04 Dachshund General Care
Description
This article is from the Dachshund Breed FAQ, by njchillie@REMOVE_TO-REPLY.yahoo.com (Steven Michelson) with numerous contributions by others.
04 Dachshund General Care
It is extremely important to keep a Dachshund from getting fat, not
only for the usual reasons of general good health, but also because
their long back is susceptible to slipped or ruptured disks through
the additional strain placed on their spinal chord. This can result in
partial or full paralysis. Fortunately, it is often treatable, and a
full recovery is likely if the problem is dealt with promptly (as soon
as there's any evidence at all that the dog is having back pain.) In
addition, to reduce the chance of disk problems, it is also important
to make sure a Dachshund does not do things that put additional stress
on his back, such as sitting up and begging. Also, you should be
careful, when holding a Dachshund, to keep his back horizontal.
Holding him like a football, with his rear quarters tucked under your
arm, and your hands supporting his chest usually keeps the back in the
horizontal position, thus reducing stress on the back. I don't wish to
convey the impression that Dachshunds are fragile dogs - they're not
(after all, they were bred for hunting). I just think that an ounce of
prevention goes a long way. And if you accidentally hold one the wrong
way, it's not like he will immediately develop back problems, either.
But you might as well take reasonable precautions.
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