Dachshund spinal health by coat and size type

BACKGROUND: A prior report demonstrated that intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) risk varies in dachshunds by size-coat type, suggesting that coat and size genes affect IVDD risk. The furnishings (wire) coat gene, R-spondin-2, affects disc health in dogs, making such a role plausible. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Identify differences in spinal health metrics (SHMs): by coat type, within a coat type by size, and by size-coat type. ANIMALS: Dachshunds (n = 4295) with known SHMs. METHODS: Retrospective study reporting SHMs by coat and size type in dachshund populations in the United Kingdom (UK), Norway, and Denmark. For the UK population, a binary logistic regression was fitted with owner-reported disc disease status (yes vs no) as the outcome variable. For Denmark and Norway, populations were analyzed using proportional-odds ordinal logistic regression models, with calcification number (KN) groups (K0, K1/2, K3/4, and K5+) as the ordinal outcome. RESULTS: In all 3 populations, smooth coat was associated with worse SHMs compared with other coat types (eg, Norway vs long; odds ratio [OR], 2.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-2.83; overall OR range, 1.81-2.59). Within a coat type, size was inconsistently associated with SHMs. In 12 of 15 comparisons, small smooth dachshunds had worse SHMs compared with other size-coat types (eg, Norway vs standard long; OR, 3.56; 95% CI, 2.19-5.79; range, 1.80-5.40). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Dachshund spinal health varies by coat and inconsistently by size type. Coat and size genes may be factors that determine IVDD risk in dachshunds.