Dachshunds prone to heart murmurs?
- Thread starter Sweet72947
- Start date
I couldn't say whether the breed as a whole is "prone" to heart murmurs and cardiac related problems (take a look in OFA and you'll not find much at all in the way of reported health testing of any kind being done in comparison to the amount of Dachshunds reg'd with AKC every year - so who could say?), but for me personally I absolutely do believe that it can certainly be an issue. I believe it enough that I had my bitch OFA'd by a board certified cardiologist and will do my other when she comes of age, too.
Problem is that in this breed health testing (beyond perhaps patellas and a regular vet doing an eye exam) is not at all a given. The COE for the U.S. parent club doesn't even include any recommended testing to be done. Here in Canada we don't have a parent club but there are regional clubs across the country and none of them have any recommended heath testing in their COE's, either. So, it's up to the individual whether they feel like doing anything at all. For a Dachshund to obtain a CHIC they must have CERF and OFA Patellas, with OFA Thyroid, PRA and BAER testing being optional.
Problem is that in this breed health testing (beyond perhaps patellas and a regular vet doing an eye exam) is not at all a given. The COE for the U.S. parent club doesn't even include any recommended testing to be done. Here in Canada we don't have a parent club but there are regional clubs across the country and none of them have any recommended heath testing in their COE's, either. So, it's up to the individual whether they feel like doing anything at all. For a Dachshund to obtain a CHIC they must have CERF and OFA Patellas, with OFA Thyroid, PRA and BAER testing being optional.
As far as heart murmurs or other heart problems being a problem that is correlated or associated with the breed, I would say this is not the case.
The only clear-cut problems with the breed that are the most commonly seen are Back Problems due to their disproportional legs, and to a lesser extend eye problems.
They aren't any more prone to heart conditions than most other breeds (some do have heart conditions as a recurring problem, like Japanese Chins for example.
The only clear-cut problems with the breed that are the most commonly seen are Back Problems due to their disproportional legs, and to a lesser extend eye problems.
They aren't any more prone to heart conditions than most other breeds (some do have heart conditions as a recurring problem, like Japanese Chins for example.
If you Google "Dachshund heart murmurs" you won't find anything that says "Dachshunds are prone to heart murmurs" but you will find things about Dachshunds having heart murmurs. But, if you replace "Dachshunds" with any other breed, you'll get similar results. So I wouldn't worry about Dachshunds as a breed with regards their hearts. Just watch out for their backs!