What To Expect When Your Dachshund Has Kidney Disease

Once dogs reach eight years of age, their kidneys are less likely to function as well as those of younger Dachshunds are. Diseased kidneys have sustained damage that inhibits their ability to strain and eliminate waste products. Kidney disease can be sudden (acute) or long-term (chronic).

Acute kidney disease is the result of a potent underlying cause, such as a significant drop in blood pressure, loss of fluids or blood, shock, ingestion of a toxic substance, heart failure, or infectious disease. In treating a dog with kidney disease, the goal is to first deal with the underlying cause. Usually, such treatment results in the restoration of urine production.

Chronic kidney disease is a much slower, degenerative process, with subtle signs that can often take years to surface. Common causes include infection, heart disease, diabetes, poisoning, or physical trauma. Because the kidneys contain plenty of reserve tissue normally capable of toxin disposal, about two thirds of the organ must be damaged before symptoms can be detected. However, it is essential that the disease be checked as early as possible.

A dog suffering from chronic kidney disease may finish her water bowl more quickly than usual and look to you for refills. She may urinate more frequently than normal, and may begin to accidentally urinate in inappropriate places because the kidneys are no longer capable of holding urine.

As the disease progresses, uremia will develop, characterized by lethargy, poor appetite, dull coat, darkening of the tongue, diarrhea, vomiting, and anemia. You may also think you are smelling ammonia on her breath. With chronic kidney disease, while he or she will not be able to restore the kidney itself, there are several steps your veterinarian will recommend to keep your Dachshund as healthy and functional as possible.

Strict attention to diet will help the kidney work as well as possible. You will have to reduce the amount of protein your Dachshund ingests. Nitrogen waste is the by-product of protein metabolism. This waste leaves the kidneys as urea. If the kidneys are faulty, urea will back up and enter the bloodstream. However, your dog needs protein for cell production, so you must work with the veterinarian to create a diet (perhaps a specially packaged food program acquired through veterinary hospitals) that will be beneficial to your Dachshund.

This diet will include proteins that are easy to digest, and may be supplemented by foods like cooked eggs and cottage cheese. Carbohydrates will also be suggested. Useful supplements include pasta, potatoes, whole wheat bread, and oatmeal.

What To Do If Your Dachshund Is Having Convulsions

Convulsions are an uncommon occurrence in Dachshunds. An episode is more upsetting and dismaying to the owner than the pet. An episode can be caused by a viral infection that has reached the brain, such as distemper, for example. Ear infections, epilepsy, certain parasitic infestations, in addition to other causal factors, can also initiate an episode of convulsions.

If a Dachshund convulses, make sure that it is out of harm’s way, and cannot become entangled in furniture or other objects, and it is not up against a wall. When a dog is out of danger, leave it alone. If, however, the animal is in a dangerous site, do not attempt to handle or move it. Cover the dog with a blanket to restrain it from injury. Be certain to keep your fingers and hands (and other portions of your anatomy) away from the dog’s head: dogs often bite actively as they convulse.

Any Dachshund that has convulsed requires veterinary attention to determine the cause. dogs that have convulsed should never be wormed by the owner; under certain conditions, this may cause another episode. Owner-given treatments such as worming or other over-the-counter remedies can, in certain instances, even cause death to the Dachshund that has previously convulsed.

What To Do If Your Dachshund Is Bitten

What To Do If Your Dachshund Is Bitten By A Snake#/TITLE#
Only a few varieties of snakes in North America are poisonous to dogs. The rattlesnake, copperhead, water moccasin (the cottonmouth), mangrove, coral and California lyre are the most commonly found poisonous reptiles. Of these, the rattlesnake’s bite accounts for approximately 80 percent of all fatalities.

Snake bites demand immediate first-aid treatment by the owner and intensive veterinary treatment as quickly as possible. The venom’s progress can be restricted by use of a tourniquet when the bite is on a leg or tail. Place the tourniquet snugly above the wound site. The tourniquet may be fashioned from hosiery, rope, a rubber band, a bungee cord or even a shirt sleeve.

Next, make a single-line incision through the cutaneous layer, slightly into the muscle fascia at the bite site. Express the venom by squeezing the wound. If a bulb syringe is available, use it. Allow the wound site to slowly ooze blood. If ice is available, pack it around the area but not directly over the wound. Ice also helps to slow the venom’s progress.

Immobilize the Dachshund: do not allow it to walk. Carry the dog to your vehicle for quick, direct transportation to the nearest veterinary clinic. Any movement of the Dachshund will increase heart, metabolic and respiration rates and, at the same time, the spread of the venom.

What Makes Good Character In A Dachshund Dog?

The first quality you should look for while searching for your potential Dachshund is character. Although we can selectively breed dogs to show us physical and behavioral characteristics, every single Dachshund puppy will have an individual character of his own.

When a new dog that is not a Dachshund puppy comes into your life, your first impression may be that he is quiet and depressed. As a potential dog owner, you should be aware that it is possible that the dog will remain this way throughout his life. On the other hand, after a short “getting to know you” period, it is equally possible for this dog to become a lunatic. Frequently, dogs seem extremely placid after being boarded away from home for an extended time (three weeks or more). Some dogs are genuinely sensitive yet strong, while others are soft and emotionally weak.

Many dogs are just not confident enough at first to show their temperament. Nervous dogs are nervous dogs. I have seen numerous Dachshunds with low nerve thresholds, and many tended to be sharp as well. This behavior was very much inherent in the individuals. Commonly, new owners of adult dogs believe that their dog’s apparent apprehension is a result of previous abuse. This is rarely the case. The real deal is that these dogs have always acted in this manner.

If a seven or eight-week-old Dachshund puppy is active, outgoing, and friendly, it is unlikely that he will become fearful and nervous unless he becomes environmentally traumatized. If a puppy of the same age is already nervous, there is no real reason to assume that his nerves are going to strengthen over time. Training a dog with unsound nerves will not net you a super well trained dog. If you need a retriever for some type of work, then be sure you pick a Dachshund puppy with strong retrieve drives, or you may be struggling to teach your retriever to retrieve.

When you are evaluating a puppy, he is what he appears to be. There are no secrets. If it’s a hyper little female yapping a million miles an hour, she ought to settle herself down by the time she is a senior citizen. If a puppy appears independent when you are around him for the first time, leave him behind and look for a puppy who shows interest in you. Don’t choose the big active male in the litter unless you are prepared for the potential dominance and for all the time and training it could take to make him a great boy.

What Is Humane Dachshund Training?

Any procedure or training tool that causes a Dachshund to yelp in pain, causes injury, or that mentally terrorizes a dog is unacceptable. Humane techniques are those that help a Dachshund to learn something in a constructive, nonviolent way. Well-timed praise teaches the dog that a behavior should be repeated. Well-timed corrections for unwanted behavior teach the dog to avoid that behavior the next time.

Poorly timed corrections, no matter how mild, could be considered inhumane, or at least unfair. Scolding the dog hours after you find a chewed bed pillow is nothing more than random anger from the dog’s point of view. He’s getting yelled at for what? Sleeping there by the fireplace? Why is that bad? Should he stop sleeping?

Humane Dachshund training does not destroy the trust that exists between the handler and the dog. On the other hand, an extremely harsh or brutal correction, no matter how well timed, can frighten or intimidate a dog. Although you may be successful in getting him to avoid unwanted behaviors, you will have lost his trust and confidence.

Don’t be afraid to use corrections. Just be sure that when you make them they are appropriate to the Dachshund. They should be strong enough to get the dog to stop a behavior but not to cause him to cower in fear.

Is Your Dachshund Puppy A Thief?

Commonly, a Dachshund puppy will pick up a shoe off the floor, which provokes us to chase after him and take the forbidden object away. The dog that is frequently isolated or prohibited from exercise will learn how to ask for negative attention. Negative attention is better to the dog than no attention at all, hence his stealing articles to solicit your attention.

Pick your issues carefully when training your dog. When your Dachshund has an object that you must retrieve, do not under any circumstances chase him. He can and will outrun you while learning how to achieve attention from you. Ignore the behavior unless the object is dangerous to your dog’s health. In this case, replacing the object he is holding in his mouth usually works.

When replacement does not work, then you may need to use a can with several pennies in it to startle him into dropping. This “throw can” technique needs to be done so that your dog doesn’t see you throw it. The can flew out of the sky and landed near him when he picked up the forbidden object.

Employing the commands “drop it” and “leave it” are helpful with this problem. Teaching the dog to play with only his toys is also important. Having a long line attached to his collar in the house while conditioning your dog out of this behavior eliminates the need for you to chase him to get back whatever he has picked up.

Is Your Dachshund Constipated?

Dachshund constipation is defined as a dog who has repeated difficulties passing a stool or is completely unable to defecate. Constipation is caused by a low fiber or high-meat diet, by the intake of objects that cannot be digested such as bone particles, thread, paper clips, and wood, or by weak abdominal muscles resulting from old age and trauma.

Mild constipation may be relieved by adding an over-the-counter laxative such as Metamucil to your Dachshund’s food. To add moisture to the stool, you can also try spooning some mineral oil into your dog’s food. Use one teaspoon per ten pounds of body weight twice daily. Mineral oil will act as a mild laxative, but it can also inhibit the absorption of important nutrients, so don’t use it for more than three days.

Also, be sure to put the oil in the food. Don’t put it directly in your Dachshund’s mouth because he may inhale it and get it into his lungs, which could result in pneumonia or other respiratory distress.

If the constipation is severe, take your dog to the veterinarian. The doctor may recommend or administer an enema, or may even have to anesthetize your dog and then instigate the final states of digestion from within your dog’s intestinal tract.