. This may help someone out there! He does drink water. I dont think this is the IVDD caused back injury. Hes really slowed down a lot, I dont think he can hear or see all that well anymore. Breeds now have to change to become compliant. His sister was the runt and is only 9 lbs, half his size long and has not had any spinal issues. Continued walks are very important to help with that but also to keep the muscles that support his back strong. Dont lose hope though. After six weeks and still no sign of recovery, this associate surgeon continued to prescribe total crate rest, telling me that some dogs take longer to heal than others. Here, the best you can ask for is that a breeder is aware of the family tree several generations back and can attest that none of them had back issues. He hates being crated and now I realize that I should have done this since he was a puppy so crating would be easier. This means that your dog will have to stay in a small pen or crate for several weeks. I hope he heals up as good as new and continues with his happy life. It sounds like your vet determined that your best option for treatment at this time is strict crate rest. She is about 6 pounds if that help. The IVDD treatment failures (who progressed to complete paralysis or became so painful their owners elected to euthanize) are usually ones who have never been in a crate before and either panic and thrash around or cry so their owners let them out. We lost our 6-year old doxie, Snoopy, to IVDD. I would give myself and the world for him no matter what in an instance. A dog often wont eat when they are in pain or very anxious. Hi Cindy. If she is 13 inches or longer, then you probably want the medium. He loves to run, jump and play and he would routinely jump off the bed etc. Nacho is at home now on crate rest with steroids and a pain med . Until I read your article I thought it was something I had done, allowing him to go up stairs etc.,. Its tragic how fast spinal issues can come on in Dachshunds. Dr. said he is optimistic so we are going to hope and pray for the best. Thank you so much for sharing your story! He was loved by many. Its a kind of dwarfism called chondrodysplasia. I am beginning to teach her tricks in which she has mastered the basics: sit, shake and lay down. You can find them here: https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/inervertebral-disk-disease-ivdd-resources/. I am shocked that your vet did not mention that to you. It sounds like you loved her a lot and gave her a great life! The problem is primarily IVDD though. There could be cases out there though. Jessica, before considering another dachshund are there any assurances that this will not happen again? Im sorry you guys are going through this. Yeah. These dogs went on to live a totally normal, active life though. From one of your past articles, I learned to use a harness with him. However, she didnt exhibit any signs of discomfort prior. My husband who is Luckys #1 fan is thinking there is no recovering from this. Like Jessica said, it happened fast. Took home some pain meds too. Just enough to stop the medical problems is all. She fore filled my life for another 9 years and did everything with her. She started bleeding from her rear uncontrollably, As we later found out its due to the steroids she was given. I wouldnt call me a saint. Hi Cherrelle. Your veterinarian will let you know if surgery is a good option for your dog. Dachshund are one of the breeds where the two categories are based on weight, not genetics. She feels her feet and can wag tail. Im sorry that Paisley is having a hard time with recovery. We cannot afford neurological eval or surgery. I just dont want him to be in any pain. Im sorry to hear about your pup. Excellent article! All of the research I read says that 1 in 5 Dachshunds will have back problems in their lifetime. Also which is generally less active and more laid back? Hi Olga. I looks like youve been to the vet by now. A mile would probably be ok to start with as long as you went at his pace and turned back if he was having difficulty. Other breeds include the French Bulldog and Chihuahua although its not as common in these breeds. Due to finances, we went with conservative measures, and she gave us a NSAID (2x day) and put him on crate rest. I recently experienced IVDD with my 3-year-old pup Bitsy. Well. So we walked him a little and basically carried him around without knowing this was hurting the dog further. I was getting conflicting info on the web from my vet was saying and this gave me some clarification. However I am also looking towards teaching her some more advanced tricks like roll over. I loved that little bitch. Two years later, we rescued Bailey. You need to stay strong and hang in there. Here is an article I wrote about our experience with crate rest: https://youdidwhatwithyourweiner.com/dog-crate-rest-tips/, Thank you so much! The first was do to a paramedic stepping on him by accident in a trauma situation for a family member which required thoracic spine surgery, this was at 7 years old. Is there a 24-hour emergency vet in the area? Unfortunately, if the issue is caused by IVDD, you may not be able to stop the disease from progressing. This morning he walked like he was drunk and took him out to potty and one leg was just dragging. Most of what I am finding is using the brace after problems occur. The H stands for herniation so IVDH would be Intervertebral Disk Herniation versus D Disease. If you havent already, I would discuss this topic with your vet. My 15 year old, Oscar, is more than just kinda cranky. I have had a lot of German Shepherd Dogs, and I always kept them lean and fit with regular and vigorous swimming to prevent hip dysplasia from developing. Any dachshund owner who finds this missing in her dogs recovery program should be wary. I crated her right away. Will def listen to your advice . Often times it is cheaper but they may not understand more complex issues or understand the difference between a resource animal and one that is part of the family.