Health

Welcoming a new dachshund to your home (whether they be young or old) is a very exciting time. You have adopted a new best friend, someone who will be there with you during the good times and the bad times. Someone who will make you smile and who will make you cry (with laughter of course!). Your dachshund will depend on you to care for them and make the best decisions for their happiness and well being. These decisions will come in many forms and you may find yourself asking the following questions:

• Should I feed my dachshund a well- balanced diet for dogs as opposed to giving in to the ‘quarter pounder with cheese eyes’ they are giving me?
• Should I buy them a ramp for the household stairs?
• Should I get my dachshund desexed?

The answer to all 3, is a simple ‘yes’. In this article we would like to help you in making the decision to have your dachshund desexed. At DRA, we strongly recommend all breeds of dogs should be desexed, for many reasons. It is because of these reasons we ensure all of the dachshunds who come in to our care are desexed prior to being rehomed.

What are the benefits to having my dachshund desexed?

Overpopulation

While most people associate sterilisation with the prevention of unwanted litters, this is only one of the three important reasons to have your dachshund desexed. Each year there are thousands upon thousands of animals euthanised across Australia, due to overpopulation and unwanted animals entering animal shelters. To put a stop to this, we need to stop it at the source and have our pets desexed.

Health Benefits

Making the decision to have your dachshund desexed is one of the best things you can do for their well being. There are health benefits (current and future) for both male and female dachshunds.

Firstly, having your male dachshund desexed will remove any chance of them developing testicular cancer, reduces the chance of developing perianal tumours AND decreases prostate problems.

As for female dachshunds, having your dachshund desexed will remove any chance of them developing ovarian and uterine cancer, reduces the risk of mammary tumours AND prevents nasty conditions, such as pyometra (infection of the uterus) which can be fatal.

Scientific studies have proven that desexed pets live longer and healthier lives.

Behavioural

Lastly, having your dachshund desexed can help prevent and/or control any unwanted behaviours (if sterilisation is performed before these can be ‘learnt’).

Undesexed male dogs have so many sexual hormones rushing through their bodies that they can become aggressive (towards humans and animals), territorial (urine marking and/or aggression), and are more likely to escape yards in order to find a female. These characteristics are extremely difficult to stop with training alone. Therefore desexing is highly recommended by all pet health professionals.

In undesexed females the need to ‘wander’ and find a mate during heat cycles is removed.

While not proven, something to consider is the high popularity of dachshunds in recent years may have led to more being stolen. A desexed dachshund who cannot be used for backyard breeding purposes is much less tempting than an ‘entire’ dachshund.

When should I have my dachshund desexed?

It is recommended that you have your dog desexed just prior to, or at sexual maturity. Sexual maturity in dogs begins around 6 months of age. Following this guideline will significantly reduce the likelihood of the ‘learnt behaviours’ discussed previously. This age can differ for individual cases, so it is best to discuss with your vet, when the most appropriate age for your dachshund is. The idea that your female dog should have one litter prior to being desexed is a myth. In fact, every heat cycle your dachshund has increases her chances of developing mammary cancer. If your dachshund has sneakily come on heat before you can desex her, it is best to wait 3-4 weeks after she has finished bleeding, as she is at a higher surgical risk due to the higher volume of blood and enlargement of blood vessels in the area at the time. Remember to separate her from any entire males during this time).

How is the surgery performed?

The desexing procedure in a male is very straightforward. Your vet will make a small incision, remove the testes (the source of sperm and testosterone), and suture the wound.

The desexing procedure in a female is an ovariohysterectomy. Your vet will make an incision, remove both the ovaries and uterus, and suture the wound.

The big day

On the day of your dachshunds surgery they will be required to have been fasted since dinner the night before. This prevents them regurgitating while under general anaesthetic. If this occurs, they are at high risk of inhaling it causing pneaumonia. It is fine to give your dachshund dinner before 10pm, and provide water throughout the night, but ensure it is taken away when you wake up in the morning. The lack of breakfast alone may disgust your dachshund, but it is for their own safety.

Upon admission the veterinary staff may ask you the following:

• Confirmation of your dachshunds details (age etc)
• Confirmation of your details (phone number, address, best time to call to discuss discharge times)
• What time was your dachshunds last meal?
• Is your female dachshund on heat or is there a possibility of her being pregnant?
• Have both of your male dachshunds testicles descended?
• Is your dachshund on any medications? (This is a great chance for you to discuss any health issues concerning you prior to surgery). There are no ‘silly’ questions, believe us, we want to be as aware of your dachshunds history as possible.
• Does your dachshund require any further procedures during their stay? (Vaccinations, microchipping, nail clip and ear clean – all are much easier while your dachshund is anaesthetised).

Once your dachshund is admitted to hospital pre anaesthetic protocols are completed. These may include pre anaesthetic blood testing (a blood panel to ensure your dachshunds liver and kidneys are at optimal health and can metabolise the anaesthetic – a MUST for dachshunds over 5 years old, vitals assessment (heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, mucous membranes and capillary refill time checks, eyes/ears/nose/mouth checks and ‘on heat’ or descended testicle checks.

When your vet is satisfied that your dachshund is fit and health, they will administer a ‘pre medication’ which is generally a mixture of both a sedative and pain relief. This will help your dachshund to relax, think happy thoughts and have a good sleep prior to surgery.

As soon as your dachshund is relaxed and the sedation has had time to work its magic your vet can begin surgery.

The thought of your dachshund undergoing surgery can be frightening, but rest assured knowing your dachshund is in the hands of trusted professionals using safe anaesthetics (much like human medicine). During surgery your dachshund will be intubated to ensure a constant supply of anaesthetic and oxygen are provided, a catheter will be placed in order to administer intravenous fluid therapy (this can be an ‘extra’ at some veterinary hospitals and is highly recommended as fluid therapy helps to keep blood pressure from dropping and helps ‘flush’ out the anaesthetic post surgery). Your dachshund will have anaesthetic monitoring equipment (nurse included) to monitor your dachshund during and after the anaesthetic, and they will receive further pain relief to keep them as comfortable as possible.

When your dachshund wakes up they will feel like they are floating on a warm cloud made of marshmallows (mmmmm marshmallows on an empty stomach uh oh). But, have no fear, they are snuggled up to a recovery nurse, wrapped in a cosy blanket with a hot water bottle.

After your dachshund is fully awake, you will receive the phone call you have been waiting for since you stepped foot out of the hospital – The discharge appointment call!

How do I care for my dachshund post surgery?

During your dacshunds discharge appointment your vet will discuss all appropriate post operative care instructions. These may include:

• Keep your dachshund in a quiet area tonight as they may be groggy. No playing, jumping or running as we dont want their sutures/wound to stretch. You should reduce exercise until 10 days post op.
• Keep your dachshund warm that night. Anaesthetics drop the body temperature and there isn’t a lot to a dachshund to begin with!
• Provide small amounts of food. Too much food can result in an upset stomach. Don’t stress if they arent hungry that night. If they are not eating after 24 hours (very abnormal for a dachshund!), call your vet.
• Follow all medication instructions exactly.
• Do not allow your dachshund to lick at their wound. This will cause an infection. Your dachshund will be sentenced to the ‘cone of shame’.
• Depending on the sutures used (dissolvable/ non dissolvable), organise a suture removal appointment.
• Organise a recheck appointment 3-5 days post surgery to ensure your dacshunds wound is healing correctly.

Myths of the ‘snip’

* Desexing my dachshund will make them lazy and fat.

Oh my! Trust us when we say removing your dacshunds reproductive organs does not give them a hankering for midnight runs to KFC. Removing a male dachshunds testicles cease the production of the hormone testosterone, which is the main cause of undesirable behaviour (humping and/or jumping fences ect), so without these hormones pumping through his system, he should stop being aggressive, or on edge. Much like in humans, stress is exhausting and can burn calories. If your dachshunds exercise regime is maintained, they should not gain any weight.

* But my male dachshund wont feel like a ‘man!’

Our dachshunds are so included in our lives that we often forget that they are not one of us- they are animals. There is no evidence to prove that dogs feel ‘deprived’ of their masculinity following castration.

* My dachshund may lose their ‘personality’

The majority of owners report that desexing their dachshund had a positive outcome for both owner and dachshund. High levels of hormones surging through your body can cause havoc. Think of desexing your dachshund as a fast forward through the ‘terrifying teenage years’. Except that in an undesexed dachshund these years make up most of their lives.