Breeders in the US That X-ray for Spinal Calcifications in Dachshunds

Back problems are one of the biggest health concerns for Dachshunds, and about 1 in 4 will experience intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) in their lifetime. Unfortunately, many Dachshund owners are unaware of this risk. Of those that are, a significant portion are either terrified it will happen to their Dachshund and/or it’s happened to theirs and they’ve made it their mission to educate people about back issues in the breed (the latter is what happened to me). Almost all Dachshund around the world are at risk due to a disease associated with a genetic mutation associated with dwarfism, which gives the Dachshund their distinct look. While there is no definitive test for IVDD, there has been some progress is preventing the effects of that genetic mutation. Photo Credit: Depositphotos/MattiaATH The Too Long; Didn’t Read Version This is the TL;DR version if you just want to skim over the explanation of why back screening is important and just jump right to the list of US breeders that do it. While there’s no way to completely prevent disk herniations as a result of the genetic disease that causes spinal disks to age prematurely and rupture (Intervertebral Disk Disease – IVDD), breeder...