Dachshunds and Cancer: We're Glad to Be at the Bottom of the List

The Wall Street Journal released a great little article yesterday detailing the risks of cancer in various breeds of dogs.  The news isn't great for Goldens, Boxers, Rotties, and Bernese Mountain Dogs, but with our already well-documented IVDD issues, this is one list we're glad to be at the bottom of - not that we are risk-free regardless.  Excerpt from the Wall Street Journal:

Early warning signs include lumps or masses on or under the skin; which could be signs of mass cell tumors; lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, changes in breathing or eating habits that could signal lymphoma; lameness or stiffness could indicate osteosarcoma. But hemangiosarcomas have typically metastasized long before they are detected.

Susceptible Breeds
About 1 in 3 dogs die of cancer, about the same rate as people. Some breeds, however, are more susceptible than others. Here are the breeds with highest to lowest incidences of cancer. (Average life expectancy shown in parentheses.)


Highest Risk
Boxer (10½ years)
Golden retriever (12)
Rottweiler (10)
Bernese mountain dog (8)

High Risk
Boston terrier (13 years)
English bulldog (8)
Scottish terrier (13)
Cocker spaniel (12)

Average Risk
Irish setter (12 years)
Schnauzer (standard 12; miniature 15)
Labrador retriever (12½)
Mixed Breed

Lower Risk
Beagle (13 years)
Poodle (standard 12; miniature 15)
Collie (12)
Dachshund (15 1/2)

Read all of this great little article, including tips on how to prevent your dog from getting cancer at the Wall Street Journal.

Dachshund Tests Epilepsy Drug At Vet School

Meet handsome 4-year-old longhair 'Brentley,' who hails from Cary, North Carolina.  Brentley began suffering seizures last year, and is now taking part in a nationwide study at N.C. State's College of Veterinary Medicine to determine the effectiveness of a new drug to treat the common neurological disorder.  Excerpt from the News Observer:

Dachshunds are among the breeds most likely to have the chronic neurological condition, which is characterized by recurring seizures.

Only one anticonvulsant drug, primidone, is approved for treating the disorder in dogs. . The other option, phenobarbitol, works well for humans, but it isn't approved for dogs. Either drug can cause excessive drowsiness, lack of coordination and, in some instances, toxicity to the liver.

A veterinary pharmaceutical company that the study's administrators declined to name is sponsoring the clinical trial on a new, unnamed dog epilepsy drug, hoping for approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

"This drug has been tested before," said Karen Muñana, a veterinary neurologist at N. C. State and investigator in the trial. "But we still don't know how safe it is in dogs with epilepsy, or really how effective it is."

Several hundred dogs have been enrolled in 30 centers nationwide since the trial began two years ago.

We're so proud of Brentley for taking the lead to fight this disease.  Read more at the News Observer.

Learn About Dachshunds Through Educational Webinars

Congratulations to Dachshund Rescue of Bucks County (Pennsylvania) on their spiffy new website, but that's only part of the story.  New for 2010, DRBC is offering monthly webinars on various topics to keep your Dachshund happy and healthy.  The first one is this Saturday, January 23, 2010, and the topic is Diets & Your Doxie.  Via the website:

Dachshund Rescue of Bucks County & NJ [DRBC] is pleased to offer our 2010 Webinar Series. These on-line workshops are hosted by dachshund experts and are designed to help you have a long and happy relationship with your dog. There is a small donation fee charged for attendance with all proceeds donated to DRBC for the high medical fees incurred in the rescue and rehabilitation of our beloved breed.

Speaker Bio:
Cynthia SM Kura, PhD – Medical Director, Dachshund Rescue of Bucks County & NJ
Cynthia Kura is Medical Director for Dachshund Rescue of Bucks County & NJ [DRBC], and has over 20 years experience addressing the medical problems associated with the dachshund breed. Dr Kura has worked to develop community education programs concerning pet health. She has initiated and managed vaccination clinics and has written medical standards for regional and national pet healthcare groups, which she works to maintain.
Dr. Kura has conducted breed specific research studies in conjunction with major universities and Veterinary Centers to prevent or minimize disk rupture in dachshunds and is currently developing a comprehensive nutritional program designed as an aid to prevention of early kidney failure in the breed.
In her "spare time," Dr. Kura is "owned" by 8 special Dachshunds, who share her life and her home."


To register go to Dachshund Rescue of Bucks County and click on the Webinar Registration Icon to the right of the topic. This will allow you to pay DRBC's Webinar Fee of $10 and register for the event.

There are some great topics planned this year, don't miss them!  Thanks to our friends 'Harley' and 'Chessie' for sending in the link!

Dachshund News Roundup!

Proving once again that Dachtober may be over, but it's never too late to dress your Dachshund in costume, here's a Dachshund News Roundup on a seasonably cool, yet thankfully dry autumn day, Monday, November 16, 2009.  Can we get a woof?!  Above, 'Marcello,' a 5-year-old black and tan smooth who hails from warm Miami Beach, Florida, won best costume at the second annual Paws in the Park fundraiser on November 8 in Miami.  Over $15,000 was raised to benefit Friends Forever Rescue.  Way to go!  Read more and see lots of pics at The Miami Herald.

Kisses!  In Dachshund show dog news, 81 Dachshunds competed yesterday for Best of Breed at the 28th Annual Dachshund Fanciers Association of Berks County in Bern Township, Pennsylvania.  Above, Carol Johnson of Flourtown, gets a kiss from handsome red longhair 'Rory' during the show. Congrats goes out to 'Briardach's Rock Star,' also known as 'Jagger' for taking Best of Breed.  Read all about it at The Reading Eagle.

In Dachshund healthcare news, smooth brindle 'Dezi Howell' receives therapeutic laser treatment after her spay at at Caring Hands Veterinary Hospital in Billings, Montana.  Although the procedure is still considered alternative, research is showing that rarely do animal patients have inflammation or infection in the incision after the treatment.  Read all about it and some other new veterinary technologies at The Independent Record.

In Dachshund rescue news, this handsome senior black and tan smooth was found tied to a bench in a park with his Red Heeler-mix sister last Monday.  A nearby Fred Meyer store employee found a note in an elevator which asked the finder to rescue her two dogs.  He has been given the name 'Guy' at a nearby shelter.  Read more at The Curry Pilot.

And finally, in Dachshund sporting news, meet 'Bruce,' a red smooth on a mission at Saturday's master earthdog trials in Woodland, California.  The event, sponsored by The Border Terrier Club of the Redwoods, featured dogs from all over the state showing off their tunneling skills. 

Mike Delikowski of Modesto spent much of his time calling after his dachshund, Bruce, who went off exploring.
"Bruce, I've got the rat," he shouted, to no avail.

Read all about it at The Sacramento Bee.

Joanie Needs You

Joanie, aka Joan of Ark, has taken a turn for the worse and needs all the warm wishes, love, and support you can send her way.  In an update yesterday, All Texas Dachshund Rescue notes:

October 15, 2009 - For all you wonderful people out there who have been keeping up with, contributing to, and praying for Joanie's recovery, we have an update for you. We wish with all our hearts it could be a more positive update, but it simply isn't. Joanie is going to need all the contributions, healing rays and prayers you can possibly send her way. She is now in an even more dire fight for her life, but Fighting She Is.

Read about Joanie's fight for life at All Texas Dachshund Rescue.

Innovative Stem Cell Treatment Helps Henry the Dachshund to Walk Again

Meet six-year-old 'Henry,' who hails from Birmingham, England.  Henry "went down" last November, and it was thought that he would never walk again.  His human, Sarah Beech, heard about a new trial at Cambridge University where stem cells would be harvested from his nose and injected into his back to repair his injured spine.  Just a month after the cells were injected, Henry began to walk and wag his tail, taking up to four steps on his own.  We're rooting for you Henry!  It is thought that this treatment could one day help humans with spinal injuries as well.
Read all about the innovative research and see several pics at The Daily Mail.  Thanks to our pals Flying Dachshunds Films and  'Polly' for sending in the link to this story.

Learn about Dachshunds and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) at Dodger's List. What a great resource. There's always a link to Dodger's List in the links column on your right. They have a very active discussion list, and are real pros when it comes to offering advice for IVDD Dachshunds and general Dachshund health.

Dachshund Puppy Has Sewing Needle Removed From Brain

Meet lucky little 'Lucy,' a cute little black and tan smooth puppy who hails from Augusta, Georgia. Lucy got into the sewing supplies, found a pin cushion, and you know what happened next: a 1.5 inch pin lodged itself into her brain.
Her humans trekked to Columbia, South Carolina, where the pin was removed at SC Veterinary Specialties. Excerpt from WECT6:

Vet surgeon Dr. Jonathan Suber was there to help pull the needle out.
"Ultimately, we just cut a small hole under her mouth, reached up and pulled it straight down," Dr. Suber explained.
The part of the brain where the needle was lodged helps Lucy control her stability. At first, she couldn't walk or stand. But just a few days later, Lucy is nearly back on her feet again.

Lucky Lucy is expected to make a full recovery, although she may have some trouble with her balance. Read all about it and see a slideshow of images at WECT6. You can also watch a news video at NBC Augusta.

Sweet little Lucy, get well soon.

New York's Oldest Dog

With the recent passing of 'Chanel,' the Dachshund mix who was on record as the oldest dog in the world, dogs are coming out of the woodwork to claim the esteemed title, and it's amazing how many of them carry a Dachshund gene or two.
Meet 'Paco Sosa Fetes,' a handsome red smooth who hails from Manahattan, and is believed to be the oldest dog in New York. Paco turns 20 years old tomorrow, September 5th. May bones rain from the sky! Excerpt from Reuters:

Paco exercises regularly and eats organic poultry, fish and fruit; and in good
weather he can be seen in Central Park with his human companion, filmmaker and
venture capitalist Bernadine Santistevan. But Paco's healthy regimen isn't
the only factor in his longevity, according to Dr. Talia Goldberg of Park East
Animal Hospital, where Paco has been treated since 1990.
"A lot of it has to do with the care that Bernadine provides him.
Acupuncture, physical therapy, Eastern therapy -- she goes well beyond for
him." Thanks in large part to this comprehensive wellness program and to
Bernadine being "in tune" with her dog, "Paco is still with us and in pretty
good condition," said the New York veterinarian.

Read all about Paco in a great article at Reuters.




UPDATE: 9.6 - 7 AM: Meet Paco's human, Bernadine Santistevan, in an expanded article at the New York Daily News.

Maggie's Trip to the Vet

(click any image to enlarge)

Maybe we're biased, but even Maggie's x-rays are cute. We love her little paws. Your Long and Short of it All hostess, 8.5-year-old 'Maggie' had a bum paw on Monday, and wouldn't even walk. She would just lay on her side, and hold her right paw up in the air, as if she was saying "Fix it!" There didn't appear to be anything caught or stuck anywhere, and Dad couldn't go to work and just leave her at home in pain, so it was off to the vets. After a thorough examination, the good doctor couldn't find anything, although she definitely had pain in one of the pads when it was squeezed. So, an x-ray was in order to see if somthing was lodged inside the pad.

Nope, there's nothing there. If the little princess was faking to get Dad to stay home from work, the plan backfired, because she definitely didn't want to go to the vets.

The vet did notice some degenerative joint disease in Maggie's shoulder though. The area in question should be a well-defined bone, and should not appear to bleed into the background at the tip the way it does in this x-ray. The vet recommended a glucosamine supplement, but Maggie is already taking one every day to keep her back healthy.
She was given a pain med, had her paw soaked in Epsom salts at home, and is no longer limping today. Now to get her thyroid results straightened out and plan for a future biopsy on an unusual mole she has on her side.
And she's the healthy one.

The Little Princess

Dachshund News Roundup!

Proving once again that all dogs deserve a chance at life, it's a Dachshund News Roundup on a rather hot and muggy dog day of summer, Monday, August 10, 2009. Above, it breaks your heart, but we're sure that this Dachshund mix has better things to worry about than what her snout looks like. Meet 6-year-old 'Daisy,' who was found in a cardboard box last February outside a convenience store in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, and taken to the SPCA of Tulsa for treatment. After 2 reconstructive surgeries, she is now ready for adoption, so get in line! It is thought that her injury was an accident; the result of a something quick and clean, like a fan blade. Read all about Daisy and see more pics at Tulsa World.

Run Wiener Dog, Run! Meet 9-year-old 'Maddie,' the top dog at Moffat County Fair’s Wiener Dog Races near Craig, Colorado. Maddie beat out 15 other long dogs to take home the crown, way to go! She is seen here charging down the fairway on Friday. Read all about the Moffat County Wiener Races at the Craig Daily Press.

And finally, it's Kisses! We know Dachshund Lover Jimmy Clayton was excited to be reunited with his smooth black and tan Snickers last Friday. He had left him at the Humane Society of Louisville, Kentucky, to be neutered on Tuesday when flash floods caused an emergency evacuation of the facility. After police reports were filed and newspaper stories were written, it was discovered that he was in the good hands of an evacuation volunteer. Jimmy said he will be bringing Snickers back to be neutered and the Humane Society will throw in a tracking chip for free. Read all about it at the Courier-Journal.

Have a great Monday.

Dachshund Surgery

'Frank,' a 7-year-old smooth red dachshund from Tampa, Florida, suffers from IVDD: Intervertebral Disc Disease. In this informative news video, Frank gets spinal surgery from Dr. Gillian Irving, one of 170 board-certified veterinary neurologists in the world capable of performing this type of surgery. Glad to see Frank recovering so well. Read more at WTSP.com.

Learn about dachshunds and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) at Dodger's List. What a great resource. There's always a link to Dodger's List in the links column on your right. They have a very active discussion list, and are real pros when it comes to offering advice for IVDD dachshunds and general dachshund health.

Dachshund Injured in Tornado to be Adopted

Meet pretty black and tan smooth 'Cammy,' who hails from Escambia County, Florida. After recently giving birth to puppies, a tree fell on Cammy's dog house during a tornado on March 30th, causing her to have a severe head injury. Her humans could not afford her surgery, and she was relinquished to the local human society. That's the BAD news.
The GOOD news is that the humane society paid for her surgery, and although there are still some medical complications, Cammy is getting a new home! Read all about it at the Brewton Standard.

Related: Harley the Dachshund Survives Mississippi Tornado

An Update on Marbles, the Hermaphrodite Dachshund

We're happy to report that 'Marbles,' the hermaphrodite dachshund without a tail is doing great after surgery. Marbles is now 100% boy. The vet could not find any female genitalia in Marbles, and reconstructed his penis. Donations from friends and dachshund lovers all over the country covered his surgery costs, which were $850.
Our friend Johnny Ortez, the LA Small Dogs Examiner offers up a great recap, including a video, don't miss it. Marbles sure is cute running around in that vid.

Related: Hermaphrodite Dachshunds Needs Support and Well Wishes

Hermaphrodite Dachshund Needs Support and Well Wishes

Meet beautiful 4-month-old black and tan smooth dappled 'Marbles,' who hails from the Los Angeles, California, area. As fate would have it, Marbles was born without a tail, and the sheath of his penis didn't develop all the way. The sheath is open with his penis hanging down from it, leaving it prone to infection if not kept clean. The puppy also has testicles, and a vagina in which she urinates out of.
This story has been under discussion on several dachshund boards, and when we first read it, we didn't know how to handle such a delicate topic for inclusion on The Long and Short of it All. Our LA friend, Johnny Ortez, LA Small Dogs Examiner, (who we got to meet last year when he came to Chicago to Bark in the Park with us!), has handled the story quite well however, over at Examiner.com.
Kudos to Marbles' mom, Jennifer Ferrato, a full-time student at California State Long Beach, for being such a special human to Marbles. Read about it, see more pics, watch Marbles play in a video, and find out how to help at Examiner.com. Thanks to our pal 'Pee Wee,' aka P.W., our LA Connection, for the story tip.

I'm Marbles!

How Dachshunds Got Their Funny Legs

Those short, thick, stumpy, wobbly, knobbly, stubby, crooked appendages. One of the many things we love about the dachshund. How did they come to be? Science magazine offers up a clue, and here's an excerpt: In 2007, geneticist Elaine Ostrander of the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, and her colleagues found a single gene in short dogs that regulated the expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1); the gene was missing in giant breeds.
Ostrander's lab has homed in on the "short" gene in detail and found a new surprise: Not only does it make dogs small, but some dogs carry an extra genetic element inserted by chance into chromosome 15. The element--a so-called retrogene--changes the expression of IGF-1 and gives the dogs the distinctive short, bowed forelimbs of chondrodysplasia.
Read all about it at Science magazine.

Photo Details: cachorritas1 by flickr photographer donsabas. Nice legs!

Dachshunds and the Dangers of House Plants

Littermates Joey and Maggie share their scary tale of a poisonous houseplant

Your Long and Short of it All hosts love to garden. We love to help Dad when he's outside weeding or planting or raking or watering. We can lay in the sun and relax, or bury our head deep in a fresh bag of organic soil and steal a big mouthful. Yum! There's nothing better than plucking the perfect tomato or cucumber or even rubbing against some fresh spices because they smell so good. But plants can be a danger to dogs, especially when they are brought in the house, or if dogs aren't supervised around them. We are a living testament to this, and this is our story.
Last year Dad grew several containers of succulents in the garden. Similar to cacti in some regards, succulents or fat plants, are water-retaining plants adapted to arid climate or soil conditions. Succulent plants store water in their leaves, stems and/or roots. The storage of water often gives succulent plants a more swollen or fleshy appearance than other plants, also known as succulence. Common succulents are aloe and jade plants. They are unusual and exotic looking plants, and rightly quite beautiful.
Dads succulents grew huge over the course of the season, some over 4 -feet-tall, and rather than let them die off when winter came, he brought all his best specimens in the house in the fall. Thanksgiving and the holidays came and went.
On one cold January day, Joey was in some pain, and was refusing to eat. Joey had a history of back pain, and as a general rule of thumb with dachshunds, if your dog is in pain, look at the back first. So, it was off to the vet. Joey had x-rays and some degradation was seen in his spine. We started meds and 6 - 8 weeks of strict crate rest. He was also quite gassy, and even the vet commented that he was stinking up the room while she was doing his x-rays. With crate rest started, the next day he was outside doing his duty, and he stopped on the sidewalk for a big long stretch. This was strange though, because when he was in back pain a year earlier, he didn't do such a stretch for nearly 2 months. After he had an unusually huge bowel movement and talking with the vet, we decided that he had some GI distress of some sort, and that he was OK, and that he didn't have a back issue. Whew!
Enter February. Suddenly Maggie pounces by, and she's foaming at the mouth. What? White foam all around her mouth, and drool hitting the floor. Off to the vets. "Did she get into anything?" the vet asked? "No, these dogs never get into anything. Ever. They're great dogs." Maggie received some anti-nauseants and some fluids, as she was slightly dehydrated. Then she seemed fine.
Fast forward to Easter Day. Joey vomited. Not just a little pile of vomit, but a 2-foot-wide puddle of fluid on the hardwood floors. Then he did it again. Then again. Drinking a whole bowl full of water and whining by his empty water bowl, and even by the toilet and the shower, he was so thirsty. Then vomiting again. Off to the emergency vet. "Did he get into anything" the vet asked? "No, these dogs never get into anything. Ever. They're great dogs." Joey was so dehydrated that he had to spend the night at the emergency vets getting fluids, IV antibiotics, and anti-nauseants. He was able to come home 1.5 days later.
At this point, our Dad is wondering what he is doing wrong. We've been basically perfectly healthy for 7 years, no GI issues ever. We've been fed raw meat and bones our whole lives, since we were 10 weeks old, are our bodies changing or something, maybe we can't handle raw food anymore? Is it allergies? But we seem to be just fine on our food now, and we've had it our whole lives. The vets didn't think that our food was the issue, but at one point, Dad still contacted our raw food company, and they examined the food we shipped back to them....it was fine.
Fast forward to the Orthodox Easter Day. Joey is doing the same exact same thing he was doing on Easter. Doesn't Joey like Easter? What is his problem? Huge puddles of watery vomit, and there is no end in sight. He is a sick little pup. Off again to the emergency vets. Again, he is so dehydrated that he spends 2 days at the vets, and he was much sicker this time. A vet from Joey's previous visit talks to Dad and sternly says "This is the same problem he presented with before. You better figure out exactly what his problem is with your regular vet, he is very sick. We don't want to see him here again."
Devastated and scared, and with no sleep for almost 24 hours, our Dad went home to take a nap. There, on the floor by the bed was one last pile of vomit he must have missed on clean-up duty, but this one was different. It was a pile of leaves. It was a pile of leaves from the succulents. What a fool our Dad has been all this time. He grabbed some clippings of the plants and took them to the vet. The vet couldn't determine if they were the exact cause of Joey and Maggie's issues, but more GI tests were ran that all came back fine. The houseplant was removed.
It's now been about 6 months since Joey's last event. After $3,500 in vet bills, Joey and Maggie are happy and healthy, and looking forward to turning 8-years-old in December. We can assume at this point that the houseplant was the cause of their issues. We're embarrassed to tell this tale, but hopefully other dachshund and dog owners can learn from our mistakes. Please watch your dogs around plants of any kind, indoors or out. Dogs are fragile creatures. Check the ASPCA's huge list of poisonous plants, and assume that most of your flower garden is poisonous. Keep house plants out of your dog's reach, and pick up any leaves that fall on the floor. If your dog is sick, think beyond what they may have gotten into, and think about the plants in your house and in your yard. We dearly wish the vets would have asked us what type of house plants we had at Joey's first vet visit in January. But most of all, love your dogs.

When It's Time to Roll

Sometimes when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Dachshunds are among many breeds of dogs who, after a loss of the use of their legs, go on to live a happy and fulfilled life with the help of a wheelchair. Above, measuring dogs for a wheelchair requires two to three people. Leslie Grinnell (center), president of Eddie's Wheels, gets help taking eight different measurements on 'Sweet Pea' from Carole Groman and Chris Van Rooyen. 'Daisy,' the red smooth dachshund mascot of Eddie's Wheels, watches to make sure the humans are doing everything correctly. The Boston Globe offers up a great little article on wheelchairs for pets with a nice Q&A. Don't miss it.

Related: Eddie's Wheels Featured on the Today Show

Learn about dachshunds and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) at Dodger's List. What a great resource. There's always a link to Dodger's List in the links column on your right. They have a very active discussion list, and are real pros when it comes to offering advice for IVDD dachshunds and general dachshund health.

Dutch the Dachshund Survives Mojave Green Rattlesnake Bite

Sending warm dachshund wishes for a continued speedy recovery to 'Dutch,' who hails from Lucerne Valley, California. Dutch and his doxie sister 'Sarah' were found in the backyard by their human battling a Mojave green rattlesnake, the deadliest rattlesnake in North America. The snake took a bite at Sarah first before the dogs nobly finished off the snake. Dutch immediately became lethargic, and their human rushed them both to the vet. Sarah's thick fur may have protected her from the bite. After 6 days of 24 hour care and a $10,000 vet bill, Dutch appears to be on the mend, although he may have lost his sight. Read about it at the Daily Press. We love how Dutch seemed to get better after his dachshund buddy 'Lee' came to visit him. Please get well soon Dutch.

The Camino Animal Clinic out of Camino, California offers up a great article for dog lovers: Coping With Snakebites.

Bella the Dachshund Recovers from Rare Brain Surgery

We're sure that the dachshund community sends its love and support to 10-month-old smooth black and tan 'Bella' and her family, who hail from greater Boise, Idaho. A vet with the WestVet Emergency and Speciality Center sucessfully placed a stent in the brain of Bella, which will relieve pressure that was causing her a lot of pain. Bella suffers from a rare condition that causes too much fluid in her brain. Bella was able to go home yesterday. Read more at KIVI-TV.

Dachshund News Roundup!

We love to dance, and this place with the dancing dachshunds sign looks like heaven! When can we move in? The next time we're in Mississippi, we'll definitely swing by Ocean Springs, and visit Two Dogs Dancing. The Sun Herald had a look at the business, and here's an excerpt: Owner Mickie Miller: "I had never had a pet, but in August 2002, I got my first pet (a dachshund named Myrtle). I couldn't think about anything else, I was so over the moon over Myrtle. Before her, I was a workaholic - I'd probably stay at the office until around 7 p.m. But then, after I got her, I was out the door at 5," she said. The name's inspiration came from her two dogs, who would dance around with excitement when she came home from work every day. Read more at The Sun Herald, or visit Two Dogs Dancing.

No price is too high when it comes to saving our furry family members, and red smooth 'Barney' is no exception. The Destin Log, out of Destin, Florida, had a look at veterinary trends over the last 50 years, and here's an excerpt: Paying $2,500 to keep their dachshund Barney in good health was a deal for Destin residents Joanne and Ed Orr.
Last month, the six-year-old dachshund began crying in pain and dragging his legs. The vet told the Orrs that Barney’s spinal discs were degenerating — a common problem in dachshunds — and that he had three possible futures: “To be put down, to get those wheels like a little skateboard, or to have surgery,” as Joanne Orr tells it.
The surgery, she added, had to be done within 48 hours if Barney was to walk again. The Orrs left that day for a specialist in Tallahassee who could perform the operation.
“It’s unbelievable what we went through with him,” Joanne said. “Some people said ‘I can’t believe you didn’t put him to sleep.’ There’s no way — Barney’s part of the family.”
Read more at The Destin Log.
Barney's 6-week-old dachshund brother 'B.J.' was recently in the news when he choked on a piece of meat and was saved by a Destin firefighter who gave the animal the Heimlich maneuver. Sometimes it never ends, huh?

And finally, there's definitely some wild weather all over the United States at the moment, and here's the picture from Kalispell, Montana. A swaddled red smooth dachshund puppy surveys this week's storm damage of a maple tree her human planted 25 years ago. Source.

Be safe and have a great weekend.