Diet and Supplements

• Feed your dog a well-balanced diet that contains all the right nutrients required for its life-stage
• Growing puppies, pregnant and lactating bitches, and elderly dogs need different diets from a mature, fully-grown, dog
• Feed the right amount of food, combined with regular exercise, to keep your Dachshund at an ideal Body Condition Score

In our survey, 4 in 10 Dachshunds that we looked at over the age of 3 were fed a Complete Diet and a further 1 in 4 were fed a combination of Complete/ Wet. There was no statistically significant difference in IVDD rates between any of the diets (complete, wet, raw, or any combination).

Many owners give supplements such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin in the hope that they will be “good for backs” and “prevent joint problems”. Overall, for dogs over the age of 3, the risk of IVDD was no different between dogs receiving supplements and those not. In fact, dogs whose diets were supplemented with Glucosamine and Chondroitin were nearly twice as likely to have had an IVDD incident. This is possibly a reflection of the fact that owners give supplements to dogs after they have had an IVDD incident.

Interestingly, dogs whose diets were supplemented with Cod Liver Oil were half as likely to have had an IVDD incident. This does not mean we can conclude that CLO supplements reduce the risk of IVDD.

Feed a good quality, well-balanced, diet that helps maintain your dog at an ideal body condition (not fat, or thin); remember, it’s very easy not to notice your dog becoming too fat.

Read more about your Dachshund's ideal body condition.