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Expert: - 7/31/2010


Question
I have two dachshunds, One almost 4 and the younger one around 3. Both females and both from the same two parents. The older girl Chacha is very healthy but still on the heavy side(common for dachshunds)with minor or none at all problems through-out her lifetime. The younger dog Koko on the other hand is very very problematic. I am worried about her, but my vet says it is all common, PLEASE I need a second opinion. Koko is very thin especially from the waist, please keep in mind Chacha and Koko have the same amount of exercise and diet daily, she suffers from seizures weekly since about she was 1 or 2. We live in Laredo, Texas which if you dont know is very very hot. Both dogs spend a lot amount of time outside with plenty of water and of course can come inside and sleep inside every night. This is not all of Kokos problems, she suffers from drastic sun spots, although Chachas coat is very very healthy Kokos suffers from loss of hair, Pimple like bumbs and redness all around the back area. With these 3 problems that Chacha does not have, what are we doing wrong with Koko. I hope you have a conclusion or something we can maybe do to help Koko. Thank you, I hope you can help

Answer
Well first of all, overweight doxies are only "common" as you put it because they are over fed and fed the wrong foods. Dachshunds should be thin, and especially around the waist area, so Koko is actually an ideal weight.

Then my question is what do these dogs eat? Most skin problems as well as obesity stem from bad food choices. Skin and coat problems are almost always traced back to diet. One dog might digest their food drastically differently than the other dog. One could have an intolerance to the same food the other dog does well on.

Tell me what you feed, including all table scraps etc. and I can help you better.

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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