Intervertebral disc disease is the most significant health welfare issue in Dachshunds, affecting approximately 25 percent of the breed and causing pain and paralysis that is partially preventable through breeding and management.
IVDD causes acute severe spinal pain and potentially permanent paralysis — a welfare burden of extraordinary significance for an entire breed. The predictability of the condition based on the chondrodystrophic mutation means it is partly a breeding welfare issue: selecting against the highest-risk phenotype and using MRI screening to avoid breeding from the most severely affected individuals could progressively reduce disease prevalence. Owner awareness of early signs — sudden back pain, a hunched posture, or hindlimb weakness — enabling prompt veterinary assessment is critical for maximising recovery. Dogs paralysed for more than 48 hours before surgery have substantially reduced chances of recovery.