TY! For posting this

I miss him so much

Dash jumped on the sofa and wouldnt put any weight on his back leg. I thought he just hurt his leg so I crated him for a couple of hours. When he came out, he seemed to be walking fine, but wasn't himself.

I called the vet and managed to get a same day appointment. As we were setting off, I tried to get him to do a wee and his whole back end just toppled over. I scooped him up and got him straight there.

I thought I knew the signs, but I didnt know the early warning signs as well as I should have. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks everyone for your input. Looking for emergency vet now.

Get him to a vet as soon as possible. Try to find an emergency vet. They may be able to reduce the inflammation before it gets too bad.

Emergency vet asap!

No! Whimpering and arching aren’t common in dachshunds or any pet. Take him to the vet NOW. Not tomorrow, not Thursday. NOW.

Ok thank you!

He’s fine. He will be in pain. Limit jumping up and down furniture. Get ramps.

Keep him trim and active. The rest is luck of the draw.

https://preview.redd.it/2nipk9qugx6f1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=22bc86cc5c9121bebe75c7c3290656f86ab69a03

Bodhi turns 17 next week. He says hi.

Yours looks fine.

1 in 2 people get cancer.. it’s just the risk you take. Make sure you’ve got good pet insurance.

They think they’re big dogs and will ignore ramps and throw themselves off things. Dogs will be dogs!

Slinky says hi :)

https://preview.redd.it/twefgj5g4x6f1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a8475bad5d80d796c153240df0d30f24985986db

My Robin looks like this all the time! He says hi!

https://preview.redd.it/jtze8ul3kz6f1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e254eb1df14604c6ca29a88650eeab660ca9430

I’d say he looks good. Ruger agrees.

https://preview.redd.it/f24huxsb0x6f1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a076a3ebaf3917399d9240a8e9848823d173f43

My female mini dachshund who I lost last year in April slipped a disk aged 6. She was able to walk again after physio over 6 months albeit she walked a bit wonky. She passed aged 15 without having any more back issues I had a male mini who passed age 10 from cancer and he had no back issues during his life.

My grandmother only picks dachshunds and they’ve all had arthritis problems. She keeps a ramp to not let them jump up and down off of the bed and couches. Also my girl is a chiweenie and she had arthritis issues early. Btw I know it’s not part of your question, but one of hers was prone to get sick a lot with infections and three passed away from cancer. Two were over 13 and one was around 7. These things are common things for these dogs. But she still refuses get any other dogs because she says they give love the best. And she’s right! Mine has been the best companion ever. My recommendation, from the vet, is to keep their weight normal and regular check ups and clean their teeth every year. If they are heavy, they have more risks for things. My chiweenie is 14 and she’s still lively. I hope my comment didn’t scare you away from getting one, but I want you to know what we’ve had to deal with. They will be your best friend and the most loyal pup!

You can GREATLY reduce issues by keeping the dog at a healthy weight. When picking the dog up, also support upper and lower half so as not to put strain on one section of back

They aren’t bad about jumping down as long as you train them to use steps or ramps. I have had 3 and no issues with backs. But if you have two dogs that are not using ramps it might be hard to train them all to use ramps.

I foster for a dachshund rescue and IVDD is quite common - statistically 1 in 4. As people have mentioned, keeping their weight down and using ramps rather than letting them jump helps, but genetics and other things factor in too. I have 3 dachshunds currently, and 2 have had back surgeries. No lasting effects for them thankfully, but it is expensive and stressful going through it.

u/SnooDucks4421
I hope that both of you will feel better.
I had the same problem with my boy Leo, who suffered back problems and IVDD.
I took him to the vet, and he suggested giving him painkillers. Although it helped only for a short time, there were many side effects on his mood and energy.
Eventually, I found laser therapy as the best treatment. It did wonders to Leo.
Stay Safe 🌹

I have a 15 yr dachshund last tue am his back legs not right i had to put him in a standing position he would walk a little and sit down this is the first time it happened took him to Dr he had an xray Dr said he has IUDD he is a grade 1 out of 6 he also has L7 and S1 that have some fusing he is on a muscle relaxer-gabapentin and dexamethasone by the next day he was walking Dr said he has to rest for 3 weeks he is still walking Its so hard to do the rest he is so use to going on park walks 2 times a day This is killing me Can anyone gtt back to me

He should be on crate rest too. It really helps a lot of times. There are lots of pups that are able to avoid surgery but some will end up needing it. Don't do it without full diagnostics, MRI, etc and also get a second opinion before you decide.

what does your vet say ?

Our 13 year old had some issues about 6 months ago, and getting x-rays, we were informed there was definitely some collapsed discs... IN THIS CASE, it was not as bad as it sounded, thankfully.

No surgery and we received minor painkillers and some muscle relaxers to help him with recovery, we also took an extra step with some broad spectrum CBD (0% THC), approximately 4mg, twice per day. I can't say if it for certain helped, but its definitely not making anything worse.

He is back to his spry self thankfully, we have gone to a zero tolerance of jumping up or down, no matter how inconvenient, we always help him up or down, considering he isn't too stubborn to wait for us to get to him.

Additionally, our vet advised us that weight is a dachshunds worst enemy, so we put him on a diet. We found ourselves getting lazy with actual nutrition and he packed on some weight, but we have him on a much healthier diet and gets carrots as snacks. He's slowly getting back to his "high school" weight, and I think, while he hates the decrease of dinner crunch, I strongly believe he feels better and have improved greatly.

But please, these are only suggestions of what I've been through and I strongly advise continuing to work with your vet.

I hope all the best for your weenie and yourself.

Keep them the right weight and build lots of muscle to strengthen their core. Please understand you CAN'T prevent IVDD.

You can prevent accidents, but the disease is genetic.

I had a doxie that had IVDD, he had to have surgery at age 4. He lived to be 15, but it was a constant battle with him always wanting food and treats. He had to be on weight control diet and I had to make sure his treats were mostly vegetables. If he gained even a half pound you could start to see the loss of control in his back legs. Because of surgeries and laser treatments and other issues due to this condition this dog cost me well over 30k. Love and miss him every day. Just be prepared for anything with them.

I will give you a piece of advice I haven't seen here. Weiners are going to be weiners. They want to run and jump and play and can get pretty rambunctious times. You cant avoid it no matter how much you try to We have ramps all over the place and my 7yr old boy still jumps on and off the couch and on and off the bed. My girl who is 14 now has never been a big jumper still jumps up and down off of the couch. You're not a bad parent if they get away with it at times.

I would also suggest since he is a boy to not get him fixed. It plays a big role in avoiding IVDD

There has been discussion that not neutering males makes them less likely to suffer from it. As I recall (and I am too lazy to provide links) waiting past a year or not neutering at all reduces the chances of IVDD in males. The added testosterone makes a difference in their overall structure

Just to add, you don't have to get surgery if you can't afford it. Both of ours got IVDD, and we did cage rest. One recovered, and the other's back legs were paralyzed. He's still going strong in a wheelchair. IVDD isn't a death sentence.

Keep their weight on track that's very important No stairs pretty hard on their backs and jumping from furniture or from your bed it's hard to control but preventable just a few tips from a fellow dachshund owner Enjoy your new puppy

what a terrible advice. when you dont get surgery for them they keep their testosterone which promotes bones health and strength of muscles, just like in people.

Dachshunds are prone to back problems and it sounds like she is in some pain. If she were mine I would consider taking her to the ER vet today to have her looked at and potentially catch any back issues early. If she shows any signs of not being able to use her back legs, she needs to be seen immediately as this can potentially lead to permanent damage.

Our guy has had flare ups, when it happens we crate rest him for 2-3 weeks and give him a good hit of metacam during that time. I also ice his back twice a day and did some stretching with him. We’ve been really lucky so far! He’s 9 now and cruises around great. We try to limit his jumping off furnature at all costs.

Mine had some similar back issues a few times and luckily a combination of steroids, gabapentin (med that treats nerve related issues & can be given at very large doses) and cbd fixed her up both times. Look into cbd drops to go in his mouth. There is some specifically related to seizures/muscle spasms and at least will be like a muscle relaxer.

Go online and start searching for nonprofits that assist with back issues. Limiting most movement unless going to bathroom or eating. Crate rest. If nothing else. Save $$, call every Vet you can and ask. Also inquire about paying in installments. Good luck to you and your pup

Look for veterinary schools near you. Often they have clinics that might be lower cost.

This site has info on IVDD that can help. Crate rest is a must. Keep him as inactive and restrained as possible for at least 2 weeks.

I had a 7 yr old that recovered after a bar stool fell on his back. The vet gave him steroid treatments.

I've (unfortunately) been dealing with IVDD for about 20 years .. you're not alone in not being given proper information and care instructions. They've done it to me too! But I promise you that this is the best thing and it'll help prevent it getting worse. It can get better quickly, but it can get worse quickly too.

They can look better on the medication but you must keep them on crate rest because it takes about 8 weeks for the disk to heal fully and all the swelling go down.

If you need help to keep her quiet the vets sometimes will prescribe a sedative.

It's hard.. I get it. They're dogs doing what dogs do. But some go their whole life without having another episode! The best thing is once the crate rest is over keep them a healthy weight and fit and strong. That'll give them the best chances. You can encourage them not to jump and play but dachshunds are hard headed aren't they ! So for safety just gotta keep their muscles strong in the hope you've done everything you can. 💞

It’s very hard to tell. Our dachshund had a spinal issue but a few days of steroids and muscle relaxers was sufficient for it to move back into place, and he was fine for 15 happy years after that.

But just be mindful that if it is more severe, crate rest will be the right route to take.

My wife had a doxie when we met, and he came down with IVDD at age three. Her vet prescribed prednisone and muscle relaxants, and he recovered to the point where surgery wasn’t needed. He lived to age 12.

So prednisone can work.

Sending prayers for you and your little one.

This is called IVDD and happens to 1 in 4 dachshunds.

The most important thing other than making sure their pain is controlled is they need strict crate rest for at least 8 weeks. This helps the disk to heal but also prevents it from getting worse. .. so they're in their crate all day and night except for 5 minute potty breaks on a lead.

If you lift them you must support the whole spine.. don't allow any running, jumping or slippery surfaces whilst they're healing. This is why it's important that they're on a lead for potty breaks.

It's hard, but it is the very best thing for them

The Dodgers List Website has all the information you'll need to care for them , and The IVDD Handbook by Marianne Dorn is also excellent.

Heat helps their pain but you need to be careful they don't get burnt if you use a heating pad.

If they seem to still be in pain after their meds please let the vet know ; the pain needs to be fully controlled so no crying etc.

Good luck, my guy is currently on crate rest too!

My doxie just got finished with about 10 weeks of strict crate/bed rest for this. We still have some trazodone on hand in case he suddenly thinks he’s Superman, but he’s almost done a complete compared to how he was 10 weeks ago!

He went from acting a little hesitant to full on losing all function of his back legs in less than 24 hours. We were devastated because he’s only 5, and we didn’t want him to go through surgery.

I turned to Reddit during this time and read DOZENS of comforting stories of other doxies and their owners battling the same condition, who all made a great turnaround after lots of crate rest/meds.

You got this! It’s a tough 8 weeks, but it will/should help. Sending all of the healing love to your girl!!!! 💕

You pup definitely needs crate rest. A comment above explained it very well. Also tons of advice on r/IVDD_SupportGroup.

Thank you everyone for your replies. We will keep a close eye on her and keep her on crate rest. Hopefully this passes and she back to her playful self soon.

Take the crate rest seriously. It is hard, especially if they cry and want to be let out. But the more they rest, the better they will be in the long run.