Dachshund Health Report: What 1,184 owners’ health stories teach us

We’ve been collecting Dachshund owners’ reports of their dogs’ health and causes of death since December 2009. This is our most up-to-date analysis of the data.

Please submit reports at: https://www.dachshundhealth.org.uk/submit-a-report

1. Neurological (Spinal) Conditions (Primarily IVDD) are the leading health concern

• Highest Case Volume: Out of the 1,184 health reports analysed, Neurological (Spinal) conditions are by far the most frequent issue, with 386 reported cases.

• Dominance of IVDD: Within this category, Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) affecting the back is the primary diagnosis, making it the single most widespread health concern for the breed.

• Visual Distribution: The 'No. of Reports by Condition Category' chart illustrates how spinal issues outnumber the next most frequent condition (Cancers and Tumours) by more than 2 to 1.

2. IVDD Prevalence varies across Dachshund varieties

• Miniature Smooth at most risk: Miniature Smooth Dachshunds exhibit the highest susceptibility, with exactly 50.0% of their 422 reports indicating an IVDD diagnosis (211 cases).

• Standard Smooths also elevated risk: Standard Smooth Dachshunds follow as the second most vulnerable variety, with 31.0% of reports indicating IVDD (27 cases out of 87 reports).

• Lowest incidence in Standard Longs: Standard Long Dachshunds have the lowest reported prevalence at 9.4% (8 cases out of 85 reports), indicating a significantly lower risk profile compared to their smooth-coated counterparts.

• Comparative Insights: The 'IVDD Prevalence by Dachshund Variety' chart highlights these differences across the six varieties, showing that miniature varieties generally experience high rates of spinal issues, though the standard Smooth variety is also heavily affected.

• Similar findings have recently been reported by Sullivan et al in a research paper.

3. Cancers, Tumours, and Organ System failures represent secondary risks

• Cancer Prevalence: Cancers and Tumours represent the second largest health category with 183 reported cases, although the majority of cases are in old age dogs.

• Organ and structural issues: Other prominent health issues include Musculo-skeletal conditions (75 cases), Ocular/Eye conditions (74 cases), and Cardiac/Heart conditions (72 cases).

• Actionable monitoring: The broad spread of conditions highlights the importance of multi-system health monitoring, and we strongly encourage owners to submit reports of health conditions and causes of death.