Meet Oscar, The 18 Year-Old Dachshund Who Won't Give Up

Oscar will turn 19 in August

have a relatively long lifespan of 12 to 15 years, but some amazing old Dachshund dogs and weiner dog mixes have lived well beyond that.

, a famous Dachshund,

,

, a purebred Dachshund, lived to the ripe old age of 21. And

, a Dachshund-Terrier mix, and Scolly, a purebred Dachshund, both lived to see 20.And today we have Oscar, a purebred Dachshund, who will turn 19 in August.“He is the energizer bunny,” says Marc Renson, one of Oscar’s owners. “He just keeps going!”Marc’s partner, Greg, adopted Oscar when he was just 4 months old and the couple has cared for him ever since. While Marc describes Oscar as “the perfect dog,” ownership of an aging canine doesn’t come without its challenges and expenses.At 9 years-old, Oscar suffered a slipped disc, an injury common in long-bodied breeds like

. Oscar became paralyzed and underwent a $5,000 surgery.The vets thought he might not make it out alive due to his age, but he did, and he even regained his ability to walk.At 12, Oscar underwent an almost full extraction of his teeth. Again, the vets thought he wouldn't survive the procedure, but he defied their predictions. At 17, he had a stroke. And at 18, he suffered a rectal prolapse."At that point, the vet told us to put the dog down,” Marc says. “We did put the dog down; we put him down off the examination table and walked out of the clinic and went to another clinic.”And thanks to an antibacterial shot and some medications, Oscar fully recovered.“We have been determined to help Oscar no matter what,” Marc says."All the joy he brings to our lives; he is like our child. If clinic visits and carrying him up and down stairs is what we have to do, then that's what we'll do.”Some people might wonder what kind of quality of life an 18 year-old dog can have. But Marc says that despite the fact that Oscar is now partially blind, partially deaf, and has a hard time getting started in the morning, his vital signs are strong and he’s a happy dog who travels around the house during the day, plays with his little sister Lucy (also a Dachshund), begs for kibble, loves car rides, and always wants to be in the same room as Marc and Greg.“But he doesn't run anymore or save us from the pool,” Marc says. “He used to jump into the pool after us thinking we were drowning.It was the cutest thing. Bark, bark, bark, then jump right in and doggie paddle over to us. My heart is breaking remembering the memory.”Fortunately, Marc has more than just happy memories to go on at this point. He still has his friend, who he refers to as a “caregiver” and a “soft, affectionate, and wise old soul.”And he’s not giving up on him anytime soon.“As a long-time dog owner, I believe that a dog will always let its owner know when it's truly time. They will change their patterns, stop eating, hide in corners, or disassociate themselves.I believe that and after everything Oscar has been through, he's still loving. I know in my heart, he's not ready yet. He still has more life that he wants to live. Long live Oscar!”As a thanks to Marc and Greg for all they do for Oscar, we are giving the family a free trial of

. PetPlus is a benefit program for pet owners that provides member-only access to medications at wholesale prices, plus discounts on food, supplies, boarding, and more. Learn more and sign up at

!