Puppy First, Health First
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The big picture
Mini Dachshunds typically live 12–16 years.
The breed is known to be prone to a few conditions, and the long back needs the most care. Everyday habits help a lot: keep your Mini lean, lift it with the back level, use a ramp and book regular eye exams. Most problems are easier to manage when they are caught early.
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) keeps the health results that owners send in.
It records every Dachshund under one breed name, so its figures pool Miniatures and Standards of all three coats. This page explains each condition in plain words: what it is, what you might notice and what you can do.
Worth knowing
This list is not exhaustive or official. Keep asking your veterinarian as your puppy grows.
In disc disease, called intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), a disc between the bones of the spine bulges or bursts. It is the most common health problem in UK Dachshunds, affecting about 1 in 4.
Watch for back or neck pain, yelping when lifted, a reluctance to move, wobbliness or weakness.
See your vet promptly, because early treatment improves recovery. Keep your Mini lean and fit, lift it with the back level, and use ramps instead of jumps.
Cone-rod dystrophy is a form of progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), a gradual, inherited loss of sight. It can affect all three Miniature coat types.
The first signs can show up in a young dog or not until old age, and some dogs with an at-risk DNA result keep their sight.
A DNA test shows a puppy's result, and regular eye exams still matter, because not every case of PRA comes from this gene.
Distichiasis means extra eyelashes growing along the edge of the eyelid. It is reported most often in Miniature Longhaired Dachshunds.
It usually shows up in young dogs, and an eyelid exam with magnification can find it.
A vet can freeze or remove lashes that irritate the eye.
Blue and isabella coats are linked to color dilution alopecia, which thins the hair and can leave bald patches.
A dilute puppy's coat looks normal at birth, and thinning may begin from about 6 months.
It can be managed but not cured, so plan regular skin checks with your vet.
Lafora disease is an inherited form of epilepsy that causes sudden muscle jerks. It affects Miniature Wirehaired Dachshunds.
Signs usually start from about age 5.
A cheek-swab DNA test works at any age, and a vet exam is the next step if jerks appear.
Deafness from birth is linked to the dapple gene, the Dachshund's name for merle. The risk is highest in double dapples, puppies with two dapple parents.
A puppy that is deaf in one ear can seem normal, so an ordinary exam may miss it.
A hearing test can check a dapple puppy's hearing from 35 days old.
Less common
Among Dachshunds checked by OFA, about 4 in 100 had a kneecap that slips out of place (patellar luxation).
OFA eye exams found small folds in the retina in about 8 in 1,000 Dachshunds.
Epilepsy with no known cause is seen more often in Miniature Longhaired Dachshunds than in other varieties.
Cataracts, cloudy areas in the lens of the eye, are listed among Dachshund eye conditions, and an eye exam can find them.
Corneal dystrophy leaves a cloudy spot on the clear front of the eye.
Small or malformed eyes (microphthalmia) are linked to double dapple breeding.
Mitral valve disease can cause heart murmurs in older Dachshunds, which senior checkups listen for.
Pattern baldness thins the hair on the ears and the underside.
Dachshunds put on weight easily, and extra weight strains the long back.
DNA tests
DNA tests use a cheek swab and work at any age. For Mini Dachshunds, the main ones check for cone-rod dystrophy in all three coats and for Lafora disease in Miniature Wirehaireds.
Each result comes back as clear, carrier or at risk. Clear means no copies of the gene change, and a carrier has one copy and stays healthy. At risk means a higher chance of the condition, not a diagnosis, and some at-risk dogs never develop it or develop it late. A test for a disc disease gene variant says little about one puppy, because nearly every Dachshund carries it. Labs also test for rarer conditions, such as brittle bone disease (osteogenesis imperfecta), and a test on a list does not mean the condition is common.
Checkups your dog will get
Care plan by life stage
Planning for Mini Dachshund vet costs
These are typical published costs for treating what a Mini Dachshund vet exam looks at and the conditions the breed is known to be prone to. Each range shows where it comes from and when, and your own vet's estimate will differ.
| Item | Typical cost | Per | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist's first exam (consultation fee only) | $198–$350 | per visit | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee) | 2023–2026 |
| Item | Typical cost | Per | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist's first exam (consultation fee only) | $198–$350 | per visit | at US veterinary teaching hospitals (Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee) | 2023–2026 |
Planning for pet insurance
When you are ready to compare plans, here is one option for Pawrade buyers.
Only with Pawrade, you receive a pet insurance policy with no waiting period included for immediate accident or illness coverage, 1 month, with every puppy.† You activate it by calling MetLife; instructions arrive with your travel details. Continuing MetLife coverage after the first month is strongly recommended.
View the MetLife 30-day offer →†NH, NY, RI, SC and TN residents excluded. Activated by calling MetLife; coverage begins immediately following policy activation. See the offer for full terms.
Whichever plan you look at, read the policy before you buy. Check the waiting periods, how it defines a pre-existing condition, and its deductible, reimbursement percentage and annual limit.
A waiting period is how long after you buy a pet insurance policy before a claim counts.
| Policy | Accidents | Illness | Joints |
|---|---|---|---|
| MetLife policy included with your Pawrade puppy† | None | None | None |
| MetLife, bought directly | None | 14 days | Not listed |
| Industry standard | 0–14 days | 14–30 days | 6–12 months |
| Nationwide | 14 days | 14 days | Not listed |
| Trupanion | 5 days | 30 days | 30 days |
| Embrace | 2 days | 14 days | 6 months |
| Figo | 1 day | 14 days | Not listed |
What the Veterinary Health Report checks
The breeder's licensed vet checks your puppy before it goes home. The vet follows PetPay's exam standards, and the results go in your puppy's Veterinary Health Report.
Focus
Heart
Heart murmur, and how loud it is (grade)
02
Breathing
How open the nostrils are · Coughing or congestion
03
Temperature, pulse and breathing rate
Temperature · Pulse · Breathing rate
04 Focus
Eyes
Discharge · Vision problems · Eyelash problems · Cherry eye
05 Focus
Ears and hearing
Debris or discharge · Ear mites · Signs of infection · Hearing
06 Focus
Mouth and bite
Teeth and jaw alignment · Bite (overbite or underbite)
07
Skin and coat
Fleas and ticks · Hair loss · Signs of infection
08 Focus
Kneecaps
Kneecaps that slip, and how much (grade)
09
Hips
Hip pain
10
Hernias
Belly-button (umbilical) hernia · Groin (inguinal) hernia
11
Soft spot on the skull
An open soft spot, and its size
12
Body condition and weight
Body condition score · Weight
13 Focus
Reproductive organs
Both testicles in place (males) · Extra skin folds around the vulva (females)
14
History of vomiting or diarrhea
Any history of vomiting or diarrhea (reported, not examined)
15
Stool test for parasites
Fecal flotation test, with any treatment given
16
Past surgery and notes
Any past surgery · The vet's explanation of anything abnormal
The vet listens to the heart for a murmur that could point to a heart problem present from birth.
The vet checks the eyelids with a light and magnification for extra eyelashes (distichiasis) and looks for signs of vision problems.
Small or misshapen eyes are worth watching for, and they are seen most often in dapple puppies.
The vet checks the puppy's hearing by how it responds to sound, which matters most in dapple puppies.
Deafness from birth is linked to the dapple gene, and a hearing test can confirm it.
The vet checks the bite for an overshot or undershot jaw.
The vet feels the knees to check that the kneecaps stay in place.
A slipping kneecap (patellar luxation) can first appear in an older dog, so knee checks carry on through life.
In a male puppy, the vet feels for the testicles, which may not have fully dropped at this age.
The vet listens to the heart for a murmur that could point to a heart problem present from birth.
The vet checks the eyelids with a light and magnification for extra eyelashes (distichiasis) and looks for signs of vision problems.
Small or misshapen eyes are worth watching for, and they are seen most often in dapple puppies.
The vet checks the puppy's hearing by how it responds to sound, which matters most in dapple puppies.
Deafness from birth is linked to the dapple gene, and a hearing test can confirm it.
The vet checks the bite for an overshot or undershot jaw.
The vet feels the knees to check that the kneecaps stay in place.
A slipping kneecap (patellar luxation) can first appear in an older dog, so knee checks carry on through life.
In a male puppy, the vet feels for the testicles, which may not have fully dropped at this age.
Puppies grow and change quickly, and their immune systems are still developing, so no exam can find everything. The Veterinary Health Report is a strong early look at your puppy and a written starting point that your own vet builds on.
Health guarantee
Every Pawrade puppy comes with a health guarantee administered by PetPay, independent of the seller. The terms are on the health guarantee page.
Customers Love Us!
Bessie · Corgi, Pembroke Welsh“Pawrade was a wonderful company to work with. The team was pleasant, responsive and a great help. They were able to seemingly re-direct delivery of my puppy during Hurricane Ian! My corgi puppy is adorable, and a great addition to my new house...making it feel like a home!”
Mini Dachshund Puppies for Sale
Frequently asked questions
Mini Dachshunds are known to be prone to disc disease of the spine (IVDD), cone-rod dystrophy (an inherited loss of sight) and extra eyelashes (distichiasis). Lafora disease affects Miniature Wirehaireds, and deafness from birth is linked to the dapple gene. A lean weight, careful lifting, regular eye exams and DNA tests help you stay ahead of them.
Dachshunds are more likely than most dogs to have a disc in the spine bulge or burst, a condition called intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). In UK Dachshunds it affects about 1 in 4. A puppy cannot be screened for it at the vet exam. The DNA test for the disc variant (CDDY) says little about one puppy, because nearly every Dachshund carries it. At home, keep your dog lean and muscled, lift it with the back level, and see a vet promptly for any back or neck pain.
Not on their own, because disc disease is largely inherited and most cases are not tied to a single event. Limiting jumps for puppies and seniors, teaching a ramp and keeping your dog lean still help.
They can, because blue and isabella coats are linked to color dilution alopecia, which thins the hair. In one UK survey, about 7 in 10 blue Dachshunds had a skin problem, against about 3 in 10 Dachshunds of all colors. A dilute puppy's coat looks normal at birth, and the condition is managed rather than cured, so keep up regular skin checks.
Cheek-swab tests cover cone-rod dystrophy in all three Miniature coats, Lafora disease in Miniature Wirehaireds and a disc disease gene variant, along with a list of rarer conditions. A carrier has one copy of the gene change and stays healthy. An at-risk result means a higher chance of the condition, not a diagnosis.
A clinical eye exam can be done from 6 weeks, and eye exams continue through life, because inherited sight loss can begin at very different ages. Extra eyelashes often show up at an eyelid exam in a young dog.
A hearing test called a BAER test can check a dapple puppy's hearing from 35 days old. It matters most for double dapples, the puppies of two dapple parents, which are linked to deafness from birth.
Mini Dachshunds typically live 12–16 years.
Exercise needs drop with age, so let walks shrink to what your senior finds comfortable and keep jumps to a minimum. Plan exams at least once a year, with a repeat eye exam after 8 years. Keep an eye out for vision changes, heart murmurs and dental disease.
Keep it lean with measured meals, protect the back with a ramp and careful lifting, brush the teeth weekly and book a yearly wellness exam.
Spaying or neutering is a decision to make with your own vet, based on things like your dog's sex and expected adult size. In Dachshunds, neutering has been linked with more disc disease, so it deserves a careful conversation.
