Puppy First, Health First
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The big picture
Tweenie Dachshunds typically live 12–16 years.
A Tweenie is a Dachshund, so its health is the Dachshund's, and the figures here describe Dachshunds of every size.
The breed is known to be prone to a few conditions, and the back is the big one.
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 (intervertebral disc disease, or IVDD), a disc in the spine bulges or bursts. In UK Dachshunds it is by far the most common health problem.
Signs include back pain, wobbliness or weakness, and they need a prompt vet visit.
Keep your Tweenie lean and muscled, and limit jumping for puppies and seniors. Most cases are not caused by a single jump or fall.
Cone-rod dystrophy is a form of progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited loss of sight.
Signs can start at very different ages, and some at-risk dogs never lose their sight.
A DNA test shows whether a dog carries the gene change, and regular eye exams still matter.
Distichiasis means extra eyelashes growing from the edge of the eyelid. Among Dachshunds eye-examined by OFA, about 1 in 10 had extra lashes.
It usually turns up in young dogs at an eyelid exam.
A vet can remove lashes that rub the eye.
Blue and isabella coats are linked to color dilution alopecia, which causes thinning hair and bald patches.
Puppies are born with a normal-looking coat, and signs may begin from about 6 months.
The condition is managed rather than cured, so regular skin checks with your vet help.
Less common
Lafora disease is an inherited form of epilepsy with sudden muscle jerks, seen in wirehaired dogs from Miniature Wirehaired lines.
A slipping kneecap turned up in about 4 in 100 Dachshunds checked by OFA.
Small folds in the retina showed up in about 8 in 1,000 Dachshunds in OFA eye exams.
Older dogs can get heart murmurs from mitral valve disease, so keep up senior checkups.
Brittle bone disease (osteogenesis imperfecta) causes fragile bones and loose joints, and a DNA test can find it.
Watch for dental disease in older dogs, and keep brushing the teeth each week.
Double dapples, from breeding two dapples together, are linked to eye and hearing defects.
DNA tests
DNA tests check for several uncommon inherited conditions in Dachshunds, and a cheek swab works at any age. 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 show signs. One test, for a disc disease gene variant, is of little use for choosing a puppy, because nearly every Dachshund carries it.
Checkups your dog will get
Care plan by life stage
Planning for Tweenie Dachshund vet costs
These are typical published costs for treating what a Tweenie 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 |
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
Eyes
Discharge · Vision problems · Eyelash problems · Cherry eye
05
Ears and hearing
Debris or discharge · Ear mites · Signs of infection · Hearing
06
Mouth and bite
Teeth and jaw alignment · Bite (overbite or underbite)
07
Skin and coat
Fleas and ticks · Hair loss · Signs of infection
08
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
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
With a light and magnification, the vet looks along the eyelid edges for extra eyelashes (distichiasis).
Extra lashes run in the breed, and a vet can remove any that rub the eye.
The vet checks both eyes for any visible defect or sign of a vision problem.
An unusually small eye can occur, especially in dapples, and a veterinary eye specialist can tell you more.
In a dapple puppy, the vet takes an especially close look at the eyes.
With a light and magnification, the vet looks along the eyelid edges for extra eyelashes (distichiasis).
Extra lashes run in the breed, and a vet can remove any that rub the eye.
The vet checks both eyes for any visible defect or sign of a vision problem.
An unusually small eye can occur, especially in dapples, and a veterinary eye specialist can tell you more.
In a dapple puppy, the vet takes an especially close look at the eyes.
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!
Georgia · Dachshund, Mini“The service was great, and everything was handled smoothly and professionally. My puppy arrived safely.”
Tweenie Dachshund Puppies for Sale
Frequently asked questions
The conditions that run in the breed are disc disease of the spine (IVDD), cone-rod dystrophy (an inherited loss of sight), extra eyelashes (distichiasis) and, in wirehaired dogs from Miniature Wirehaired lines, Lafora disease. A lean, well-muscled dog, regular eye exams and DNA results help you stay ahead of them.
Copy link to this questionDachshunds of every size are prone to disc disease of the spine (intervertebral disc disease, or IVDD), which has a hereditary link to their short-legged build. In UK Dachshunds it affects about 1 in 4 in their lifetime. Back pain, wobbliness or weakness needs a prompt vet visit.
Copy link to this questionCone-rod dystrophy, an inherited loss of sight, and extra eyelashes (distichiasis) are both known in the breed. A DNA test identifies the sight-loss gene change, and an eye exam finds extra lashes and other changes.
Copy link to this questionThey can: both colors are linked to color dilution alopecia, a skin and coat condition that is managed rather than cured. Dilute puppies look normal at first, so keep up regular skin checks as they grow.
Copy link to this questionStairs and jumping are not the main cause, because IVDD is largely hereditary and most cases are not tied to a single event. Still, limit jumping for puppies and seniors, and keep your dog lean and muscled.
Copy link to this questionCheek-swab DNA tests cover cone-rod dystrophy, a disc disease gene variant, Lafora disease for wirehaired lines and rarer conditions such as narcolepsy. 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.
Copy link to this questionDisc screening uses spinal X-rays that count calcified discs, ideally between the ages of 2 and 4, so it is not done in puppies. A DNA test for a disc disease gene variant exists, but nearly every Dachshund carries it, so it does little to tell puppies apart.
Copy link to this questionTweenie Dachshunds typically live 12–16 years.
Copy link to this questionOlder Dachshunds need less exercise, so reduce walks to what is comfortable and keep limiting jumps. Keep annual or more frequent checkups, with an eye exam after 8 years. Watch for vision changes, heart murmurs and dental disease.
Copy link to this questionKeep it lean and fit with daily walks, limit jumping, brush its teeth weekly and book a yearly wellness exam.
Copy link to this questionSpaying or neutering is a conversation to have with your vet, who can tailor the decision to your dog. In Dachshunds, neutering is linked to a higher risk of disc disease, so it is worth a careful talk.
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