06/29/2026
๐๐ฉ๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ฌ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐๐ต๐๐ป๐ฑ๐: ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐, ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฃ๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ ๐งฌ๐พ
๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ด๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ด โ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐ถ๐ค๐ต๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ช๐ง๐ฆ๐ด๐ต๐บ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐
Genetics load the gun, but structure and lifestyle help determine what happens next ๐ง
Dachshunds already have:
โฅ Long backs
โฅ Short limbs
โฅ Compact, low bodies
๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ ๐ ๐๐ช๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐๐ก๐ช๐๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐, ๐จ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ค๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐
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๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ: ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๏ธ
๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ โ
๏ธ
The standard emphasizes:
โฅ Long, well sprung ribbing extending well back
โฅ A short, strong loin
โฅ A level, firm topline
โฅ Balanced front and rear angulation
These features help support the spine and distribute mechanical stress properly ๐ช
Faults that increase mechanical strain:
โฅ ๐๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ค
An arched back that concentrates stress in a short area
โฅ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐๐ค
A sagging back that lacks proper ligament and muscular support
โฅ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐ซ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ
A rear that sits higher than the front, altering weight distribution and spine angles
โฅ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ข๐ง ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ
Short ribbing with a long loin leaves more of the spine unsupported
This last point is especially critical because IVDD most commonly occurs in the thoracolumbar and upper lumbar regions of the back, the โlower backโ in everyday term ๐ฅ
When ribbing is too short and the loin is too long, that vulnerable area has less bony and muscular support, increasing flexion and strain exactly where discs are stastistcally most likely to herniate โ ๏ธ
Conformation and health discussions highlight that increased back length relative to height and loss of supportive ribbing are associated with greater IVDD risk in dachshunds ๐
Breeding to the standard helps protect the spine where it matters most ๐ก๏ธ
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๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐: ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฑ ๐โโ๏ธ
IVDD is not just genetic. Lifestyle matters ๐ฑ
The DachsLife 2015 study and follow up analyses found:
โฅ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ
More active dachshunds had significantly lower odds of IVDD than less active dogs ๐โโ๏ธ
โฅ ๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐
Dachshunds over age 3 that were allowed to go up and down stairs every day had lower IVDD odds than those not allowed stairs. Dogs allowed to jump on and off furniture daily also had lower odds than those prevented, in that dataset ๐ช
These findings suggest that reasonable, controlled daily movement and good musculature can be protective, even though uncontrolled, high impact jumping can still be risky in individual dogs.
โฅ ๐๐จ๐๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง
Overweight dachshunds have higher IVDD risk and worse outcomes
Keeping them lean and well muscled is protective ๐ฅฆ
๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ซ
DachsLife analysis and related summaries show:
โฅ Neutered dachshunds, especially those neutered under 12 months, had higher odds of IVDD than entire dogs
โฅ In some analyses, neutered dogs over age 3 had nearly double the odds of IVDD compared with entire dogs โ ๏ธ
Growth plates in miniature dachshunds typically close around 9 to 10 months and later in standards. Removing hormones too early can:
โฅ Keep growth plates open longer
โฅ Alter how bones grow and close
โฅ Change joint angles and spinal mechanics, increasing orthopedic and disc strain ๐ฆด
Waiting until skeletal maturity helps protect overall structure ๐
๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ซ
The real issue is not the equipment, ๐๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ก๐ก๐๐ฃ๐:
โฅ Collars concentrate force on the neck
โฅ Harnesses move force to the shoulders and thoracic spine
Chronic, forceful pulling repeatedly loads the spine regardless of the tool. Proper leash training so the dog does not pull is the key for protecting the back ๐
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๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ง๐ผ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ก
โฅ Structure directly impacts spinal stress, especially in the lower back where IVDD most often occurs
โฅ Lifestyle (body condition, activity, age at neuter, leash behavior) significantly affects whether and how IVDD shows up
๐
๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ:
Focus on the whole picture, not a single gene ๐งฌ
Use direct CDDY testing, know your pedigrees, protect correct ribbing, loin, and topline, and consider back scoring where you can ๐ง
๐
๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง๐๐ซ๐ฌ:
Choose breeders who understand this data, value the breed standard, and maintain proper conditioning and care ๐พ
Keep your dachshund lean, fit, and well trained, and work with your vet on thoughtful spay and neuter timing. Not all vets are educated on the current research and some don't even find it relevant โค๏ธ
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Unfortunately this post seems to need a disclaimer: IVDD is ๐บ๐๐น๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น. POST 1, TALKING ABOUT THE GENETIC SIDE IS LINKED IN THE COMMENTS.
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