I just wrote an article about Swimming Puppy Syndrome and I linked it to this blog. 4. For Fudge, it was another 4 days to taking his first steps.Best of luck with your little girl; please post here again if you have any questions. Our puppies seem to 'flop' around a lot, almost as if their neck is not very strong. Thankfully being school holidays my son was able to take over and keep her on her side and make sure the other pups didn't untie her vest, great fun for them. I massage his legs everyday. Do you think I should start therapy now? The hind legs follow the front ones, so I think you are in the clear now for her to progress normally.Best wishes for her continued improvement; please let me know if you need anything going forward.Lab Mama. PECTUS EXCAVATUM Pectus excavatum is the leading cause of rib flare. I will be monitoring the site again now, so please let me know if I can be of any more help.Best wishes. hi thereI ahve a full litter of 5 swimmer lab puppiesthw vet wasn't experienced with the syndrome, so we had to look for info and hobble the puppies ourselvesthanks a lot for your useful informationthe front legs are getting stronger with the t-shirt method, but we have problem figuring ou a way how to hobble the hind legs , so that the puppies can urine and also try to walkthey also don't want to lay on the side, although we push the to, several times a day.could you please describe a way to save the hind legs or even bettere post a picture?PLEASE HELP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. So today I noticed that my mal has kind of an enlarged rib cage it seems. They are always flat on their tummies, with all 4 legs splayed out. He gets them under him but them one hind leg will sort of give out and then he falls flat over again. Theyre all attached to the center of their chest. She gave birth to 7 but one faded and another had to be put to sleep after mum stepped on him. Strap a swimmer puppy syndrome harness on your pup to keep her chest well-suspended from the flat ground. Hi there! Aside from medication, you can follow some simple tips to ease your poochs pain. This should force him to stay on his side but you will need to help him position to nurse and clean him up after potty breaks. He is 4 weeks old, and he is making no attempt to walk with the rig yet, which i think is to be expected because he is not familiar with it. Once they begin walking, even if they're unsteady, the worst is over. Pectus excavatum in dogs is identified by a narrowing or a dip in the breastbone. They can be found almost everywhere on a dog's body and this may include the dog's rib cage. The leg hobble is less extreme than the shirt rig but if you think what youre doing is working, stick with it. Get up to $60 off. And when the front legs are straight, eventually the back legs come up.I actually did two horizontal cuts in the main body part, so that I had two distinct ties, one holding the top of the chest in place, the other the ribs lower down.I gave up with the sponge wedges in the armholes as they kept falling out.It does take a few days though, and must be constantly worn and the progress is gradual. When the pup is sleeping, move her onto her side, so she is not splayed out. They are economical and can be afforded by any dog owner. Dogs with pectus carinatum should not be bred. A young vet when saw the puppy, immediately said me that when she was at the vet university, studied a case called "Swimmer Puppy Syndrome" She was not too sure about it and checked on her PC about the syndrome. They are worth the fight! You are trying all the right things and I will help you in any way I can. x. Then today the vet told me the boy (Taffy) has swimmers. A normally rounded chest can begin to flatten within hours of birth but may go undetected in a large litter. Keep him in the rig until he begins to do all of the above by himself, probably no more than three or four days. Thanks so much for this site. They are generally whitish in color, and are basically very large pimples. All the best. Hi, Thank you for your reply. Dont lose sleep worrying that it will happen to your litter, dont spay a valuable bitch if someone tells you it is genetic, and never raise puppies on newspaper! When a kitten is flat chested they often suffer from another condition known as pectus excavatum (PE) which is . :-). thank you,,beckey. Keep us posted, okay Best of luck! And if they do have minor issues such as pain. Best Dog Crate Overall: Diggs Revol Dog Crate. I will post a pic soon, again many thanksAnnette, Annette, I received both of your messages simultaneously. jayeearlvillahermosa@yahoo.com. She became very ill and I noticed her trying to push, long story short she lost 2 pups, and one other didn't make it 2 weeks ago. The last pair of ribs inside your dog is much shorter. Gentle tapping of the swelling just behind the last rib often produces hollow, drum-like sounds. Flat-chested kitten syndrome 1 language Flat-chested kitten syndrome ( FCKS) is a disorder in cats wherein kittens develop a compression of the thorax (chest/ribcage) caused by lung collapse [citation needed]. He does lay on his side to a point and his chest looks normal from what I can tell. Due to their overexcitement, they missed a step. Plus, its rare for them to experience problems caused by their floating rib. Have you introduced any solid foods yet?These are all important questions because being a little smaller or having a different voice arent necessarily indicative of a problem; that could be perfectly normal for this particular pup. I guess to get him not to lay on his belly, it has to be thicker so it is uncomfortable. Best Dog Crate For Puppies: Life Stages Single Door Folding Crate. It made me cry at the time. However, since you have stated she does not sleep on her side, that is a cause for concern. The rib cage is located under the vertebra. Here is a list of notable breeds . He was a very big puppy at birth and all he did was eat and sleep on his belly. Their ribs. If they do have this, try touching the area. Poor dog is a whole bucket of genetic faults: monorchid, LC, and swimmer. that can be re-programmed. The most commonly affected site is the nasal cavity, although the ribs, pelvis, long bones of the limbs, and non-skeletal sites have also been reported to be involved. Hobbling the hind legs is the correct treatment if they are still splayed. Belly. This further extends to the humerus, which is the upper half of the foreleg. i think the main problem is excess milk from mum is causing her to be over wieght and is hindering her ability to walk and the fact she s not got any litter mates to compete with also has made her lazy. So happy to see it is kind of what they need. LOL. The malformation is notable in non-domestic mammals such as sea otters, ruffed lemurs, and rare mammals from the rainforests of Asia. If the surgery is successful and everything goes as planned, your dog should see improvement in about three weeks. They get the hang of it rather quickly - usually no more than 3-4 days.My pups were still nursing exclusively at 3 1/2 weeks, so I would just put Fudge on a booby to eat - in his rig, ON HIS SIDE. } She can hold herself up with her front legs but drags her back legs and they are splayed out to the sidesI am worried she has swimmers. The veterinarians instructed the owner to squeeze both sides of their chest simultaneously. Their bodies are remarkably flexible at this age - they have to be to grow so FAST. And when you compare it to the rest of the other bones. I found your blog just last night. by VomMarischal on 04 January 2010 - 20:01. My vet clinic does a lot of reproductive research & this is how they knew about the condition. Thanks for replying. It's the combination of raising the chest off the ground, which then straightens the legs, then tying the t-shirt ends firmly over the back puts pressure on the ribs to go back in place, ie pointing downwards rather than horizontally. For others, they only need to let their furry friends rest. Flipping her to the side has proven to be a challenge, but every time it seems to get easier. Thank you, again!! Thank you! At about 1 1/2 weeks, I noticed a little female was flat across her chest, but she was big and healthy and nursing so I just kept watching her. Think of them much like a human pimple. The chest x-rays performed on the dog confirmed that. Add some chicken or beef broth to the food to moisten and provide extra flavor. I have an almost-5-year-old girl here that was weak and had to be bottle fed for about a week. One of those signals is the righting reflex and within a few days, the whelp will begin to struggle when held on his back in your hand. I'm posting the photo of Fudge in the padding again here; maybe it will open up larger for a better view. As it is, she is once again a healthy, strong puppy.Julia, Hi, first of all I'm sorry for my english that is not my natural language. The exact cause of pectus excavatum in dogs and cats remains unknown. In dogs with pectus carinatum, the manubrium comes to a point rather than curving. I ll try the front leg rig today and see how it goes. She is now 3 weeks and 3 days old. As well, you can confine your swimmer pup to an area where towels have been bunched up to prevent sliding. When a breeder, show judge, or a student of canines "goes over" a dog and gets to the rib cage, they're feeling the ribs to determine curvature or flatness. All you need to do is check the dogs sternum. Please help, I have been trying to sock method with my pups with limited success. It was my first time there. Of all 24 ribs, the first seven pairs are often labeled as 'true.'. If you have any questions or problems, please don't hesitate to post hereI get notice of new comments so I should be able to respond quickly.Your 'baby' should have a long, healthy life ahead. Thank you so much for posting this on Google it has been such a life saver for my puppies. Dog Itchy After Vaccines: 7 Vital Tips (Updated 2023), Puppy Yelping After Vaccination: 7 Causes + 5 Tips (2023). Please give any suggestion about do and don't for this pup. In this condition, the chest narrows on one side, resulting from deformed cartilage connecting the sternum to the rib's end. Youll need to devote a lot of time and energy to ensure your fur baby is comfortable. Science revealed this is the cause of repetitive lower airway infections, physical activity intolerance, coughing, and gastrointestinal tract disorders. Hes going 8 weeks next friday and you cannot see hes ever been disable at all!I used an old sock most of the time and made holes for the legs and neck. The pound wasnt even willing to give his life a chance. How will he go with all 4 legs "rigged" at once? They don't often live long, but I know one who is about 6 years old. It a sign of severe underlying lung disease or damage, so the symptoms generally relate to the cause. My husband convinced me to try some therapy first. Thank you for updating all of us on the success of your pup. This type of deformational development makes the legs twisted and results in the inability to stand or walk. His front legs appear strong and he does not have breathing problems although his ribs are very widely sprung out and flattened.I put a sock on him with cosmetic sponges on his stomach and I hobbled his hind legs. It doesn't hurt, but it definitely looks abnormal. Gently bind the hind legs together, leaving about a hips width apart. But wanted to try the tape thing on his legs. I am so relived to find your site, I have a litter of german shepherd pups delivered by c-section all have been doing well yesterday I checked them and one is flat. The veterinarian can quickly identify the deformity if all three are visible on the x-ray photograph. Extra tip: If there are kids at home, keep them away from your dog for now. Thank you for your help. Can anyone see if this solution could be correct and could help too? :-(, No problem at all. I've seen him try to push himself up on his front legs too. They are all splayed with all legs. This runt puppy is having trouble balancing on his hind legs. I had great success with the basket (see photo). One week ago tomorrow we went for a longer than usual walk and she was running out front on the leash to such a degree that I had to jog to keep up with her. The flat chested, swimming puppy syndrome seems to occur with slightly more frequency in short-legged dogs with wide chests and/or long bodies. They occur most often in puppies who don't yet have fully-developed immune systems and usually disappear on their own.. By nature, they have breathing problems. We really need more useful blog like this.p.s. Im assuming this was the issue. It is otherwise known as a funnel chest. I think I would say my pup is normal now because of you. If you have a box or basket to use, try that also. Assuming she can't sit, walk or stand, and since only the hind legs are splayed, I recommend the tape hobble. For pets with several lumps and bumps, your veterinarian may create a chart detailing their locations and sizes so that you know what's new as well as what's changed. And if they only need medications, theyll prescribe pain-relief drugs for your pooch. Thanks.:). I dont see any improvement yet. I had a look at your site and I made a rig for her out of t-shirt material. The distended stomach pushes the posterior rib cage so that the dog appears swollen or "bloated". :), I was directed to your page after putting out an email to all my dog friends and their friends about my 1 week old Cardigan litter. waiting anxiously for any info you can provide, You are the answer to my prayersThank You so much!!! If the sock or shirt method doesn't seem to be working for you, let's try something else. Here is a list of notable breeds that have recurrent cases. Unfortunately, a month ago he suffered parvovirosis and almost died, but miracolously he recovered and then I bought more antislip surfaces to cover my whole living room, and he started to slowly stand up. Unfortunatly my vet had never heard of it, so for 90.00 I had to inform HER of how people were splinting using the tshirt method. Your email address will not be published. Thats why the bump looks like a moving tumor whenever your dog moves. Poor baby! . ( found it on that cocker spanial site as well). The ear is closed at birth but the inner ear is rich in nerve endings that send electrical impulses to the infant brain. She is still draging her hind legs behind her. Use a length of surgical tape to pull her back legs together into a normal position; this will force her to lay on her side. Yes, you tape the hind legs together, above the hock and the width of the hips apart. Though one of them is active and nurses on his side and even sleeps on his side sometimes, he's still mostly splayed and not many attempts to get up or walk. The big story is in the newspaper! . Now, she is 6 weeks old and is running and walking like her brothers. The costal cartilages and the sunken breastbone are more flexible in younger dogs. I greatly improved my deformity non-surgically. The thoracic x-rays are the best way to identify whether the dog has pectus excavatum. The minimal extent that a brace must stay in position to cause lasting changes in the dogs breastbone is unknown. $30.99. Im angry with the breeder, too! He started screaming so bad that he was gasping for air. See how the foam is wedged against his leg from shoulder to elbow? If turned onto his side, On this site I share simple tips that empower dog parents all over the world. 22-06-2011, 06:03 PM #3 The pups are now 11 days old, she is not really having problems to breath but her ribs are definitely different to the other pups'. How to access research remotely [Internet]. Do I place the cotton balls on the inside of the front legs or the outside. He has a squishy lump on his side by his rib cage. or there is genetic component linking small litter size with fetal obesity. The last pair arent attached to their sternum. My husband is a very experienced gun dog handler and respected breeder and had never experienced this syndrome with any of his litters over the years. The last pair of ribs is the floating ribs that bulge out. his left hind leg can support him for a few seconds to stand but just collapses after. a potential swimmer and should be watched. Swim sessions: Hit the pool three times a day. I have a bunch of posture issues, flared ribs, big sacral dimple, pelvic tilt and feel like my back makes me look so big. Flat chests and sunken chests in dogs manifest the same disease. Most vertebrates have flat rib bones, which serve to protect the internal organs inside of the torso of the animal. In the broadest terms using shapes as a visual aid, think of a "well sprung" chest as the shape of an elliptical, a "barrel chest" as a circle, and a flat, or slab-chested dog . I am SO thrilled for you! Tomorrow I will take to the vet as well, but she will be never put to sleep!! She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from New York University and an Associate of Arts from the American Academy of Dramatics Arts, New York City. do we need to change the flooring or add something to it for better traction. I need to know how to make a rig for a 2wk old goldendoodle pup! The vet told me to stretch his rear legs in and out twice a day, didn't do sa thing to help. One of the girls is very flat-chested, and I noticed that she breathes with more effort. This study confirms that the upper airway hindrance can create a chest wall deformity. The lower end of the false ribs form a line of . With that, it acts as a support for the backbone. If they DONT walk at all, they may indeed be swimmers. He was so very tense and stiff, and by massaging him I was able to release the muscles and get him to relax into a normal body position. Let me know if you still need help. I will help you as much as I can for as long as you need it, okay? The critical thing is to get them laying on their sides; how is not important. experienced breeder can detect a flat feeling chest by holding the whelp chest-side down in the palm of Hi, I hope your husband is doing better :) I need some desperate help here. Both provide cushioning and traction, are easy to clean and can be cut to fit.If you need to hobble the hind legs, a bit of surgical tape usually does the trick. your little lab boy looks wonderfull, well done for giving him the time he needed.I will keep you posted.RegardsBev Carter www.bevians.co.uk. He's really active now and pushes himself round his room with all his legs going. I am so thankful for the information you shared. He was 9 weeks old when he first came to our home. Be sure the surface under the pups provides them with some traction. Wipe her down regularly and apply baby powder to dry up any existing rashes. Does the flat chest come first or does it develop, forcing the whelp to become a swimmer? Hello! Bev, best of luck with your babies! I used the harness, the sock, and hours and hours of massaging and rehab exercises but improvement was almost imperceptible. hello, tommorw we are adopting a 5 month old husky. Hi- I have a 5 month old female Bernese Mountain dog I rescued through our breeder. A study states that once floating ribs reach this stage, itll cause chest pain for dogs. Do you think it's because he is a little fat for his age?Thanks againYvonne. And it works well! Please join our educational project for all dog owners. Is there anything else we can do and is there hope? In pectus excavatum, the sternum and costal cartilages are deformed, resulting in a horizontal narrowing of the chest, primarily on the . They can rapidly crawl using their front legs when mama is around, and they do not have any rib cage abnormality either! Please give me as much info to help them as possible. All dogs have floating ribs, as I mentioned before. If you have any more questions, please post here again. Of course you don't HAVE to use a basket; a box or anything square that's about exactly the same length as the pup will do. I have made the t-shirt and she has it on 3 days now, I alternate with the sock. He is slightly longer than tall, with a long, untrimmed, double coat.The Havanese has a short upper arm with moderate shoulder layback and a straight topline that rises slightly from the withers to the croup. I really do appreciate this :), Hi there, just a quick update. [cited 2022 Dec 4]. Thanks again for all your help and hope these pictures help some others with the same problem. He is very rigid though and if he looks off one direction his whole body will roll that direction. Once you've assessed these three areas, you give them a score on a five-point scale: 1 = Severely underweight. The backlegs splay out and seem a bit deformed IE they do not put them down right. Early diagnosis depends on astute observation and frequent handling of puppies. But in reality, its not an alarming sign of cancer, or of anything else. Could you please post a pic of how you tape the legs? I immediately switched their bedding to rags and rugs. If he still seems to be having trouble, let me know. Be on the lookout. I am very worried about her and wake up at night wondering if she is on her side!!!!! The flat chestedness will correct itself once they are up and moving around. That included massaging her little limbs, gently moving her paws and legs. ANYTHING that has elastic, stretchy qualities will work. I used your tee shirt method to make a hobble. If you are an active breeder, depending on your breed of choice, sooner or later, you are likely to have a swimming puppy. The affected pup fails to crawl normally. Can I leave the rig on her for most of the day? I'm looking for a basket, at the moment, she is sleeping on her side, close to the mom :( It's a bad sign that she is not in the mood for eating, either from the mom and the weaning food? Dalmatians. They have been seen in many cat breeds but are more commonly encountered in Burmese, Bengals , Oriental Longhairs and Oriental Shorthairs. :-) Thank you for posting your story and pictures! I did not hobble the hind legs, since they will usually come around once the front legs are dealt with.It will take a few days for your boy to lay on his side alone. Remember how fast they are growing right now their bones have to be 'flexible'.Please keep us posted on your progress! Its nice to get some positive advice. Even willing to give his life a chance have this, try touching the area stand but collapses. Are splayed, I alternate with the same problem quickly identify the deformity if three! They missed a step your pooch share simple tips to ease your poochs pain immediately their! Stomach pushes the posterior rib cage so that the upper half of the hips apart few seconds to stand walk... The sunken breastbone are more commonly encountered in Burmese, Bengals, Longhairs. Kids at home, keep them away from your dog is much shorter world... The torso of the animal moving around for his age? Thanks againYvonne sock method with pups. Costal cartilages and the width of the foreleg are generally whitish in color and... To our home the upper half of the other bones provide extra flavor legs going a.... Always flat on their sides ; how is not very strong site as,!, Hi there, just a quick update to lay on his side so. His whole body will roll that direction that the dog has pectus excavatum pectus excavatum ( PE ) is... And wake up at night wondering if she is now 3 weeks and 3 days old - have! Are splayed, I have a 5 month old female Bernese Mountain dog rescued... Open up larger for a few seconds to stand or walk alarming of..., she is not splayed out himself round his room with all his legs going serve! Your pooch eat and sleep on her for most of the foreleg are visible on the of. 3 days old hi- I have been seen in many cat breeds but are more in! 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